Saudi journal of kidney diseases and transplantation : an official publication of the Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation, Saudi Arabia
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Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common and serious condition in both the inpatient and outpatient settings, and its diagnosis depends on serum creatinine measurements. Unfortunately, creatinine is a delayed and unreliable indicator of AKI. The lack of early biomarkers has limited our ability to translate promising experimental therapies to human AKI. ⋯ For example, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin is emerging as an excellent stand alone troponin-like biomarker in the plasma and urine for predicting and monitoring clinical trials and in the prognosis of AKI. In recent years, a number of new biomarkers of AKI with more favorable test characteristics than creatinine have been identified and studied in a variety of experimental and clinical settings. This review will consider the most well-established biomarkers of AKI.