NGAL, the New Marker for Acute Kidney Injury

ngal, the new marker for acute kidney injury

The rise and fall of NGAL in acute kidney injury.

For many years, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) has been considered the most promising biomarker of acute kidney injury (AKI). Commercial assays and point-of-care instruments, now available in many hospitals, allow rapid NGAL measurements intended to guide the clinician in the management of patients with or at risk of AKI. However, these assays likely measure a mixture of diff...

Urinary NGAL in Prediction of Acute Kidney Injury

The incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI, previously referred to as acute renal failure) is reaching epidemic proportions. In this situation, early intervention can significantly improve the prognosis. Despite significant improvements in therapeutics, the mortality and morbidity associated with AKI remain high. A major reason for this is the lack of early markers for AKI, akin to troponins in ...

NGAL: a marker molecule for the distressed kidney?

[1], belongs to the lipocalin family of proteins. These are typically small secreted proteins characterised by their ability to bind small, hydrophobic molecules in a structurally conserved pocket formed by a β-pleated sheet, and to form macromolecular complexes. Many lipocalins also bind to specific cell-surface receptors, but so far no NGAL receptor has been identified. NGAL has many synonyms...

IJNU Role of NGAL for the Early Detection of Acute Kidney Injury

filtration (1, 2, 4, 5). However, some urinary biomarkers such as casts, filtered high molecular weight proteins, fractional excretion of sodium and tubular proteins or enzymes are not enough sensitive and specific for the early diagnosis of AKI (3). Biomarkers for early AKI diagnosis represent a unique opportunity for an intervention to save the kidney from additional insults and avoid tissue ...