Description
NGAL is a biomarker of kidney tubular damage and a biological response to the damage process which is distinctly separated from loss of kidney function called Acute Kidney Injury (AKI). As damage often precedes loss of function renal expression of NGAL increases dramatically in a variety of causes and NGAL is released into both urine and plasma. Accordingly, renal disorders with presence of acute tubular damage are associated with raised urinary and plasma NGAL levels. Urinary NGAL serves as an early marker of acute kidney injury after cardiopulmonary bypass surgery and both urinary and plasma NGAL levels provide an early indication of acute renal injury in unselected patients in intensive care4. Raised urinary and plasma levels of NGAL have also been observed in patients with chronic kidney diseases, and persistently raised urinary levels after renal transplantation are associated with poor graft function