Urinary Biomarkers for Predicting Long-Term Dialysis
Researchers from University of Pittsburgh have identified urinary biomarkers capable of providing early prediction of dialysis-dependency after acute kidney injury.
Description
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a growing problem in human health, affecting around 10% of the population globally and is the leading cause of death in the US. One of the major causes of CKD is acute kidney injury (AKI) which can lead to costly and disruptive dialysis. In patients with severe AKI requiring dialysis, mortality within the first year following hospital discharge can be as high as 64%. Identifying those patients most likely to require dialysis would allow for tailored, aggressive treatment to begin earlier. Conversely, individuals identified as most likely to recover kidney function without long-term dialysis would be spared from more aggressive treatments and potential adverse effects.Applications
Applications• AKI
• CKD
• Other kidney diseases or injury
Advantages
Identifying patients who are at increased risk of requiring long-term dialysis remains an unmet clinical need. Current biomarkers of kidney function or injury including serum creatinine levels are poor indicators of long-term outcomes.The identification of a key urinary biomarker to predict long-term outcome allows for early identification and stratification of patients with AKI based on likelihood of kidney function recovery. The identification of patients most likely to require dialysis encourages development of treatment strategies that target these individuals for more aggressive therapy.