Predicting AKI: do we have the necessary tools?

摘要

In critically ill patients, acute kidney injury (AKI) is a heterogeneous disease with multiple different sub-phenotypes and variable outcomes.1 To date, most clinical trials investigating pharmacotherapy, novel biologics and intensity of renal replacement therapy (RRT) have been negative.2-4 One potential reason for this lack of positive trials is the delay in recognizing and monitoring AKI due to a reliance on serum creatinine and urine output. However, new tools, technologies and imaging techniques have been developed with the aim of identifying high-risk patients and diagnosing AKI early so that reno-protective strategies can be applied, and progression of AKI is prevented.