ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To test the hypothesis that urine N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) is a nearly biomarker for acute kidney injury in patients with acute paraquat poisoning.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty-four patients with paraquat intoxication and 40 age and gender-matched healthy control participants were recruited. The urine N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase was determined by spectrophotometric methods.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The urine N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase activities in the patients with paraquat poisoning were higher than the corresponding values in the control participants (P<0.01); The prevalence rate of mortality was significantly higher in subjects with N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase activities ≥25 U/g Cr than in those N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase activities <25 Ulg Cr (34.4% vs 16.7%, P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The urine N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase could be used as an early biomarker for acute kidney injury and predictor of mortality inpatients with acute paraquat intoxication.</p>