Can neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin be a novel and efficient marker to predict the clinical course of acute pancreatitis?

S. Diker, A. Senol, O. Sirkeci, C. Kockar, N. Çil, B. Ozkart

Department of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Suleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey. ozgursirkeci@hotmail.com

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• Gastroenterology

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the value of serum Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin (NGAL) levels to predict the severity of the disease and to identify its correlation with White Blood Cell (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels in acute pancreatitis (AP).

PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study sample included 86 AP-diagnosed patients in the study group and 77 age- and gender-matched healthy volunteers with no comorbidity in the control group. The WBC, CRP, hs-CRP, and NGAL levels were examined at the time and 24 hours after diagnosis.

RESULTS: Between the control group and the study group, a significant difference with and without necrosis in terms of NGAL averages (p=0.003) at the time of admission was observed. The mean level of the 24th-hour NGAL in the study group with necrosis (132.7±11.7 ng/ml) was found to be higher than the mean of the 24th-hour NGAL (117.5±22.6 ng/ml) in the study group without necrosis (p=0.032). Additionally, a significant difference was observed between the control group and the study group with and without necrosis in terms of CRP averages evaluated at admission. When the correlation of NGAL levels with WBC, CRP, and hs-CRP levels at the admission (r=0.224, p=0.038) and at the 24th h (r=0.389, p<0.001) are evaluated, weak correlations between NGAL and WBC levels were identified, but no correlation between NGAL and CRP and hs-CRP levels were observed.

CONCLUSIONS: The usability of serum NGAL levels to predict the development of necrotizing pancreatitis in the early period was evaluated. Serum NGAL levels were found to be higher in the study group than in the control group, but there was no statistically significant difference between the mean values of 0th and 24th h NGAL values in any of the groups with/without pancreatic necrosis and the total study group was observed. More research is needed on the subject, with larger sampling sizes.

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