Urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin as a marker of severe lupus nephritis in children

Abstract

Children with SLE had elevated urinary NGAL as compared to controls (P<0.001). Levels of urinary NGAL were higher in patients with LN than those without LN (P<0.001). In patients with LN, serum levels of NGAL were not significantly different from controls (P=0.4) and urinary NGAL correlated with the renal score of the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (r=0.5, P=0.02) but not with serum NGAL (P=0.5). Urinary NGAL was significantly predictive of class III and IV LN (P=0.005) with 91% sensitivity and 70% specificity to levels ≥ 10.07 ng/mg creatinine. Conclusions Urinary NGAL is a sensitive marker of proliferative nephritis in juvenile SLE.