الفهرس 
IntroductionOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a complex pathology characterized by a sudden decrease in kidney function caused by a heterogeneous group of morbid conditions involving the kidney primarily or secondarily. Commonly found in all age groups, it presents a peak in critically ill patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs); in particular it affects children and young adults. AKI is characterized by clinical manifestations that may vary from a minimum kidney insult to conditions of complete kidney failure that require renal replacement therapy.
In current clinical practice, AKI is typically diagnosed by measuring serum creatinine (sCr). Unfortunately; sCr is an unreliable indicator of AKI. sCr varies with age, sex, muscle bulk, metabolism, drugs and hydration status. It will not change until >50% of kidney function has already been lost.
Identifying biomarkers, to enable early and sensitive detection of AKI, has attracted the attention of current research. An early detection could provide improvement in patient outcomes.
Neutrophil Gelatinase Associated Lipocalin (NGAL) is a small protein (25 kD) mainly known for its capacity to bind siderophores, which are small hydrophobic molecules containing iron, transporting them inside cells to activate cytoplasmic iron-dependent pathways, thus protecting the same cell from oxidative stress.