• Vasanthan Tanigasalam, Ballambattu Vishnu Bhat, Bethou Adhisivam, Magadi Gopalakrishna Sridhar, and Kottyen Thazath Harichandrakumar.
• Department of Neonatology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Pondicherry, 605 006, India.
• Indian J Pediatr. 2016 Nov 1; 83 (12-13): 1374-1378.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the utility of urinary Neutrophil Gelatinase Associated Lipocalin (NGAL) as a biomarker for predicting Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) and its severity among neonates with perinatal asphyxia.MethodsThis descriptive study included 120 term neonates with perinatal asphyxia. Renal parameters of neonates were monitored and AKI was ascertained as per Acute Kidney Injury Network criteria. Urinary NGAL was estimated and correlated with severity of AKI.ResultsAmong the 120 neonates with perinatal asphyxia, 55(46 %) had AKI. The median urinary NGAL level was 165 ng/ml (88.8-245.8) in neonates with AKI compared to 58.97(42.8-74.7) in those without AKI. The median NGAL was 134.45(112.2-162.5), 301.2(255.5-361.2), 416.2(412.2-465.5) in AKI stages 1, 2 and 3 respectively. An NGAL cut off value of 86.82 ng/ml had 87 % sensitivity and 87.7 % specificity in predicting AKI.ConclusionsUrinary NGAL is a useful biomarker for predicting AKI and its severity among neonates with perinatal asphyxia.

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