title: Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin as an Early Sign of Diabetic Kidney Injury in Children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is some evidence indicating that histopathological changes in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) emerge before onset of microalbuminuria. The aim of our study was to determine whether urine neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) levels can be considered as an early sign of diabetic kidney injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Urine NGAL (uNGAL) levels and urinary NGAL/creatinine ratio (uNGAL/Cr) were assessed in 76 patients with T1DM and compared with the findings of 35 healthy individuals. The relationship of uNGAL levels with diabetes duration, body mass index (BMI), serum lipids, HbA1c, and microalbuminuria was also evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean uNGAL (100.16±108.28 ng/mL) and uNGAL/Cr (118.93-117.97 ng/mg) levels in both microalbuminuric and non-microalbuminuric diabetic patients were found to be higher than those in the control group (uNGAL: 21.46±18.59 ng/mL and uNGAL/Cr: 32.1±51.48 ng/mg) (p=0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Urine NGAL level increases in the very early phase of T1DM before microalbuminuria develops. The patients with T1DM should be considered to have diabetic kidney injury from the time of diagnosis on and preventive interventions need to be initiated at an early stage to preclude the progression to end-stage renal disease.
authors.affiliation: İstanbul University İstanbul Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatric Nephrology, İstanbul, Turkey Phone: +90 212 414 20 00 E-mail: znyuruk@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Zeynep
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yürük Yıldırım
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nayır
authors.forename: Alev
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yılmaz
authors.forename: Asuman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gedikbaşı
authors.forename: Rüveyde
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bundak
mesh_terms: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000652:urine*; D000293:Adolescent; D000419:Albuminuria / Q000652:urine*; D002648:Child; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000652:urine*; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins / Q000652:urine*; D008297:Male; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000652:urine*
chemical_list: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; C489506:LCN2 protein, human; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins