title: Evaluation of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin in pediatric patients with acute rotavirus gastroenteritis and dehydration.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dehydration caused by acute rotavirus gastroenteritis is a frequent finding in pediatric patients. The most important treatment modality in these patients is recognising and treating dehydration, electrolyte imbalance and acute kidney injury. Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is used widely as a biomarker for the diagnosis of acute or chronic renal injury in numerous clinical studies. It is recognized as an early marker of acute renal failure before the elevation of routine biochemical tests such as creatinine. The aim of this study is to investigate the plasma and urine NGAL concentrations in mildly or moderately dehydrated patients with acute rotavirus gastroenteritis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 30 patients (13 girls, mean age 62.5 ± 46.2 months) with diarrhea and mild/moderate dehydration and 35 healthy controls (17 girls, mean age 81.1 ± 41.8 months) were enrolled in the study. Plasma and urine NGAL levels of the two groups were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age, gender and serum creatinine levels of the patients and healthy controls were similar. The mean plasma and urine NGAL levels of the patients were significantly higher than controls (plasma: 118.6 ± 81.2 vs. 66.5 ± 11.3, p = 0.001 and urine: 17.7 ± 17.5 vs. 10.6 ± 7.9, p = 0.035, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mildly or moderately dehydrated children have higher plasma and urine NGAL levels compared to control subjects. Plasma and/or urine NGAL levels can be used for the early prediction of renal impairment in children with mild or moderate dehydration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Emergency, Dr, Behcet Uz Children Hospital, Izmir, Turkey. dr.tanju35@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Tanju
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Çelik
authors.forename: Emel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Altekin
authors.forename: Rana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: İşgüder
authors.forename: Yasin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kenesari
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Duman
authors.forename: Nur
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Arslan
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D058186:Acute Kidney Injury / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D003681:Dehydration / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012016:Reference Values; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D015415:Biomarkers; C489506:LCN2 protein, human; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D003404:Creatinine