An article in Clinical Laboratory Online, written by Dr. Marlies Ostermann and Professor David Bennet from Guys&St.Thomas Hospital in London asks that very question.
Besides praising NGAL as the new marker, the article tries to set some claims, which a “kidney troponin” must face.
1: It must be cheap, excact and precise.
2: The test must offer further information besides what is otherwise at disposal.
3: The testresult must affect clinical decisions, and improve the result for the patient.
Only number 3 is still lagging behind, but improvements are being made, new therapies are being pursued.
So could NGAL be the kidney’s equivalent to the heart’s Troponin?
The article states that it ALMOST certainly is, but there is still a bit to go before reaching the finishline.
[…] Is NGAL the Troponin of the kidney? […]
Thank you very much. We intend to keep up the pace 🙂 – If you fel like it – we can link to one another ?