title: Plasma levels of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin in children with heart failure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Data about plasma levels of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) in children with heart failure (HF) are very limited. NGAL is used widely as a biomarker for the diagnosis of renal injury in numerous clinical studies. The aim of this study is to investigate the plasma NGAL in children with HF caused by idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDCM) and its relation to the severity of HF.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a case-control study, 30 nondiabetic children, aged -16 years (all have IDCM) recruited from the pediatric department of our institute together with 30 healthy children were prospectively enrolled in this study. Patients underwent a detailed history taking, clinical examination, New York Heart Association (NYHA) class assessment and echocardiographic evaluation. Plasma levels of NGAL were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma levels of NGAL were significantly higher in children with HF compared with healthy controls (mean: 290.97 versus 144.33, p < 0.0001). The relationship between NGAL and the severity of HF was investigated. However, we did not find any statistically significant relationship between plasma NGAL levels and indices of myocardial function.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NGAL levels were significantly increased in children with HF caused by IDCM. However, there was no significant relationship between plasma NGAL levels and indices of myocardial function. Future multicenter clinical studies in a large population addressing the natural course of NGAL in HF and its potential as a treatment target are needed in the near future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mostafa S K
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Tawfeek
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.
authors.forename: Doaa M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Raafat
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Assiut, Assiut 71516, Egypt khaled.ali@med.au.edu.eg ksaad8@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Khaled
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saad
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.
authors.forename: Naglaa K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Idriss
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.
authors.forename: Sherif
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sayed
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.
authors.forename: Doaa A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Fouad
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health Nursing, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.
authors.forename: Amira A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: El-Houfey
mesh_terms: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D000293:Adolescent; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000150:complications*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; C489506:LCN2 protein, human; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins
keywords: NGAL; idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy; pediatric heart failure