Acute kidney injury

Abstract

Acute kidney injury (AKI) affects roughly one-quarter of children in the Intensive Care Unit and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Progress made in classifying paediatric AKI has allowed for better recognition of this entity. Consideration of degree of fluid overload and other risk factors for mortality should influence the choice to initiate renal replacement therapy. And while not all patients with AKI will require renal replacement therapy, the modality needs to be chosen carefully. This book chapter aims to describe AKI, provide a brief overview of the aetiology and diagnosis of this process, describe biomarkers under study for diagnosing AKI, compare the modalities of renal replacement therapy, and touch upon prognostic factors and recent advances in the field.