Serum and Urinary Neutrophil Gelatinase-associated Lipocalin Monitoring in Normal Pregnancy Versus Pregnancies Complicated by Pre-eclampsia

Pre-eclampsia is a syndrome characterized by endothelium dysfunction, systemic inflammation, and kidney injury that could be associated with increased levels of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL). We investigated whether serum and urinary NGAL may have a clinical value in defining the severity of pre-eclampsia. This cross-sectional case-control study enrolled 18 women with pre-eclampsia matched for gestational age with 22 uncomplicated pregnancies. We evaluated the correlation between NGAL levels and blood pressure and 24-hour proteinuria values by linear regression. Linear regression disclosed a positive and significant correlation between urinary NGAL and 24-hour proteinuria. Serum NGAL appeared to be higher, but not significantly different, in severe pre-eclampsia. These preliminary data indicate that NGAL may correlate with an inflammatory renal involvement in severe pre-eclampsia. Further studies would be useful to better estimate the clinical value of an NGAL increase for evaluating the possibility of delivery induction.