Rogelio Barreto1, Chiara Elia1, Elsa Solà1, Rebeca Moreira1, Xavier Ariza1, Ezequiel Rodríguez1, Isabel Graupera1, Ignacio Alfaro1, Manuel Morales-Ruiz2, Estaban Poch3, Mónica Guevara1, Javier Fernández1, Wladimiro Jiménez2, Vicente Arroyo1, Pere Ginès4. 1. Liver Unit, Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain; Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August-Pi-Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHED), Spain; Instituto Reina Sofía de Investigación Nefrológica (IRSIN), Spain. 2. Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August-Pi-Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHED), Spain; Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Department, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. 3. Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August-Pi-Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Spain; Hospital Clínic, Nephrology Unit, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. 4. Liver Unit, Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain; Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August-Pi-Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHED), Spain; Instituto Reina Sofía de Investigación Nefrológica (IRSIN), Spain. Electronic address: pgines@clinic.ub.es.
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Infections in cirrhosis are frequently complicated by kidney dysfunction that entails a poor prognosis. Urinary biomarkers may be of potential clinical usefulness in this setting. We aimed at assessing the value of urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (uNGAL), a biomarker overexpressed in kidney tubules during kidney injury, in predicting clinical outcomes in cirrhosis with infections. METHODS: One-hundred and thirty-two consecutive patients hospitalized with infections were evaluated prospectively. Acute kidney injury (AKI) was defined according to AKIN criteria. uNGAL was measured at infection diagnosis and at days 3 and 7 (ELISA, Bioporto, DK). RESULTS: Patients with AKI (n=65) had significantly higher levels of uNGAL compared to patients without AKI (203 ± 390 vs. 79 ± 126 μg/g creatinine, p<0.001). Moreover, uNGAL levels were significantly higher in patients who developed persistent AKI (n=40), compared to those with transient AKI (n=25) (281 ± 477 vs. 85 ± 79 μg/g creatinine, p<0.001). Among patients with persistent AKI, uNGAL was able to discriminate type-1 HRS from other causes of AKI (59 ± 46 vs. 429 ± 572 μg/g creatinine, respectively; p<0.001). Moreover, the time course of uNGAL was markedly different between the two groups. Interestingly, baseline uNGAL levels also predicted the development of a second infection during hospitalization. Overall, 3-month mortality was 34%. Independent predictive factors of 3-month mortality were MELD score, serum sodium, and uNGAL levels at diagnosis, but not presence or stage of AKI. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with cirrhosis and infections, measurement of urinary NGAL at infection diagnosis is useful in predicting important clinical outcomes, specifically persistency and type of AKI, development of a second infection, and 3-month mortality.
BACKGROUND & AIMS:Infections in cirrhosis are frequently complicated by kidney dysfunction that entails a poor prognosis. Urinary biomarkers may be of potential clinical usefulness in this setting. We aimed at assessing the value of urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (uNGAL), a biomarker overexpressed in kidney tubules during kidney injury, in predicting clinical outcomes in cirrhosis with infections. METHODS: One-hundred and thirty-two consecutive patients hospitalized with infections were evaluated prospectively. Acute kidney injury (AKI) was defined according to AKIN criteria. uNGAL was measured at infection diagnosis and at days 3 and 7 (ELISA, Bioporto, DK). RESULTS:Patients with AKI (n=65) had significantly higher levels of uNGAL compared to patients without AKI (203 ± 390 vs. 79 ± 126 μg/g creatinine, p<0.001). Moreover, uNGAL levels were significantly higher in patients who developed persistent AKI (n=40), compared to those with transient AKI (n=25) (281 ± 477 vs. 85 ± 79 μg/g creatinine, p<0.001). Among patients with persistent AKI, uNGAL was able to discriminate type-1 HRS from other causes of AKI (59 ± 46 vs. 429 ± 572 μg/g creatinine, respectively; p<0.001). Moreover, the time course of uNGAL was markedly different between the two groups. Interestingly, baseline uNGAL levels also predicted the development of a second infection during hospitalization. Overall, 3-month mortality was 34%. Independent predictive factors of 3-month mortality were MELD score, serum sodium, and uNGAL levels at diagnosis, but not presence or stage of AKI. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with cirrhosis and infections, measurement of urinary NGAL at infection diagnosis is useful in predicting important clinical outcomes, specifically persistency and type of AKI, development of a second infection, and 3-month mortality.
Authors: Olga Baraldi; Chiara Valentini; Gabriele Donati; Giorgia Comai; Vania Cuna; Irene Capelli; Maria Laura Angelini; Maria Ilaria Moretti; Andrea Angeletti; Fabio Piscaglia; Gaetano La Manna Journal: World J Nephrol Date: 2015-11-06