Clinical Usefulness of Kidney Injury Molecule-1 (KIM-1) among Chronic Kidney Disease Patients in a Rural Tertiary Health Institution in Nigeria

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) infiltrates every sphere of public health concern as it apparently shares link with most dreaded diseases in the society. In order to arrest the adverse outcomes that ensues from this disease it is unavoidably important to identify early, predictive and non-invasive biomarkers to detect CKD for early diagnosis among Nigerians. This study investigated a total of 270 subjects ranging from 18-92 years old, and was divided into four groups based on their eGFR. The first group contained 70 diabetic patients and hypertensive subjects with eGFR 60 ≥ 90ml/mins (Early Phase), the second group was 50 chronic kidney disease patients with eGFR 15 – 59ml/mins (Mid Phase), the third group was 50 chronic kidney disease patients with eGFR less than 15ml/mins and those in End-Stage Renal Disease (Late Phase) while the fourth group of 100 were control subjects with normal eGFR. Some biochemical parameters and KIM-1 serum of all the groups. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS. Bonferroni post-hoc option in ANOVA was used for comparison between more than two groups. Statistical significance was considered as p <0.05. The level of the kidney Injury Molecule-1 increased significantly at p≤0.05 across the five stages of chronic kidney disease. KIM-1 was significantly good predictors of CKD and significantly predict the early stage of the disease. This is invariably important for early diagnosis that will foster early treatment.

Keywords: Chronic kidney disease, eGFR, Kidney Injury Molecule 1 (KIM-1).