LCN2 and acute kidney injury: NGAL expression is up-regulated within the first few hours after ischaemic renal injury in animal models and has been identified as an early biomarker for diagnosing AKI.[25] Urinary and serum NGAL represent sensitive, specific, and highly predictive early biomarkers of AKI following common clinical settings in which AKI occurs, including the intensive care unit [26], following cardiac surgery, after contrast administration for percutaneous coronary interventions, in contrast-induced nephropathy in children, and following kidney transplantation in adults.