Diagnostic accuracy of urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin in patients with septic acute kidney injury

Detection of Acute Kidney Injury in Neonates after Cardiopulmonary Bypass

Cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (CS-AKI) in neonates has been associated with poor outcomes. Early detection and intervention of acute kidney injury (AKI) are needed in order to mitigate some of these sequalae. Currently, serum creatinine (SCr) remains the gold standard for AKI diagnosis; however, changes are not seen until days after injury thus delaying the diagnosis. Serum creatinine in neonates varies based on multiple factors such as prematurity, the presence of maternal SCr and renal tubule immaturity. Acute kidney injury biomarkers, such as neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), are useful for early AKI diagnosis. In addition to SCr and AKI biomarkers, a risk-based assessment of neonates at risk for CS-AKI could prove useful for early AKI diagnosis and intervention.

Meta-analysis of the diagnostic value of serum, plasma and urine neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin for the detection of acute kidney injury in patients with sepsis

The objective of the present study was to assess the diagnostic value of urine, serum and plasma neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) for the early diagnosis of acute kidney injury (AKI) among patients with suspected sepsis. Therefore, a meta-analysis was carried out to evaluate diagnostic accuracy data from the literature regarding the diagnosis of AKI in patients with sepsis. Electronic databases were systematically searched for relevant studies and quality assessment was conducted using the Quality Assessment for Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 tool. A summary receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed, and several parameters including sensitivity, specificity, diagnosis odds ratio (DOR) and area under the curve (AUC) were calculated to evaluate the diagnostic performance of urine, serum and plasma NGAL. Meta-regression, sensitivity and subgroup analysis were also conducted to identify the source of heterogeneity in the eligible studies. In total, 28 studies were included. The pooled sensitivities for urine, serum and plasma NGAL were 0.87, 0.83 and 0.80, respectively. Pooled specificity was 0.84, 0.79 and 0.74. The DORs were 35, 18 and 11, respectively. The AUC for urine, serum and plasma NGAL were 0.92, 0.87 and 0.84, respectively. Urine NGAL presented superior performance for the diagnosis of AKI with the highest AUC and other diagnostic accuracy values, compared with serum and plasma NGAL. Further studies are needed to clarify the controversial issue between the usefulness of serum and plasma NGAL.

Comparison of urine and serum neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin after open and endovascular thoraco-abdominal aortic surgery and their meaning as indicators of acute kidney injury

BACKGROUND

Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) has been described as a potential biomarker of acute kidney injury (AKI) in different settings, but its behaviour under influence of open and endovascular repair of thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAA) has not been assessed yet. In this study, the course of NGAL was observed and differences of serum- (sNGAL) and urine-NGAL (uNGAL) levels following TAAA repair, especially with regard to AKI, were evaluated.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this retrospective single centre study, 52 patients (mean age 64.5 years, [43-85 years]), including 39 (75 %) men, were enrolled (2014-2015, 13.2 months mean follow-up). Levels of sNGAL and uNGAL were measured perioperatively for 48 hours on intensive care unit. Twenty-three patients were treated by endovascular and 29 by open TAAA-repair.

RESULTS

Logistic regression revealed an increase in NGAL (sNGAL p = 0.0263, uNGAL p = 0.0080) corresponding with an increase in serum creatinine within the first 48 hours. Fourteen patients (26.9 %) developed AKI and 11 (21.1 %) required dialysis. The course of NGAL differed significantly (uNGAL p < .0001, sNGAL p = 0.0002) between patients suffering from AKI requiring dialysis and patients without AKI. The predictive power of uNGAL was three times higher than that of sNGAL (estimate of the regression slope 0.1382 vs. 0.0460). No significant difference between patients undergoing open or endovascular TAAA repair regarding the perioperative course of sNGAL and uNGAL was observed.

CONCLUSION

serum-NGAL and urine-NGAL correlate with serum creatinine levels and AKI requiring dialysis. Furthermore, the postoperative course of sNGAL and uNGAL after open and endovascular TAAA repair is not significantly different. Taken together, the results indicate that uNGAL and, to a lesser extent, sNGAL could be considered biomarkers for early detection of perioperative AKI after open and endovascular TAAA surgery.

Urine neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin predicts outcome and renal failure in open and endovascular thoracic abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery

Urine neutrophil gelatinase–associated lipocalin (uNGAL) has been evaluated as a biomarker for AKI detection and adverse outcome in open and endovascular thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm surgery. This observational, retrospective study included 52 patients. UNGAL was measured peri-operatively (48 h) and correlated with AKI requiring dialysis, tracheotomy and adverse outcome. Mean patients’ age was 64.5 years. A total of 26.9% (n = 14) developed AKI, and 21.1% (n = 11) required dialysis, tracheotomy rate was 19.2% (n = 10) and in-hospital mortality rate was 7.6% (n = 4). uNGAL levels were related to AKI requiring dialysis at ICU (p = 0.0002), need for tracheotomy at baseline and admission on ICU (p = 0.0222, p = 0.0028, respectively), as well as adverse discharge modality (p = 0.0051, p = 0.0048, respectively). Diagnostic quality was good for uNGAL levels at admission to ICU regarding AKI requiring dialysis (sensitivity: 81.8% [48.2–97.7]; specificity: 87.8% [73.8–95.9]; area under the curve (AUC): 0.874 [0.752–0.949]). The diagnostic quality of uNGAL was favorable for the prediction of tracheotomy (sensitivity: 70.0% [34.8–93.3]; specificity: 83.3% [68.6–93.0]; AUC: 0.807 [0.674–0.903]) and adverse discharge (sensitivity: 77.8% [40.0–97.2]; specificity: 83.7% [69.3–93.2]; AUC: 0.817 [0.685–0.910]). uNGAL may be valuable as an post-operative predictor of AKI and adverse outcome after open and endovascular TAAA repair.

Salivary Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin Sampling Feasibility in Acute Renal Colic

PURPOSE

Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) levels in the serum and urine are predictive biomarkers of acute kidney injury with correlation to complication and survival in major surgery. Salivary levels of NGAL during acute renal colic may reflect the degree of renal injury as it appears in different compartments encompassing body response in time perspective. Our aim is to evaluate and examine the feasibility and correlation of salivary NGAL with serum and urine levels in acute renal colic event.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A prospective controlled study of all patients presenting to the emergency room with acute renal colic event diagnosed with single ureteral stone obstruction by noncontrast CT. Saliva, urine, and blood samples were collected in patients and a control group during the first morning of admission.

RESULTS

The study groups consisted of 44 patients and 13 controls, mean age 47 ± 15 years, body mass index 29 ± 6, mean stone size 6 ± 4 mm, mean creatinine levels 1.3 ± 0.7 mg/dL, mean white blood count 10,900 ± 3100 counts per field, and C-reactive protein 29 ± 55. Serum (190 ± 120 ng/mL vs 81 ± 24; p < 0.001) and predominantly salivary (474 ± 185 vs 328 ± 134 ng/mL; p < 0.05) NGAL levels were significantly elevated in patients compared with controls.

CONCLUSIONS

Salivary NGAL sampling is feasible during the acute phase of renal colic. High levels of salivary NGAL are observed in a single sampling during acute ureteral stone obstruction and may advance clinical decision-making.