PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Aendekerk, Joop P. AU - Timmermans, Sjoerd A.M.E.G. AU - Busch, Matthias H. AU - Potjewijd, Judith AU - Heeringa, Peter AU - Damoiseaux, Jan G.M.C. AU - Reutelingsperger, Chris P. AU - van Paassen, Pieter AU - , TI - Urinary Soluble CD163 and Disease Activity in Biopsy-Proven ANCA-Associated Glomerulonephritis AID - 10.2215/CJN.07210520 DP - 2020 Nov 17 TA - Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology PG - CJN.07210520 4099 - http://cjasn.asnjournals.org/content/early/2020/11/17/CJN.07210520.short 4100 - http://cjasn.asnjournals.org/content/early/2020/11/17/CJN.07210520.full AB - Background and objectives ANCA-associated GN is a common cause of rapidly progressive GN, with high relapse rates. The early recognition of an ANCA-associated GN relapse is of importance to prevent loss of kidney function. Urinary soluble CD163 has been identified as a promising marker of active ANCA-associated GN. Previous studies, however, are limited by the lack of histologic data.Design, setting, participants, & measurements We analyzed urinary soluble CD163 in 95 patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis who underwent a kidney biopsy. In total, 125 kidney tissue sections (first kidney biopsy, n=67; repeated biopsy, n=58) with concurrent 24-hour urine samples were studied. Correlation analyses comparing urinary soluble CD163 levels and morphologic features of ANCA-associated GN were performed using Spearman rank correlation analysis. The diagnostic performance of biomarkers to detect relapsing ANCA-associated GN was evaluated using receiver operating characteristics curve analysis.Results High levels of urinary soluble CD163 were found in 96 (87%) of 110 biopsies with active ANCA-associated GN compared with one (7%) of 15 biopsies without active ANCA-associated GN and one (6%) of 17 healthy controls. Urinary soluble CD163 correlated with fibrinoid necrosis (Rho=0.48, P<0.001) and cellular crescents (Rho=0.70, P<0.001) on kidney biopsy. In repeated biopsies, urinary soluble CD163’s sensitivity of 0.94 and specificity of 0.91 for the recognition of relapsing ANCA-associated GN appeared better than routine clinical measures. The presence of CD163+ cells in affected glomeruli confirmed urinary soluble CD163’s origin.Conclusions Urinary soluble CD163 is associated with active ANCA-associated GN and correlates with histologic features as seen in ANCA-associated GN.Podcast This article contains a podcast at https://www.asn-online.org/media/podcast/CJASN/2020_11_17_CJN07210520_final.mp3