Background/aims: We investigated whether serum neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) can predict mortality in patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) requiring continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT).
Methods: This study enrolled 169 patients who underwent serum NGAL testing at CRRT initiation from June 2017 to January 2019. The predictive power of serum NGAL level for 28-day mortality was compared to the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation-II (APACHE-II) score and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score via area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AuROC) value.
Results: There were 55 survivors and 114 non-survivors at 28 days post-CRRT initiation. Median serum NGAL level was significantly higher in the non-survivor group than in the survivor group (743.0 ng/mL vs. 504.0 ng/mL, p = 0.003). The AuROC value of serum NGAL level was 0.640, which was lower than APACHEII score and SOFA score values (0.767 and 0.715, respectively). However, in the low APACHE-II score group (< 27.5), AuROC value of serum NGAL was significantly increased (0.698), and it was an independent risk factor for 28 day-mortality (hazard ratio, 2.405; 95% confidence interval, 1.209 to 4.783; p = 0.012).
Conclusion: In patients with AKI requiring CRRT, serum NGAL levels may be useful for predicting short-term mortality in those with low APACHE-II scores.
Keywords: Acute kidney injury; Critical illness; Mortality; Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin; Renal replacement therapy.