title: Urine neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin: an independent predictor of adverse outcomes in acute kidney injury.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several recent studies have shown that neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) may be a promising biomarker for the early detection of acute kidney injury (AKI), but the role of NGAL in predicting adverse clinical outcomes has not been well addressed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of urine NGAL as outcome predictor in patients with AKI.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective cohort study enrolling hospitalized AKI patients. Patients were divided into four groups according to initial urine NGAL excretion quartiles. The primary clinical outcome variables were in-hospital mortality and renal function at 4 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Initial urine NGAL was identified as an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality and persistent loss of renal function. In the analysis of predictive performance of urine NGAL, the AUC was 0.882 and a cutoff value of 298.28 ng/ml predicted loss of renal function with 88.2% sensitivity and 81.0% specificity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study could suggest that urine NGAL, a new early biomarker might also be served as a reliable clinical outcome predictor in AKI patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University Anam Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ha Na
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Chang Soo
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Boo
authors.forename: Myung-Gyu
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang-Kyung
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Jo
authors.forename: Won Yong
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Hyoung-Kyu
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D058186:Acute Kidney Injury / Q000652:urine*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D018093:Gelatinases / Q000652:urine*; D006801:Humans; D054834:Lipocalins / Q000652:urine*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000378:metabolism*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D054834:Lipocalins; D018093:Gelatinases