Urinary NGAL Measured after the First Year Post Kidney Transplantation Predicts Changes in Glomerular Filtration over One-Year Follow-Up

Currently, serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) together with albuminuria or proteinuria are laboratory markers used in long-term monitoring of kidney transplant recipients. There is a need for more sensitive markers that could serve as early warning signs of graft dysfun...

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Main Authors: Małgorzata Kielar, Paulina Dumnicka, Agnieszka Gala-Błądzińska, Alina Będkowska-Prokop, Ewa Ignacak, Barbara Maziarz, Piotr Ceranowicz, Beata Kuśnierz-Cabala
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-12-01
Series:Journal of Clinical Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/10/1/43
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author Małgorzata Kielar
Paulina Dumnicka
Agnieszka Gala-Błądzińska
Alina Będkowska-Prokop
Ewa Ignacak
Barbara Maziarz
Piotr Ceranowicz
Beata Kuśnierz-Cabala
author_facet Małgorzata Kielar
Paulina Dumnicka
Agnieszka Gala-Błądzińska
Alina Będkowska-Prokop
Ewa Ignacak
Barbara Maziarz
Piotr Ceranowicz
Beata Kuśnierz-Cabala
author_sort Małgorzata Kielar
collection DOAJ
description Currently, serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) together with albuminuria or proteinuria are laboratory markers used in long-term monitoring of kidney transplant recipients. There is a need for more sensitive markers that could serve as early warning signs of graft dysfunction. Our aim was to assess the urinary concentrations of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) as a predictor of changes in kidney transplant function after the first year post-transplantation. We prospectively recruited 109 patients with functioning graft at least one year after the transplantation, with no acute conditions over the past three months, during their control visits in kidney transplant ambulatory. Urinary NGAL measured on recruitment was twice higher in patients with at least 10% decrease in eGFR over 1-year follow-up compared to those with stable or improving transplant function. Baseline NGAL significantly predicted the relative and absolute changes in eGFR and the mean eGFR during the follow-up independently of baseline eGFR and albuminuria. Moreover, baseline NGAL significantly predicted urinary tract infections during the follow-up, although the infections were not associated with decreasing eGFR. Additionally, we assessed urinary concentrations of matrix metalloproteinase 9—NGAL complex in a subgroup of 77 patients and found higher levels in patients who developed urinary tract infections during the follow-up but not in those with decreasing eGFR. High urinary NGAL in clinically stable kidney transplant recipients beyond the first year after transplantation may be interpreted as a warning and trigger the search for transient or chronic causes of graft dysfunction, or urinary tract infection.
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spelling doaj.art-3a414e4116e04e37836c4ccdf82b7d372023-11-21T02:32:25ZengMDPI AGJournal of Clinical Medicine2077-03832020-12-011014310.3390/jcm10010043Urinary NGAL Measured after the First Year Post Kidney Transplantation Predicts Changes in Glomerular Filtration over One-Year Follow-UpMałgorzata Kielar0Paulina Dumnicka1Agnieszka Gala-Błądzińska2Alina Będkowska-Prokop3Ewa Ignacak4Barbara Maziarz5Piotr Ceranowicz6Beata Kuśnierz-Cabala7St. Louis Regional Children’s Hospital, Medical Diagnostic Laboratory with a Bacteriology Laboratory, Strzelecka 2 St., 31-503 Kraków, PolandJagiellonian University Medical College, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Medical Diagnostics, 30-688 Kraków, PolandMedical College of Rzeszów University, Institute of Medical Sciences, Kopisto 2A Avn., 35-310 Rzeszów, PolandJagiellonian University Medical College, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Nephrology, Jakubowskiego 2 St., 30-688 Kraków, PolandJagiellonian University Medical College, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Nephrology, Jakubowskiego 2 St., 30-688 Kraków, PolandJagiellonian University Medical College, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Diagnostics, Kopernika 15A St., 31-501 Kraków, PolandJagiellonian University Medical College, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology, Grzegórzecka 16 St., 31-531 Kraków, PolandJagiellonian University Medical College, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Diagnostics, Kopernika 15A St., 31-501 Kraków, PolandCurrently, serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) together with albuminuria or proteinuria are laboratory markers used in long-term monitoring of kidney transplant recipients. There is a need for more sensitive markers that could serve as early warning signs of graft dysfunction. Our aim was to assess the urinary concentrations of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) as a predictor of changes in kidney transplant function after the first year post-transplantation. We prospectively recruited 109 patients with functioning graft at least one year after the transplantation, with no acute conditions over the past three months, during their control visits in kidney transplant ambulatory. Urinary NGAL measured on recruitment was twice higher in patients with at least 10% decrease in eGFR over 1-year follow-up compared to those with stable or improving transplant function. Baseline NGAL significantly predicted the relative and absolute changes in eGFR and the mean eGFR during the follow-up independently of baseline eGFR and albuminuria. Moreover, baseline NGAL significantly predicted urinary tract infections during the follow-up, although the infections were not associated with decreasing eGFR. Additionally, we assessed urinary concentrations of matrix metalloproteinase 9—NGAL complex in a subgroup of 77 patients and found higher levels in patients who developed urinary tract infections during the follow-up but not in those with decreasing eGFR. High urinary NGAL in clinically stable kidney transplant recipients beyond the first year after transplantation may be interpreted as a warning and trigger the search for transient or chronic causes of graft dysfunction, or urinary tract infection.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/10/1/43kidney allograftneutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalinmatrix metalloproteinase 9-neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin complexglomerular filtration rateurinary tract infections
spellingShingle Małgorzata Kielar
Paulina Dumnicka
Agnieszka Gala-Błądzińska
Alina Będkowska-Prokop
Ewa Ignacak
Barbara Maziarz
Piotr Ceranowicz
Beata Kuśnierz-Cabala
Urinary NGAL Measured after the First Year Post Kidney Transplantation Predicts Changes in Glomerular Filtration over One-Year Follow-Up
Journal of Clinical Medicine
kidney allograft
neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin
matrix metalloproteinase 9-neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin complex
glomerular filtration rate
urinary tract infections
title Urinary NGAL Measured after the First Year Post Kidney Transplantation Predicts Changes in Glomerular Filtration over One-Year Follow-Up
title_full Urinary NGAL Measured after the First Year Post Kidney Transplantation Predicts Changes in Glomerular Filtration over One-Year Follow-Up
title_fullStr Urinary NGAL Measured after the First Year Post Kidney Transplantation Predicts Changes in Glomerular Filtration over One-Year Follow-Up
title_full_unstemmed Urinary NGAL Measured after the First Year Post Kidney Transplantation Predicts Changes in Glomerular Filtration over One-Year Follow-Up
title_short Urinary NGAL Measured after the First Year Post Kidney Transplantation Predicts Changes in Glomerular Filtration over One-Year Follow-Up
title_sort urinary ngal measured after the first year post kidney transplantation predicts changes in glomerular filtration over one year follow up
topic kidney allograft
neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin
matrix metalloproteinase 9-neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin complex
glomerular filtration rate
urinary tract infections
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/10/1/43
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