Increased levels of serum hepatocyte growth factor in patients with end-stage renal disease

Blood levels of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) have been found to be elevated in patients with chronic renal failure. The cause of the increase in this mitogen is unclear. We determined serum HGF levels in 34 patients on maintenance dialysis and ten healthy volunteers. Predialysis serum HGF levels were elevated in patients with end-stage renal disease as compared to control subjects (1.65 ± 0.2 ng/mL vs 0.46 ± 0.04 ng/mL, p<0.01). In addition, serum HGF levels were significantly higher in African-American dialysis patients compared to Caucasian patients (2.18 ± 0.36ng/mL vs 1.18 ± 0.12ng/mL, p<0.01). The observed differences could not be accounted for by variations in serum creatinine, serum albumin, or blood pressure between the African-American and Caucasian patients. Serum HGF levels were elevated in patients with end-stage renal disease, and were higher in African-American than Caucasian patients, but the pathophysiology and significance of this finding remain unclear.