Purpose: to study clinical and prognostic significance of serum neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (s-NGAL) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).
Material and methods: Patients with STEMI (n=85) of less than 24 hours duration admitted to the Kemerovo Cardiology Dispensary were included in the study. s-NGAL levels (ng/ml) were measured on day 1 and 12 of hospital stay by ELISA using commercial kit. Reinfarction rate and mortality were assessed over 3-year follow-up.
Results: Median s-NGAL levels on day1 and 12 were 1.33 (0.36-1.90) and 1.63 (1.25-2.61) ng/ml, that corresponded to a 3.32- and 4.07-fold increase, respectively, compared to reference values. Between days 1 and 12 s-NGAL levels increased by 22.55 % (p=0.0009). Higher values of serum NGAL on day 12 of MI were associated with presence of renal structural lesions, three-vessel coronary artery disease and anterior MI. Patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) demonstrated only a negligible increase of s-NGAL level by day 12 while in those not subjected to PCI 3-fold increase was observed. Patients with s-NGAL levels >2.6 ng/ml compared with other patients had higher mortality (9.52 vs 31.83%; odds ratio 4.42 [1.30-15.16], p=0.012).
Conclusion: High values of serum NGAL in STEMI patients were associated with severe clinical status. s-NGAL level above 2.6 ng/ml on day 12 of hospital stay was associated with 4- fold increase of all-cause mortality during 3-year follow-up.