Biomarkers for the early detection of acute kidney injury

Curr Opin Pediatr. 2011 Apr;23(2):194-200. doi: 10.1097/MOP.0b013e328343f4dd.

Abstract

Purpose of review: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common and serious condition, the diagnosis of which depends on serum creatinine, which is a delayed and unreliable indicator of AKI. Fortunately, understanding the early stress response of the kidney to acute injuries has revealed a number of potential biomarkers. The current status of the most promising of these novel AKI biomarkers, including neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), liver-type fatty acid binding protein (L-FABP), and interleukin (IL)-18, is reviewed.

Recent findings: In particular, NGAL is emerging as an excellent biomarker in the urine and plasma, for the early prediction of AKI, for monitoring clinical trials in AKI, and for the prognosis of AKI in several common clinical scenarios. However, biomarker combinations may be required to improve our ability to predict AKI and its outcomes in a context-specific manner.

Summary: It is vital that additional large future studies demonstrate the association between biomarkers and hard clinical outcomes independent of serum creatinine concentrations and that randomization to a treatment for AKI based on high biomarker levels results in an improvement in clinical outcomes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Acute Kidney Injury / diagnosis*
  • Acute Kidney Injury / metabolism
  • Acute-Phase Proteins / urine*
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Biomarkers / urine
  • Child
  • Early Diagnosis
  • Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins / urine*
  • Hepatitis A Virus Cellular Receptor 1
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-18 / urine*
  • Lipocalin-2
  • Lipocalins / blood*
  • Lipocalins / urine*
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / urine*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / blood*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / urine*
  • Receptors, Virus

Substances

  • Acute-Phase Proteins
  • Biomarkers
  • FABP1 protein, human
  • Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins
  • HAVCR1 protein, human
  • Hepatitis A Virus Cellular Receptor 1
  • Interleukin-18
  • LCN2 protein, human
  • Lipocalin-2
  • Lipocalins
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Receptors, Virus