Biomarkers for Early Diagnosis of Acute Kidney Injury: Current Progress and Clinical Prospects

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is one of the most common complications in critically ill patients, resulting in high morbidity and mortality. AKI usually occurs after major surgery, severe infection or drug-induced nephrotoxicity and is associated with prolonged hospital stays, increased costs and adverse clinical outcomes. The diagnosis of AKI is currently based on decreased glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and urine output, and increased serum creatinine. Novel biomarkers are required for early identification of patients with AKI to allow timely therapy and improve patient outcomes. With the advent of proteomics and genomics techniques, a vast array of biomarkers are now available in clinical practice. Keywords: Acute kidney injury, biomarkers, cystatin C, IL-18, KIM-1, L-FABP, NGAL, NHE-3.