• Esra Can, Süleyman Cemil Oğlak, Fatma Ölmez, and Huri Bulut.
• From the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Can, Ölmez), Health Sciences University, Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Training and Research Hospital, from the Department of Medical Biochemistry (Bulut), School of Medicine, Istinye University, Istanbul, and from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Oğlak), Health Sciences University, Gazi Yaşargil Training and Research Hospital, Diyarbakır, Turkey.
• Saudi Med J. 2022 Jun 1; 43 (6): 559-566.

ObjectivesTo evaluate serum neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) concentrations of pregnant women complicated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and investigate its diagnostic value for the severity of COVID-19.MethodsOf the 46 pregnant women with COVID-19 included in the study, we further classified these women into 2 subgroups: the non-severe COVID-19 group (n=25) and the severe COVID-19 group (n=21).ResultsNeutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin plasma concentrations were significantly higher in pregnant women complicated with severe COVID-19 (90 [53.1-207.7] ng/ml) compared to those from pregnant women with non-severe COVID-19 (51.8 [39.6-70.3] ng/ml) and healthy pregnant women (44.3 [32.2-54.1] ng/ml, p<0.001). Also, at a cutoff value of 72 ng/ml, NGAL predicted severe COVID-19 with a sensitivity rate of 57% and a specificity rate of 84%. Serum NGAL level (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]=1.020, 95% confidence interval [CI]= [1.006-1.035], p=0.007), and D-dimer level (aHR=2.371, 95% CI= [1.085-5.181], p=0.030) were the variables that were revealed to be significantly associated with the disease severity.ConclusionWe demonstrated that NGAL was highly associated with COVID-19 severity. We consider that NGAL might be a useful biomarker to diagnose the disease severity in patients with COVID-19.Copyright: © Saudi Medical Journal.

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