Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin as a biomarker for neuropsychiatric complications in acute ischemic stroke.

Abstract

This study evaluates the findings of Gu et al, who investigated the role of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) as a biomarker for predicting neuropsychiatric complications in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients. The results revealed that elevated serum NGAL levels at admission are associated with a higher risk of cognitive impairment, anxiety, and depressive symptoms at discharge. The study analyzed 150 AIS patients (mean age 65.4 years, 58% male) using the Mini-Mental State Examination and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale to assess neuropsychiatric outcomes. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that higher NGAL levels were independent predictors of cognitive impairment [odds ratio (OR) = 1.42], anxiety (OR = 1.28), and depression (OR = 1.39). Notably, NGAL exhibited strong predictive power for cognitive impairment, with an area under the curve of 0.78. Despite these promising findings, NGAL's clinical utility is limited by its non-specificity across various conditions. Nevertheless, NGAL levels could help identify AIS patients at risk for neuropsychiatric complications, enabling timely intervention and comprehensive neuropsychiatric evaluation. The study emphasizes the need for further research to validate NGAL's predictive accuracy and specificity in diverse AIS populations and advocates for its integration with other diagnostic modalities to enhance clinical decision-making.