Journal of the American Society of Nephrology : JASN
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J. Am. Soc. Nephrol. · Aug 2009
Urine neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin moderately predicts acute kidney injury in critically ill adults.
Urine neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (uNGAL) has shown promise as a biomarker for the early detection of acute kidney injury (AKI) in fixed models of injury, but its ability to predict AKI and provide prognostic information in critically ill adults is unknown. We prospectively studied a heterogeneous population of 451 critically ill adults, 64 (14%) and 86 (19%) of whom developed AKI within 24 and 48 h of enrollment, respectively. Median uNGAL at enrollment was higher among patients who developed AKI within 48 h compared with those who did not (190 versus 57 ng/mg creatinine, P < 0.001). ⋯ Urine neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin remained independently associated with the development of AKI after adjustment for age, serum creatinine closest to enrollment, illness severity, sepsis, and intensive care unit (ICU) location, although it only marginally improved the predictive performance of the clinical model alone. A Cox proportional hazards model using time to first dialysis, adjusted for APACHE II score, suggested that uNGAL independently predicts severe AKI during hospitalization [HR 2.60, 95% CI:1.55 to 4.35]. In summary, although a single measurement of uNGAL exhibited moderate predictive utility for the development and severity of AKI in a heterogeneous ICU population, its additional contribution to conventional clinical risk predictors appears limited.
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J. Am. Soc. Nephrol. · Aug 2009
Is there added value to adding ARB to ACE inhibitors in the management of CKD?
Antagonism of the rennin-angiotensin-aldosterone-system (RAAS) decreases BP and reduces proteinuria in chronic kidney disease. BP is decreased approximately 5 mmHg when angiotensin II blockers are added to angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and is less than typically seen when other agents are added to existing ACE inhibitor regimens. ⋯ Data regarding long-term preservation of renal function are lacking. We suggest dual RAAS blockade be used in patients with chronic kidney disease with residual proteinuria on maximal ACE inhibitor or angiotensin II blocker therapy, anticipating additional data with ongoing trials.