NGAL and Hepcidin Levels in Hemodialysis Patients in Assiut University Hospital

Assessment of Neutrophil Gelatinase Associated Lipocalin (NGAL) and Hepcidin Levels in Hemodialysis Patients in Assiut University Hospital

To assess the pattern of NGAL and Hepicidin in relation to anemia in End Stage Renal Disease Patients on regular hemodialysis in Assiut University Hospital and study the relation between both NGAL and Hepicidin.

Patients with chronic kidney disease have a chronic inflammatory state, due to many factors e.g. enhancedincidence of infections, the uremic milieu, elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines, frequent presence of widespread arteriosclerosis, etc. Iron metabolism is disturbedin chronic inflammatory diseases.AlteredNGAL levels in hemodialysis patients was probablydue to the fact that this protein was involved in ironmetabolism and suggested that NGAL might be anew tool in the assessment of iron deficiency.Another study found in multipleregression analysis that; residual renal function, hepcidin,creatinine and hsCRP were predictors of serum NGAL inhemodialyzed patients. They concluded that NGAL is highly induced in dialyzed patients and could reflect both kidney function and iron metabolism.Several studies suggested that hepcidin plays a role as anegative regulator of intestinal iron absorption and ironrelease from macrophages. Hepcidin controls intestinal ironabsorption by regulating ferroportin expression on thebasolateral membrane of enterocytes .Hepicidin is also an acute phase reactant.Both NGAL and hepcidin are elevated inchronic kidney disease,not only through ironmetabolism, but both are also associated with inflammationand may be related to anemia. Possible relationship between NGAL and hepicidin is still under study.

Inclusion Criteria:

For group 1:

1. Adults > 18 years.
2. Age and sex matched.
3. No active infection or inflammation.

For group 2:

1. Adults > 18 years.
2. ESRD patients on regular hemodialysis.
3. Hgb < 11g/dl.
4. No apparent infection or inflammation.

For group 3:

1. Adults > 18 years.
2. ESRD patients on regular hemodialysis.
3. Hgb ≥ 11g/dl.
4. No apparent infection or inflammation.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Children and those >60 Years.
2. Pregnant female.
3. Patients with severe infection or with other immune system diseases.