Abstract
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a complex disorder comprising several etiological factors and occurring in multiple settings. The disorder has a variety of clinical manifestations that range from minimal elevation in serum creatinine level to anuric renal failure. We describe the formation of a multidisciplinary collaborative network focused on AKI. This Acute Kidney Injury Network has proposed uniform standards for diagnosing and classifying AKI. These proposed standards will need to be validated in future studies, a process that will be facilitated by the Acute Kidney Injury Network, which offers a forum that encourages acquisition of knowledge to improve patient outcomes.
Key Points
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The large numbers of etiologies and risk factors associated with acute kidney injury (AKI) have led to the ad hoc development of a wide range of definitions of this condition
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The lack of common standards for diagnosis and classification of AKI has hampered study of the condition and improvement of patient outcomes
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At their first meeting in September 2005, members of the Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) working group proposed new standards based on RIFLE criteria and recognition of the fact that small changes in serum creatinine level are associated with increased mortality
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The common standards for diagnosis and classification of AKI proposed by AKIN will require validation
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AKIN recommends that a broader international collaborative network be established to facilitate progress in AKI research, dissemination of knowledge, and implementation of standards of patient care
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Acknowledgements
In order to encourage dissemination of the information set out in this paper, it is freely accessible on the Nature Clinical Practice Nephrology website, and will also be published in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases, Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, and Kidney International. This article has not been formally peer-reviewed.
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Molitoris, B., Levin, A., Warnock, D. et al. Improving outcomes of acute kidney injury: report of an initiative. Nat Rev Nephrol 3, 439–442 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncpneph0551
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ncpneph0551
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