Serum neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin as promising diagnostic marker and a predictor of activity of ulcerative colitis patients: single center study

Objective The study aimed to detect the diagnostic value of serum neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients, and to evaluate the relation between its value and the clinical activity of the disease.Background Inflammatory bowel disease including UC is chronic inflammatory gastrointestinal disease characterized by remissions and exacerbations and needs invasive diagnosis. Serum NGAL is type of protein its expression is increased in inflamed intestine, and released from activated neutrophils.Patients and methods The study was performed on 75 patients with UC diagnosed by laboratory investigations including erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, and complete blood count, lower endoscopy, histopathological examination, and activity according to Mayo score was recorded. Also 30 healthy control age sex matched, both groups subjected to measurement of serum NGAL.Results There was highly significant elevation of serum NGAL in UC patients compared with healthy control with P value less than 0.001, moreover serum NGAL was positively correlated with clinical activity of the disease as recorded by Mayo score. The study show cut off value of NGAL more than 74 ng/ml with sensitivity 96% and specificity 66.7%.Conclusion Serum NGAL can be used as noninvasive diagnostic marker of UC and corresponds to clinical and endoscopic activity of the disease.