title: Association of plasma neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) with sepsis and acute kidney dysfunction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is secreted by injured kidney cells as well as by activated neutrophils in response to bacterial infections. We assessed the influence of acute renal dysfunction on the association between plasma NGAL and sepsis.
  
  
  METHODS
  NGAL was measured daily in 138 critically ill patients. Simultaneous recordings of sepsis status and fluctuations in renal function were made.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Elevated NGAL was associated with sepsis independent of level of acute renal dysfunction. A cut-off value of 98 ng/mL distinguished sepsis from systemic inflammation with high sensitivity (0.77) and specificity (0.79).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plasma NGAL can help clinicians to identify bacterial infections in critically ill patients.
authors.affiliation: Section of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. johan.martensson@karolinska.se
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mårtensson
authors.forename: Max
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: Shengyuan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bottai
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ravn
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Venge
authors.forename: Claes-Roland
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Martling
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018805:Sepsis / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D015415:Biomarkers; C489506:LCN2 protein, human; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins