ABSTRACT
Objective: To compare and correlate urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin [NGAL] with serum creatinine and creatinine clearance, as biomarkers of renal injury in type 2 diabetic patients
Materials and Methods: It was a cross-sectional study conducted at Shaikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore in the Department of Biochemistry from October 2009 to October 2010. Ninety five subjects both males and females were divided into two groups. 75 type 2 diabetic patients [33 males and 42 females] were included in the 'Diabetic' group and 20 healthy individuals were taken as 'Controls'. uNGAL was measured using Bioporto's NGAL Rapid Elisa Kit 037. Serum creatinine was estimated on fully automated chemistry analyzer. Creatinine clearance was calculated by using the Cockcroft and Gault formula. uNGAL levels were compared and correlated with the sCreatinine and creatinine clearance of the Diabetic and the Control group
Results: The diabetic group showed elevated sCreatinine and significantly low creatinine clearance along with highly increased levels of uNGAL, when compared with the controls. When correlated, uNGAL had a significant positive correlation with sCreatinine and a highly significant negative correlation with creatinine clearance of the female diabetics only
Conclusion: uNGAL relates closely with renal function markers. It may prove to be a sensitive and non-invasive biomarker for the early detection of diabetic nephropathy as well as renal injuries caused by reasons other than diabetes