ß2-Microglobulin Concentration in Plasma and Production in Liver Cirrhosis

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Abstract
The .beta.2-microglobulin (.beta.2-M) plasma level is often high in patients suffering from cirrhosis. Many authors believe this to be due to an increased production, provided that the creatinine level is in the normal range. In this study, alterations in the plasma level and production of .beta.2-M were investigated in 62 patients (48 men, 14 women) with liver cirrhosis without overt renal failure. The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and plasma .beta.2-M were measured in all patients and in 16 controls. As .beta.2-M is freely filtered by glomeruli and its extrarenal catabolism is negligible, the .beta.2-M filtration rate was calculated as the product of the .beta.2-M plasma level times the GFR. In steady state conditions, the .beta.2-M filtration rate may be used as an indirect index of .beta.2-M production. The .beta.2-M plasma level was high in 26 patients; however, only 12 of them showed a definite rise in .beta.2-M production, as shown by an increased .beta.2-M filtration rate. The 14 patients with high .beta.2-M plasma levels without high .beta.2-M filtration rates obviously showed a decreased GFR; however, creatinine was not increased because of its small sensitivity as an index of renal function. A linear correlation was found between IgG and the .beta.2-M filtration rate (r = 0.52; P < 0.02), not between IgG and the .beta.2-M plasma level. The other indices of liver damage were not related to the .beta.2-M filtration rate or plasma level.

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