Introduction. Various studies have revealed the negative impact of surgery or related factors on the risk of acute kidney injury (AKI). The risk factors and 6-months outcomes in patients with clinical or subclinical manifestations of AKI after radical cystectomy were analyzed.
Materials and methods. This prospective study included patients with normal renal function who underwent radical cystectomy. Urine and serum samples were collected to measure the level of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL).
Results. Of the 186 patients, 43 (23.1%) had AKI in the postoperative period. The most reliable predictor was the concentration of NGAL in the urine 12 hours after surgery (threshold value of 156.87 ng/ml). In 53 (28.5%) patients with NGAL higher than this value, subclinical AKI was diagnosed. Patients with clinical AKI and patients with subclinical AKI were allocated to the AKI group. Independent risk factors for postoperative AKI were age and obesity. After 6 months the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in the group with AKI was significantly lower than in the control group, although the baseline GFR was similar.
Conclusion. Determination of NGAL concentration in urine is recommended for early diagnosis of postoperative AKI, as well as for predicting the functional state of the kidneys 6 months after oncourological procedures. A significant proportion of patients developed subclinical AKI; in this group there was a worse renal outcome in comparison with the group without AKI.

Keywords: acute renal injury, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, postoperative complications