Abstract
Background: Renal dysfunction in thalassemia may occur before the occurrence of any symptoms, Induction of NGAL after kidney injury precedes the elevation of classical markers for kidney damage, which made it a promising marker for renal dysfunction in b-thalassemia, major.
Aim of the Work: To assess value of serum NGAL in patients with b-thalassemia major as an early marker of renal impairment.
Patients and Methods: The present study enrolled 70 subjects and they were classified into two main groups:
•Group (I): 20 apparently healthy normal volunteers.
•Group (II): 50 multi-transfused b-thalassemia major patients.
Which subdivided according to chelation therapy into two subgroups:
•Subgroup (I): On regular iron chelation therapy.
•Subgroup (II): Without chelation therapy.
Results: In our study serum NGAL was significantly elevated in group II compared to control group. Also in our study, we found a direct correlation between NGAL and urea, creatinine, eGFR, ferritin, transferrin saturation while there was inverse correlation between NGAL and hemoglobin, b2- microglobulin.
Conclusion: NGAL could be considered as early predictor of renal dysfunction in thalassemia.