title: Circulating levels of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) correlate with the presence and severity of preeclampsia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) has emerged as a reliable marker of acute renal injury and is produced at the maternal-fetal interface but its role in preeclampsia has not been systematically examined. This study investigated whether plasma NGAL concentrations changed in patients with preeclampsia at diagnosis compared to normotensive controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case-control study was performed. Plasma was collected from women with preeclampsia and normotensive controls matched for age, gestational age, and body mass index. Plasma NGAL concentrations were measured by specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with preeclampsia had significantly higher NGAL concentrations than controls (median [range]: 203.8 ng/mL [66.1-575.4] vs. 122.8 ng/mL [7.0-669.7]; P = .047). In subgroup analysis, patients with severe preeclampsia had significantly higher NGAL concentrations than those with mild preeclampsia. Plasma NGAL concentrations were positively correlated with the amount of proteinuria in women with preeclampsia (P = .003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plasma NGAL concentrations were significantly elevated in women with preeclampsia versus normotensive controls, and concentrations appear to be associated with the severity of the disease.
authors: Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Sun Min
authors: SM
authors: Kim
authors: Joong Shin
authors: JS
authors: Park
authors: Errol R
authors: ER
authors: Norwitz
authors: Hee Jung
authors: HJ
authors: Jung
authors: Byoung Jae
authors: BJ
authors: Kim
authors: Chan-Wook
authors: CW
authors: Park
authors: Jong Kwan
authors: JK
authors: Jun
mesh_terms: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001794:Blood Pressure; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins / Q000097:blood*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011379:Prognosis; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015854:Up-Regulation; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D015415:Biomarkers; C489506:LCN2 protein, human; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins
keywords: NGAL; biomarker; plasma; preeclampsia; pregnancy