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Urinary N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase activity in healthy children

Sylvia Skalova1, Jaroslav Chladek

  • 1Departments of Pediatrics and Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic. skalova.s@seznam.cz

Nephrology (Carlton, Vic.)
|March 5, 2004
PubMed

Insights

This study establishes pediatric reference ranges for urinary N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (U-NAG) activity, revealing significant age-dependent variations in healthy children. These findings are crucial for diagnosing kidney issues in pediatric populations.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Pediatric Nephrology

Background:

  • Urinary N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (U-NAG) is a biomarker for renal tubular damage.
  • Establishing age-specific reference values is essential for accurate pediatric diagnostics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine reference data for urinary NAG activity in healthy children aged 0-18 years.
  • To provide a basis for evaluating renal tubular function in pediatric patients.

Main Methods:

  • Collected urine samples from 262 healthy children across various age groups (0-18 years).
  • Measured U-NAG activity using fluorimetry and normalized it to urinary creatinine (nkat/mmol ratio).

Main Results:

  • Observed a strong age-dependent pattern in the U-NAG/creatinine ratio.
  • Noted high interindividual variability, with the highest reference values in infants (0-1 year) and a gradual decrease with age.

Conclusions:

  • Established pediatric reference values for U-NAG activity.
  • These values can aid in the accurate assessment of renal tubular impairment in children.
Abstract

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