Renal markers cystatin C and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) in postmortem samples

• Published in: Forensic science, medicine, and pathology Vol. 12; no. 2; pp. 189 - 192
• Main Authors: Keltanen, Terhi, Walta, Anna-Mari, Salonen, Satu, Sajantila, Antti, Lindroos, Katarina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01-06-2016; Springer
• Subjects: Acute Kidney Injury - blood; Acute Kidney Injury - diagnosis; Acute Kidney Injury - urine; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Analysis; Biomarkers - blood; Biomarkers - urine; Creatinine - blood; Criminology and Criminal Justice; Cystatin C - blood; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Female; Forensic Medicine; Forensic Pathology; Humans; Lipocalin-2 - blood; Lipocalin-2 - urine; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Pathology; Postmortem Changes; NGAL; Creatinine; Postmortem; Cystatin C
• ISSN: 1547-769X; 1556-2891
• DOI: 10.1007/s12024-016-9760-6

Purpose
Renal markers may provide valuable information for cause of death (CoD) investigation when assessing the influence of impaired kidney function. A commonly used marker, creatinine (Cr), increases due to kidney injury and is known to be reasonably stable in postmortem (PM) samples. More sensitive markers are needed, as the increase of serum Cr level only occurs after relatively severe renal damage. We evaluated two markers, cystatin C and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), in addition to Cr. To the best of our knowledge this was the first study to investigate cystatin C and NGAL in a postmortem (PM) context.
Methods
Cr, cystatin C, and NGAL were measured from PM blood in 39 autopsy cases. NGAL was also measured from urine in 16 cases. Cystatin C and NGAL were analyzed using ELISA, Cr measurements were performed with Jaffe method. Correlations of these markers were evaluated.
Results and conclusions
Both, blood cystatin C and NGAL, levels showed significant correlation with Cr (
p
 = 0.05 and
p
 = 0.01, respectively). Cystatin C and NGAL in blood are promising markers for further studies with PM samples.