Markers of inflammation before and after renal transplantation

Background. This study aims to compare serum C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients before versus after receiving renal transplantation (RT) and versus donors. Methods. Serum samples from 37 ESRD patients (24 male, age 34 +/- 13 years) were collected before and after RT; in addition, samples from 31 donors were obtained at transplantation. CRP concentrations were measured using nephelometry, and TNF-alpha and IL-6 were measured by enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay. Results. Ninety-two percent of recipients had a living donor, 73% received cyclosporine A, 27% tacrolimus, and 70% induction with daclizumab. Thirteen percent had acute rejection and 16% chronic allograft nephropathy. All inflammation markers decreased 6 months after RT, but only CRP was below baseline values (baseline: 5.0 +/- 3.5; 6 months: 3.0 +/- 0; 12 months: 3.2 +/- 0.7; 18 months: 3.2 +/- 0.6; donors: 3.6 +/- 1.5 mg/L; P < 0.05), whereas median TNF-alpha (baseline: 0.1 [0.03-0.2]; 6 months: 0 [0-0.1]; 12 months: 0.3 [0.1-2.6]; 18 months: 0.6 [0.1-1.9]; donors: 0 [0-0.1] pg/mL; P < 0.05) and IL-6 (baseline: 1.9 [1.2-7.1]; 6 months: 1.2 [0.6-28.3]; 12 months: 2.6 [1.3-3.4]; 18 months: 2.7 [1.7-4.2]; donors: 1.1 [0.6-1.9] pg/mL; P < 0.05) significantly increased up to the end of follow-up. Before RT, CRP correlated with age (r 0.45, P=0.006) and albumin (r-0.36, P=0.04). TNF-alpha and IL-6 were correlated before (r 0.34, P=0.04) and after (r 0.55, P=0.02) RT. Inflammation markers were not different in patients who had acute rejection episodes or chronic nephropathy. Conclusions. Compared with controls, patients displayed an inflammatory phenomenon before receiving RT. Serum CRP decreased significantly after RT, whereas TNF alpha and IL-6 increased.