Evaluation of the impact of shock wave lithotripsy on kidneys using a new marker: how do neutrophil gelatinese-associated lypocalin values change after shock wave lithotripsy?

Objective: To determine possible acute kidney injury with new marker neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) in urine and to show the relationship between changes of this marker and conventional markers in patients undergoing shock wave lithotripsy (SWL).

Methods: In patients with kidney stones, serum urea, creatinine, urine microalbumin, and NGAL levels were determined before SWL and at the first, second, and seventh days after SWL. In addition, patients who had undergone SWL were evaluated with Technetium-99m (Tc99m)-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) and Tc99m-diethylenetriaminepenta acetate renal scintigraphy 1 week before and 3 months after SWL.

Results And Limitations: Forty patients were included in the study. All patients had a single stone in the kidney with an average size of 9.25 mm (range 5-15). No statistical change was found in the levels of average serum urea and creatinine levels, urine microglobulin, and NGAL levels, which were measured before SWL and after SWL. No significant difference was identified in urine NGAL and microalbumin levels of the groups, which were separated by shock wave number and shock energy amount on the first, second, and seventh days after SWL. In the high-energy SWL group, 3 patients had a statistical decrease in their differential kidney function measured with Tc99m difference between differential function rates of the kidney before and after SWL (DMSA) after 3 months after SWL.

Conclusion: Our study found that, using both new and conventional parameters in the acute stage and 3 months later, SWL treatment does not cause acute kidney damage.