Serum beta 2-microglobulin before and after renal and heart allotransplantation and in infection.

UNLABELLED

beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2-m) serum levels were significantly elevated in patients waiting for kidney transplantation. The levels decreased after successful transplantation, even when they were never as low as in a control group of healthy blood donors. A higher amount of serum (s-) beta 2-m was observed also in heart transplant recipients. A significant reincrease in s-beta 2-m occurred during rejection of renal allograft and during CMV and EBV infection. The levels of s-beta 2-m were higher in patients infected with CMV than in those infected with EBV.

ABBREVIATIONS

beta 2-m = beta 2-microglobulin, s-beta 2-m = serum beta 2-microglobulin, CMV = cytomegalovirus, EBV = Epstein-Barr virus.