title: Reference range of urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin in very low-birth-weight infants: preliminary data.
abstract: We sought to determine the reference range for urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (UNGAL) in very low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants with uncomplicated clinical courses. Samples of urine from 53 VLBW infants between 3 and 28 days of life were prospectively collected weekly for measurement of UNGAL. A subset of 22 infants with uncomplicated medical courses without risk factors for renal impairment was selected for study. Mean +/- standard deviation and range for birth weight and gestational age of study infants were 1156 +/- 191, 790 to 1440 g and 29 +/- 2, 27 to 33 weeks, respectively. The 95th and 99th percentiles for UNGAL concentration from this group of infants were 25 ng/mL and 75 ng/mL, respectively. Bootstrapped mean 95th and 99th percentile values and their standard errors and 95 percent confidence intervals in ng/mL were 33.1 +/- 13.0 (7.7, 58.6) and 67.5 +/- 15.1 (37.9, 97.1), respectively. These values fall within the adult reference range. UNGAL values were stable across the ranges of gestational and postnatal age of the study infants. A preliminary reference range for UNGAL in VLBW infants has been established. Further investigation with more frequent urine collections in a larger population of VLBW infants that includes those with birth weights < 750 g and gestational ages < 27 weeks is necessary to confirm this reference range.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University and Morgan Stnley Children's Hospital of New York-Presbyterian, New York, New York 10032, USA. ep127@columbia.edu
authors.forename: Elvira
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Parravicini
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lorenz
authors.forename: Sheri L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Nemerofsky
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: O'Rourke
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barasch
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bateman
mesh_terms: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight / Q000652:urine*; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins / Q000652:urine*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000652:urine*; D012016:Reference Values; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; C489506:LCN2 protein, human; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins