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

Aim: 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. Patients and Methods: 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. Results: 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. Conclusion: These preliminary data indicate that NGAL may correlate with an inflammatory renal involvement in severe preeclampsia. Further studies would be useful to better estimate the clinical value of an NGAL increase for evaluating the possibility of delivery induction.