Associations of Kidney Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Biomarkers with Markers of Inflammation in Individuals with CKD

Jacquelyn Trujillo, Manal Alotaibi, Nay Seif, Xuan Cai, Brett Larive, Jennifer Gassman, Kalani L. Raphael, Alfred K. Cheung, Dominic S. Raj, Linda F. Fried, Stuart M. Sprague, Geoffrey Block, Michel Chonchol, John Paul Middleton, Myles S Wolf, Joachim H. Ix, Pottumarthi Prasad, Tamara Isakova, Anand Srivastava*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Key PointsLower baseline apparent diffusion coefficient, indicative of greater cortical fibrosis, correlated with higher baseline concentrations of serum markers of inflammation.No association between baseline cortical R2* and baseline serum markers of inflammation were found.Baseline kidney functional magnetic resonance imaging biomarkers of fibrosis and oxygenation were not associated with changes in inflammatory markers over time, which may be due to small changes in kidney function in the study.BackgroundGreater fibrosis and decreased oxygenation may amplify systemic inflammation, but data on the associations of kidney functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) measurements of fibrosis (apparent diffusion coefficient [ADC]) and oxygenation (relaxation rate [R2*]) with systemic markers of inflammation are limited.MethodsWe evaluated associations of baseline kidney fMRI-derived ADC and R2* with baseline and follow-up serum IL-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP) in 127 participants from the CKD Optimal Management with Binders and NicotinamidE trial, a randomized, 12-month trial of nicotinamide and lanthanum carbonate versus placebo in individuals with CKD stages 3-4. Cross-sectional analyses of baseline kidney fMRI biomarkers and markers of inflammation used multivariable linear regression. Longitudinal analyses of baseline kidney fMRI biomarkers and change in markers of inflammation over time used linear mixed-effects models.ResultsMean±SD eGFR, ADC, and R2* were 32.2±8.7 ml/min per 1.73 m2, 1.46±0.17×10-3mm2/s, and 20.3±3.1 s-1, respectively. Median (interquartile range) IL-6 and CRP were 3.7 (2.4-4.9) pg/ml and 2.8 (1.2-6.3) mg/L, respectively. After multivariable adjustment, IL-6 and CRP were 13.1% and 27.3% higher per 1 SD decrease in baseline cortical ADC, respectively. Baseline cortical R2* did not have a significant association with IL-6 or CRP. Mean annual IL-6 and CRP slopes were 0.98 pg/ml per year and 0.91 mg/L per year, respectively. Baseline cortical ADC and R2* did not have significant associations with change in IL-6 or CRP over time.ConclusionsLower cortical ADC, suggestive of greater fibrosis, was associated with higher systemic inflammation. Baseline kidney fMRI biomarkers did not associate with changes in systemic markers of inflammation over time.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)681-689
Number of pages9
JournalKidney360
Volume5
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - May 1 2024

Keywords

  • CKD
  • chronic inflammation
  • fibrosis
  • hypoxia

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Nephrology
  • Medicine (miscellaneous)
  • General Medicine

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Associations of Kidney Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Biomarkers with Markers of Inflammation in Individuals with CKD'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this