Haemostatic activation and proteinuria as factors in the progression of chronic renal failure

Haemostatic activation was measured in patients with either non-diabetic chronic renal failure (CRF) or diabetic nephropathy. We have investigated the relationship between these haemostatic markers and the rate of progression of renal failure. When compared with age- and sex-matched healthy controls, both patient groups showed significantly elevated plasma concentrations of D dimer, von Willebrand factor antigen (vWFAg), and C-reactive protein (CRP) (all P less than 0.001), as well as an increase in spontaneous platelet aggregation (P less than 0.01). Plasma concentration of platelet factor 4 was slightly but not significantly increased. Serum thromboxane was subnormal (P less than 0.01). Multiple regression analysis showed that in non-diabetic CRF proteinuria and serum TxB2 were independently related to the rate of progression of renal failure; in diabetic nephropathy proteinuria and vWFAg were independently related to the rate of progression. In both groups the relationship was stronger with proteinuria (standardised regression coefficients 0.56 and 0.45 respectively) than with serum TxB2 (0.29) or with vWFAg (0.37). We have found haemostatic activation in both non-diabetic and diabetic progressive renal failure. Proteinuria, and also in this study serum TxB2 and vWFAg, appear to be determining factors in the progression of renal failure, and their measurement may have prognostic value.