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. 2023 Dec 9:21:100269.
doi: 10.1016/j.eurox.2023.100269. eCollection 2024 Mar.

Evaluation of amniotic fluid neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin and L-type fatty acid-binding protein levels during pregnancy

Daisuke Katsura  1 , Shunichiro Tsuji  1 , Shinsuke Tokoro  1 , Ayako Inatomi  1 , Takako Hoshiyama  1 , Nobuyuki Kita  1 , Takashi Murakami  1
Affiliations

Evaluation of amniotic fluid neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin and L-type fatty acid-binding protein levels during pregnancy

Daisuke Katsura et al. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol X. .

Abstract

Objective: We aimed to examine amniotic fluid neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and L-type fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP) levels during pregnancy.

Study design: This study included singleton pregnancies. Amniotic fluid samples were collected at the time of vaginal delivery, cesarean section, amniocentesis, amnioreduction, and amnioinfusion. We analyzed changes of the NGAL and L-FABP levels during pregnancy and the factors affecting these values and their association with clinical outcomes.

Results: Three hundred and one pregnancies were analyzed. Respective Pearson correlation coefficients for the NGAL and L-FABP levels and gestational age at inspection were - 0.351 and - 0.819 (p <0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively); weak and strong negative correlation were observed. The NGAL level was significantly higher in the intra-amniotic infection group than in the control group (p < 0.001). The L-FABP level was significantly higher in the fetal blood flow abnormalities group than in the control group (p < 0.001). The NGAL and L-FABP levels were significantly higher in the adverse outcomes group than in the control group (p = 0.019 and p < 0.001, respectively), and the respective areas under the concentration-time curve, with optimal cutoff values, for the NGAL and L-FABP levels were 0.693 (14,800 µg/gCr) and 0.864 (378 µg/gCr).

Conclusions: Amniotic fluid NGAL and L-FABP levels reflect fetal and neonatal immaturity. Additionally, the NGAL level is a useful predictive factor of intra-amniotic infection, and the L-FABP level is a useful predictive factor of fetal condition and short- and long-term prognoses.

Keywords: Amniotic fluid; Fetal condition; Immaturity; Intra-amniotic infection; L-type fatty acid-binding protein; Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Relationship between the amniotic fluid NGAL level and gestational age (r = −0.351). NGAL, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin; LT, log-transformed.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Relationship between the amniotic fluid L-FABP level and gestational age (r = −0.819). L-FABP, L-type fatty acid-binding protein; LT, log-transformed.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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