Paediatric normative data for urine NGAL/creatinine ratio

• Published in: Acta Paediatrica Vol. 102; no. 6; pp. e269 - e272
• Main Authors: Rybi-Szumińska, Agnieszka, Wasilewska, Anna, Litwin, Miecyslaw, Kułaga, Zbigniew, Szumiński, Michal
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Norway Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.06.2013; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Acute-Phase Proteins - analysis; Adolescent; Age; Child; Child, Preschool; Creatinine - urine; Female; Humans; Infant; Lipocalin-2; Lipocalins - analysis; Male; normative ranges; Proto-Oncogene Proteins - analysis; Reference Values; urine NGAL
• ISSN: 0803-5253; 1651-2227; 1651-2227
• DOI: 10.1111/apa.12200

Aim The objective of this study was to establish age‐dependent urine NGAL (neutrophil gelatinase‐associated lipocalin)/creatinine ratio values in healthy children and adolescents. Methods The study was performed using a random sample of 172 healthy children and adolescents (M–88, F–84), aged median 9.75 (0.2–17.9) years. Urine NGAL concentration was measured using a commercially available ELISA kit (R&D Systems, USA). Results Median concentrations of urine NGAL/creatinine in particular age groups were analysed using anova. The differences between the youngest group of children under the age of 6 years and the rest of examined population were statistically significant. There were no differences in urine NGAL/creatinine between other age groups. Statistically significant negative correlation between urine NGAL/creatinine and age of subjects was found (r = −0.29, p < 0.05). Conclusion In the study, normative values of urine NGAL/creatinine for subjects aged 0.2–17.9 years have been established. These data may help clinicians and researchers to improve the interpretation of urine NGAL/creatinine ratio in children and adolescents. However, further studies using numerous data should be conducted to add reference values for urine NGAL partitioned by age and gender.