Predictive value of elevated neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin levels for assessment of in-hospital adverse outcomes among myocardial infarction patients

Abstract

Background: Inflammatory biomarkers are known to rise and have predictive value for adverse outcomes in patients with acute coronary ischemia. One of those biomarkers is neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL). To date, only very few studies have assessed the prognostic value of NGAL in this setting. We investigated the prognostic utility of elevated NGAL levels on clinical outcomes among ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients.

Methods: High NGAL was defined as values within the 4th quartile. Patients were assessed for major in-hospital adverse clinical events (MACE). Multivariable logistic regression and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) were used to further evaluate NGAL association for MACE and discrimination ability.

Results: A total of 273 patients were included. patients with high NGAL were at increased risk for MACE (62% vs. 19%; odds ratio 6.88, 95% confidence interval, 3.77-12.54, P < 0.001). After propensity score matching, the incidence of MACE was significantly higher in patients with high vs. low NGAL levels (69% vs. 6%, P = 0.002). In multivariable regression, high NGAL level was independently associated with MACE. The discrimination ability of NGAL to identify MACE (AUC 0.823), is significantly better than that of other inflammatory markers.

Conclusion: Among ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention, high NGAL levels are associated with adverse outcomes, independent of traditional inflammatory markers.