title: Can serum NGAL levels be used as an inflammation marker on hemodialysis patients with permanent catheter?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a member of lipocalin family and released from many tissues and cells. We aimed to investigate the relationship among serum NGAL levels, the inflammation markers (IL-6, hs-CRP, TNF-α) and different vascular access types used in dialysis patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population included 90 patients and 30 healthy age-matched controls. The patients were divided into three groups (I, II, III) and group IV included the controls. In group I and II, the patients were with central venous permanent catheter and arterio-venous fistula, respectively. Group III included 30 patients with chronic renal failure. Hemogram, biochemical assays, ferritin, IL-6, hs-CRP, TNF-α, and NGAL were evaluated in all groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum NGAL levels were markedly higher in group I than in group II (7645.80 ± 924.61 vs. 4131.20 ± 609.87 pg/mL; p < 0.05). Positive correlation was detected between NGAL levels and duration of catheter (r: 0.903, p: 0.000), hs-CRP (r: 0.796, p: 0.000), IL-6 (r: 0.687, p: 0.000), TNF-α (r: 0.568, p: 0.000) levels and ferritin (r: 0.318, p: 0.001), whereas NGAL levels were negatively correlated with serum albumin levels (r: -0.494, p: 0.000). In multiple regression analysis, duration of catheter hs-CRP and TNF-α were predictors of NGAL in hemodialysis patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Inflammation was observed in hemodialysis patients and increases with catheter. Our findings show that a strong relationship among serum NGAL levels, duration of catheter, hs-CRP and TNF-α. NGAL may be used as a new inflammation marker in hemodialysis patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Malatya Government Hospital , Malatya , Turkey .
authors.forename: Irem Pembegul
authors.initials: IP
authors.lastname: Yigit
authors.forename: Huseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Celiker
authors.forename: Ayhan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dogukan
authors.forename: Necip
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ilhan
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gurel
authors.forename: Ramazan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ulu
authors.forename: Bilge
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Aygen
mesh_terms: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D000328:Adult; D001166:Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D062905:Central Venous Catheters / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D015415:Biomarkers; D015850:Interleukin-6; C489506:LCN2 protein, human; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D002097:C-Reactive Protein
keywords: Central venous permanent catheter; hemodialysis; interleukin-6; neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin; tumor necrosis factor-alpha