Investigating Novel Biomarkers Associated with AKI Diagnosis and Risk

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication associated with cardiac surgery. Those patients who develop AKI have increased hospital costs, hospital LOS and odds of death. The current diagnostic criteria rely on serum creatinine measurements and urine output data. Serum creatinine is not renal specific. It is known that there are other factors that influence serum creatine concentrations other than renal injury. Serum creatinine levels are measured as concentrations which means large changes in fluid balance may alter the serum creatinine measurement. Urine output is not a reliable measurement of renal injury either. During surgery it is common to administer diuretics which influence urine output independent of renal damage. Researchers are investigating novel biomarkers that are renal specific and can monitor AKI risk in real time. Some researchers are focused on identifying chemical biomarkers to diagnose AKI more effectively. Preliminary studies have also shown that urine oxygen concentration may be a physiological biomarker that can be used to monitor AKI risk in real time. Urine oxygen concentration may reflect tissue oxygen concentration in the medullary region of the kidney. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between urine biomarker concentrations, urine oxygen concentration and AKI diagnosis. The results from this study suggest that is possible to monitor oxygen concentration non-invasively and it could potentially be used to monitor AKI risk in real time