URINARY CONCENTRATION OF B₂ MICROGLOBULIN IN A PEDIATRIC POPULATION

Abstract

Urinary B₂ microglobulin (B₂m) has been used to assess renal tubular dysfunction. Previously reported data established the normal range of B₂m to be 4-370 ug/liter in the urine of subjects 15 to 63 years of age, but no data are currently available for the pediatric age group. Using a cammercially available kit (Pharmacia, Piscataway, N.J.) urinary concentrations of B₂m were measured in 95 subjects ranging in age from 1 day to 20 years in randamly collected early morning samples. For neonatal subjects age 1 day to 1 week the mean B₂m concentration was 138 ug/lit ± 22 ug/lit (Mean ± SE) N=55. In succeeding age groups values were: 1 to 2 months 88 ± 17.2 N=10, 8 to 10 months 29 ± 7.4 N=6, 1 to 5 years 30 ± 30.0 N=6, 6 to 10 years 47 ± 13.5 N=7, 11 to 15 years 47 ± 13.7 N=6, 16 to 20 years 63 ± 30.1 N=5. In addition, urinary B₂m concentration was measured in nine patients with vesicoureteric reflux. B₂m levels were not significantly different from values obtained from age-matched controls. This study suggests that high levels of B₂m are found in the urine during the first week of life and decrease to adult levels by one year of age. In addition, B₂m concentrations cannot be used as an index of renal impairment caused by vesicoureteric reflux.

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