most readable about AKI – where are we and what measures can be applied. The article also have a minor section about biomarkers namely NGAL (and associates).  quotes:The NGAL gene is one of the earliest and most upregulated genes following ischemic renal injury making it a very sensitive and specific biomarker

But – there is always a but 🙂  – the next quote…:

While Perry et al. demonstrated that an early increase in post-CPB plasma NGAL is asso- ciated with AKI in adult patients undergoing CABG sur- gery, the sensitivity was as low as 38 %. Owing to the lack of sensitivity and specificity of individual biomarkers, it might be prudent to use a panel of biomarkers to categorize the risk for and outcomes from AKI

This is not surprising or down-heartening – this is a result of using the wrong tests. The measurements are not made with “The NGAL-Test” – au contarire. All larger surveys have been using/sponsored either by grossly inaccurate Test (Triage from Alere) or with wrong instructions (Abbott/Architect) where the low cutoff of 150 ng/ml leads to many false positives
it is going to be quite a challenge for the distributors of The NGAL-Test  (presently “limited” to  Siemens/Roche/IL-Werfen and Wiener)  to get general acceptance of  The NGAL-Test as the undisputed “numero uno” test it is  Cudos to Abbott for pioneering and for having made a household word in the international research and Kidney community through the last years – through sponsoring / co-sponsoring or otherwise supporting hundreds of  research articles and surveys. It has meant the World in acceptance and knowledge – unfortunately the wrong cutoff has also meant that there is solid sceptisism of NGAL as a stand -alone marker
In spite of the fact that Roche (as a whole) has not yet decided to ACTIVELY market the
The NGAL-Test (yet) one national company – namely Roche in the Czech republic decided to take things into the own hands – and are helping LabMark (the local BioPorto distributor) in their effort in implementating the test in rouitine-diagnostics. As you may have learned – The Czech Republic have as the first country decided to reimburse the Test (a major and long awaited breakthrough)
One can only hope that France – who I expect to be next in line – decides to take the sane reimbursment strategy as part of including NGAL in routine diagnostics.

About Stengaard

BioPorto investor from way back when... I've invested in BioPorto ever since they made their debut on the danish stock exchange, it been a looooong journey with many obstacles. But well worth it all if Bioporto maintains their patent after the proceedings in 2014, and enters into agreements with Global Distributors in 2012 and 2013 If not, then it'll take another xx.years 🙂

 

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