期刊名称：Egyptian Journal of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
印刷版ISSN：1687-1642
电子版ISSN：2314-8934
出版年度：2011
卷号：9
期号：1
页码：15-20
出版社：Egyptian Society of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
摘要：Background: Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) isexpressed in immature neutrophil precursors and in epithelial cells duringboth inflammation and neoplastic transformation. A recent prospectivepediatric study demonstrated that concentrations of NGAL in urine andplasma represent novel, sensitive, and specific biomarkers for earlyidentification of acute kidney injury following cardiac surgery.Objective: To assess the relationship of serum NGAL levels with diseaseactivity in pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with specialemphasis on lupus nephritis.Methods: The study included 30 children and adolescents with pediatricSLE with a mean age of 16.48±3.524 years. Patients were clinically andlaboratory evaluated and categorized into those with nephritis and thosewithout nephritis. Activity was assessed using SLEDAI score, NGAL levelswere measured in the sera of included patients and were compared to thoseof 20 matched controls using ELISA.Results: Serum NGAL was significantly higher in SLE patients incomparison to the controls (z=-5.962, p<0.001). Furthermore serum NGALwas significantly higher in SLE patients with nephritis and in those withoutnephritis in comparison to the controls (p<0.001 in both). Serum NGAL washigher in SLE patients with nephritis in comparison to those withoutnephritis, yet the results are borderline regarding statistical significance(p=0.05). Levels of serum NGAL correlated significantly with diseaseactivity as assessed by SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) (r=0.485, p<0.01). There was a significant correlation between serum NGAL and urinaryprotein to creatinine ratio, 24hr urinary protein and BUN of SLE patients.Conclusion: Our results suggest that serum NGAL represents a novelbiomarker for disease activity in pediatric SLE patients, and a marker ofseverity of renal involvement.
