Background: Beta-2 microglobulin (β2mG) is a low-molecular-weight protein that is almost exclusively eliminated through the kidneys. It is freely filtered in the glomeruli and almost completely reabsorbed and degraded in the proximal tubules. Normal urinary β2mG levels are very low (between 0.04 and 0.22 mg/L). No reference values are known in infants and young children.
Methods: Urinary β2mG levels were measured in 103 healthy term neonates during the first week of life by nephelometric technology.
Results: The average level of urinary β2mG was 0.65 mg/L (95% confidence interval between 0 and 10.8 mg/L). There was a minor difference between male and female neonates but it did not reach statistical significance. There was no effect of the gestational week, birth weight, or weight loss in the first week of life, on urinary β2mG levels.
Conclusions: First-week urinary β2mG levels in healthy term infants were higher than adult levels. Incomplete maturation of kidney tubules in neonates could be a possible explanation. These can now be used in clinical practice and further studies that assess the degree of proximal tubular function in health and disease. Graphical abstract.
Keywords: Infants; Low-molecular-weight protein; Tubular maturation; Tubular proteinuria; Urinary beta-2 microglobulin (β2mG).