Acute Kidney Injury: From Basic Findings to New Prevention and Therapy Strategies

A special issue of Medicina (ISSN 1648-9144). This special issue belongs to the section "Emergency Medicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (5 March 2022) | Viewed by 33143

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Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Catholic Kwandong University, Gangneung, Korea
Interests: skin disease; polymorphisms; natural treatment; biomarkers; Big Data
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Dear Colleagues,

Acute kidney injury is a disease in which kidney cells are damaged and kidney function rapidly deteriorates over hours to days. This occurs since decreased kidney function causes nitrogen wastes to accumulate in the body, resulting in hypernatremia in the blood and abnormalities in the balance of body fluids and electrolytes. If these injuries are not treated quickly, the patient’s condition may worsen, leading to a total loss of kidney function or death. There are many causes of acute kidney injury. In order to diagnose acute kidney injury, it is diagnosed by considering urinary tract obstruction and serum creatinine concentration. The risk of acute kidney injury increases when exposed to a causative disease or environment that may cause acute kidney injury, but the likelihood of progressing to acute kidney injury after exposure to these risk factors differs depending on the individual’s susceptibility factors.

Recently, many research results for personalized medicine have been reported. The results of these studies are related to the occurrence of disease, response to drugs, and prognosis according to the genetic characteristics of patients. In addition, there have been many reports of the efficacy of natural products for treating diseases.

This Special Issue of Medicina entitled “Acute Kidney Injury: From Basic Findings to New Prevention and Therapy Strategies” welcomes the submission of basic or clinical original articles as well as systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and overviews that investigate the pathogenetic mechanism and patient-related factors affecting acute kidney injury as well as clinical procedures proposed with a view to personalized diagnostic and therapeutic protocols.

Prof. Dr. Su Kang Kim
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • acute kidney injury
  • inflammation
  • genetic study
  • therapy
  • diagnosis
  • personalized medicine
  • precision medicine
  • biomarkers
  • animal study

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 2346 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Renal Function after Partial Nephrectomy and Detection of Clinically Significant Acute Kidney Injury
by Jurijus Makevičius, Albertas Čekauskas, Arūnas Želvys, Albertas Ulys, Feliksas Jankevičius and Marius Miglinas
Medicina 2022, 58(5), 667; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina58050667 - 17 May 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2581
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Consequences of partial nephrectomy (PN), intraoperative hypotension (IOH) and postoperative neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) may cause postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) and in long-term-chronic kidney disease (CKD). Our study aimed to identify the AKI incidence after PN, to [...] Read more.
Background and Objectives: Consequences of partial nephrectomy (PN), intraoperative hypotension (IOH) and postoperative neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) may cause postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) and in long-term-chronic kidney disease (CKD). Our study aimed to identify the AKI incidence after PN, to find clinically significant postoperative AKI and renal dysfunction, and to determine the predictor factors. Materials and Methods: A prospective observational study consisted of 91 patients who received PN with warm ischemia, and estimated preoperative glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥ 60 mL/min and without abnormal albuminuria. Results: 38 (41.8%) patients experienced postoperative AKI. Twenty-one (24.1%) patients had CKD upstage after 1 year follow-up. Sixty-seven percent of CKD upstage patients had AKI 48 h after surgery and 11% after 2 months. All 15 (16.5%) patients with CKD had postoperative AKI. With IOH, OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.03–1.10 and p < 0.001, postoperative NLR after 48 h (OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.19–1.88, p < 0.001) was the major risk factor of AKI. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the kidney’s resected part volume (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.03–1.14, p < 0.001) and IOH (OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.04–1.15, p < 0.001) were retained as statistically significant prognostic factors for detecting postoperative renal dysfunction. The independent risk factor for clinically significant postoperative AKI was only IOH (OR, 1.06; p < 0.001). Only AKI with the CKD upstage group has a statistically significant effect (p < 0.0001) on eGFR 6 and 12 months after surgery. Conclusions: The presence of AKI after PN is not rare. IOH and NLR are associated with postoperative AKI. The most important predictive factor of postoperative AKI is an NLR of over 3.5. IOH is an independent risk factor for clinically significant postoperative AKI and together with kidney resected part volume effects postoperative renal dysfunction. Only clinically significant postoperative AKI influences the reduction of postoperative eGFR after 6 and 12 months. Full article
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12 pages, 2177 KiB  
Article
Evolving Risk of Acute Kidney Injury in COVID-19 Hospitalized Patients: A Single Center Retrospective Study
by Fahad D. Algahtani, Mohamed T. Elabbasy, Fares Alshammari, Amira Atta, Ayman M. El-Fateh and Mohamed E. Ghoniem
Medicina 2022, 58(3), 443; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina58030443 - 18 Mar 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2245
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Within a year, COVID-19 has advanced from an outbreak to a pandemic, spreading rapidly and globally with devastating impact. The pathophysiological link between COVID-19 and acute kidney injury (AKI) is currently being debated among scientists. While some studies have [...] Read more.
Background and Objectives: Within a year, COVID-19 has advanced from an outbreak to a pandemic, spreading rapidly and globally with devastating impact. The pathophysiological link between COVID-19 and acute kidney injury (AKI) is currently being debated among scientists. While some studies have concluded that the mechanisms of AKI in COVID-19 patients are complex and not fully understood, others have claimed that AKI is a rare complication of COVID-19-related disorders. Considering this information gap and its possible influence on COVID-19-associated AKI management, our study aimed to explore the prevalence of AKI and to identify possible risk factors associated with AKI development among COVID-19 hospitalized patients. Materials and Methods: A retrospective cohort study included 83 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients hospitalized at the isolation department in a tertiary hospital in Zagazig City, Egypt between June and August 2020. Patients younger than 18 years of age, those diagnosed with end-stage kidney disease, or those on nephrotoxic medications were excluded. All study participants had a complete blood count, liver and renal function tests, hemostasis parameters examined, inflammatory markers, serum electrolytes, routine urinalysis, arterial blood gas, and non-enhanced chest and abdominal computer tomography (CT) scans. Results: Of the 83 patients, AKI developed in 24 (28.9%) of them, of which 70.8% were in stage 1, 8.3% in stage 2, and 20.8% in stage 3. Patients with AKI were older than patients without AKI, with hypertension and diabetes being the most common comorbidities. Risk factors for AKI include increased age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and a higher sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score. Conclusions: AKI occurs in a considerable percentage of patients with COVID-19, especially in elderly males, those with hypertension, diabetes, and a higher sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score. Hence, the presence of AKI should be taken into account as an important index within the risk spectrum of disease severity for COVID-19 patients. Full article
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11 pages, 1858 KiB  
Article
HLA-G 14bp Ins/Del Polymorphism in the 3′UTR Region and Acute Rejection in Kidney Transplant Recipients: An Updated Meta-Analysis
by Sang Wook Kang, Eunkyung Oh, Wonwoo Cho, Minseok Kim, Eo Jin Park, Kyu Hwan Kwack, Kang Chung, Ok Hyung Nam, Yong Kwon Chae and Ju Yeon Ban
Medicina 2021, 57(10), 1007; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina57101007 - 24 Sep 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1690
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Acute kidney injury (AKI) affects the survival rate of kidney transplant organs and patients. Acute rejection (AR) due to AKI may lead to kidney transplantation failure. It is known that there is a relationship between human leukocyte antigen-G (HLA-G), which [...] Read more.
Background and Objectives: Acute kidney injury (AKI) affects the survival rate of kidney transplant organs and patients. Acute rejection (AR) due to AKI may lead to kidney transplantation failure. It is known that there is a relationship between human leukocyte antigen-G (HLA-G), which is involved in immune regulation, and AR in transplant patients. Moreover, 14-bp insertion/deletion polymorphism in the 3′ untranslated region (UTR) region of the HLA-G gene is known to affect HLA-G expression. However, its relationship to AR is still controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate whether HLA-G 14-bp insertion/deletion polymorphism contributed to the development of AR in kidney transplant patients using a meta-analysis. Materials and Methods: To perform our meta-analysis, eligible studies about HLA-G 14-bp insertion/deletion polymorphism and AR were searched in electronic databases until 1 June 2021. Finally, a total of 336 patients with AR and 952 patients without AR in relation to kidney transplantation were analyzed from a total of nine studies. Results: In our results, the Del allele and Ins/Del+Del/Del and Del/Del genotypes significantly increased susceptibility of AR in Asian populations [odds ratio (OR) = 2.359, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.568–3.550, p = 3.8 × 10−5; OR = 3.357, 95% CI = 1.769–6.370, p = 0.002; OR = 2.750, 95% CI = 1.354–5.587, p = 0.0052 in each model, respectively]. Conclusions: Evidence of the present results indicate that HLA-G 14-bp insertion/deletion polymorphism is associated with susceptibility to AR in the Asian population. Full article
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7 pages, 266 KiB  
Article
Association between Inflammation-Based Parameters and Prognosis in Patients with Acute Kidney Injury
by Hyelim Joo, Sun Young Min and Min-Su Park
Medicina 2021, 57(9), 936; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina57090936 - 05 Sep 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1426
Abstract
Background and Objectives: this study aimed to clarify the relationship between inflammation-based parameters and prognosis in patients with acute kidney injury (AKI). Materials and Methods: We analyzed the prospectively collected data of patients with AKI, who were admitted through the emergency [...] Read more.
Background and Objectives: this study aimed to clarify the relationship between inflammation-based parameters and prognosis in patients with acute kidney injury (AKI). Materials and Methods: We analyzed the prospectively collected data of patients with AKI, who were admitted through the emergency department between March 2020 and April 2021. Their clinical characteristics, inflammation-based parameters, resolving/non-resolving AKI pattern, and major adverse kidney event (MAKE) rates were analyzed. Results: Among 177 patients, 129 (72.9%) had a resolving AKI pattern and 48 (27.1%) had a non-resolving AKI pattern. The outcome of MAKE occurred in 30 (16.9%) participants. Multivariate analyses showed that the neutrophil-to-monocyte ratio was an independent predictor of resolving AKI, and that the neutrophil-to-monocyte and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratios were independent predictors of MAKE occurrence. Conclusions: we demonstrated that inflammation-based parameters are valuable predictors of early recovery and MAKE occurrence in patients with AKI. Full article

Review

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8 pages, 1973 KiB  
Review
Identification of Multiple Hub Genes in Acute Kidney Injury after Kidney Transplantation by Bioinformatics Analysis
by Sang-Wook Kang, Sung-Wook Kang, Ju-Yeon Ban and Min-Su Park
Medicina 2022, 58(5), 681; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina58050681 - 20 May 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2264
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The molecular mechanisms of the development of acute kidney injury (AKI) after kidney transplantation are not yet clear. The aim of this study was to confirm the genes and mechanisms related to AKI after transplantation. Materials and Methods: [...] Read more.
Background and Objectives: The molecular mechanisms of the development of acute kidney injury (AKI) after kidney transplantation are not yet clear. The aim of this study was to confirm the genes and mechanisms related to AKI after transplantation. Materials and Methods: To investigate potential genetic targets for AKI, an analysis of the gene expression omnibus database was used to identify key genes and pathways. After identification of differentially expressed genes, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome pathway enrichment analyses were performed. We identified the hub genes and established the protein–protein interaction network. Results: Finally, we identified 137 differentially expressed genes (59 upregulated genes and 16 downregulated genes). AKAP12, AMOT, C3AR1, LY96, PIK3AP1, PLCD4, PLCG2, TENM2, TLR2, and TSPAN5 were filtrated by the hub genes related to the development of post-transplant AKI from the Protein–Protein Interaction (PPI) network. Conclusions: This may provide important evidence of the diagnostic and therapeutic biomarker of AKI. Full article
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11 pages, 879 KiB  
Review
Acute Kidney Injury: Biomarker-Guided Diagnosis and Management
by Soo-Young Yoon, Jin-Sug Kim, Kyung-Hwan Jeong and Su-Kang Kim
Medicina 2022, 58(3), 340; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina58030340 - 23 Feb 2022
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 9458
Abstract
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common clinical syndrome that is characterized by abnormal renal function and structure. The Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Controversies Conference in 2019 reviewed the stages of AKI and the definitions of AKI-related terminologies, and discussed the [...] Read more.
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common clinical syndrome that is characterized by abnormal renal function and structure. The Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Controversies Conference in 2019 reviewed the stages of AKI and the definitions of AKI-related terminologies, and discussed the advances in the last decade. Along with serum creatinine level and urine output, more accurate novel biomarkers for predicting AKI are being applied for the early detection of renal dysfunction. A literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Medline, and ClinicalTrials.gov using the terms AKI and biomarker, combined with diagnosis, management, or prognosis. Because of the large volume of data (160 articles) published between 2005 and 2022, representative literature was chosen. A number of studies have demonstrated that new biomarkers are more sensitive in detecting AKI in certain populations than serum creatinine and urine output according to the recommendations from the Acute Disease Quality Initiative Consensus Conference. To be specific, there is a persistently unresolved need for earlier detection of patients with AKI before AKI progresses to a need for renal replacement therapy. Biomarker-guided management may help to identify a high-risk group of patients in progression to severe AKI, and decide the initiation time to renal replacement therapy and optimal follow-up period. However, limitations such as biased data to certain studied populations and absence of cutoff values need to be solved for worldwide clinical use of biomarkers in the future. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of biomarker-based AKI diagnosis and management and highlight recent developments. Full article
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15 pages, 1357 KiB  
Review
A Review of Natural Products for Prevention of Acute Kidney Injury
by Hyun Goo Kang, Hyun Ki Lee, Kyu Bong Cho and Sang Il Park
Medicina 2021, 57(11), 1266; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina57111266 - 18 Nov 2021
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2899
Abstract
Background and Objectives: acute kidney injury (AKI), formerly called acute renal failure (ARF), is commonly defined as an abrupt decline in renal function, clinically manifesting as a reversible acute increase in nitrogen waste products—measured by blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine levels—over [...] Read more.
Background and Objectives: acute kidney injury (AKI), formerly called acute renal failure (ARF), is commonly defined as an abrupt decline in renal function, clinically manifesting as a reversible acute increase in nitrogen waste products—measured by blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine levels—over the course of hours to weeks. AKI occurs in about 20% of all hospitalized patients and is more common in the elderly. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent the occurrence of AKI, and to detect and treat early, since it is known that a prolonged period of kidney injury increases cardiovascular complications and the risk of death. Despite advances in modern medicine, there are no consistent treatment strategies for preventing the progression to chronic kidney disease. Through many studies, the safety and efficacy of natural products have been proven, and based on this, the time and cost required for new drug development can be reduced. In addition, research results on natural products are highly anticipated in the prevention and treatment of various diseases. In relation to AKI, many papers have reported that many natural products can prevent and treat AKI. Conclusions: in this paper, the results of studies on natural products related to AKI were found and summarized, and the mechanism by which the efficacy of AKI was demonstrated was reviewed. Many natural products show that AKI can be prevented and treated, suggesting that these natural products can help to develop new drugs. In addition, we may be helpful to elucidate additional mechanisms and meta-analysis in future natural product studies. Full article
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9 pages, 286 KiB  
Review
Effects of Rapid Weight Loss on Kidney Function in Combat Sport Athletes
by Nemanja Lakicevic, Antonio Paoli, Roberto Roklicer, Tatjana Trivic, Darinka Korovljev, Sergej M. Ostojic, Patrizia Proia, Antonino Bianco and Patrik Drid
Medicina 2021, 57(6), 551; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina57060551 - 31 May 2021
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 6897
Abstract
Even though scientific literature shows numerous heath complications and performance decrements associated with rapid weight loss (RWL), its prevalence remains exceedingly high across various combat sports. The aim of this study was to thoroughly search the existing literature to explore the influence of [...] Read more.
Even though scientific literature shows numerous heath complications and performance decrements associated with rapid weight loss (RWL), its prevalence remains exceedingly high across various combat sports. The aim of this study was to thoroughly search the existing literature to explore the influence of RWL on kidney function in Olympic and non-Olympic combat sport athletes. PubMed and Web of Science were searched for the relevant studies. Only original articles published from 2005 onwards, written in English, that included healthy males and females who prompted ~5% weight loss within a week or less, were included in the study. Retrieved studies showed that creatinine, blood urea nitrogen and urine specific gravity values were significantly increased after RWL in the majority of the included studies. This observation indicates that RWL caused dehydration and subsequent acute kidney damage despite various degrees of weight lost during the RWL phase, which can lead to adverse events in other body systems. Alternative methods of weight reduction that prioritize athletes’ health should be considered. Full article

Other

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18 pages, 782 KiB  
Systematic Review
Acute Kidney Injury and Hyponatremia in Ultra-Trail Racing: A Systematic Review
by Miguel Lecina, Carlos Castellar-Otín, Isaac López-Laval, Luis Carrasco Páez and Francisco Pradas
Medicina 2022, 58(5), 569; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina58050569 - 21 Apr 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2656
Abstract
Background and objectives: Ultra-trail races can cause episodes of acute kidney injury (AKI) and exercise-associated hyponatremia (EAH) in healthy subjects without previous renal pathology. This systematic review aims to review the incidence of these two syndromes together and separately taking into account [...] Read more.
Background and objectives: Ultra-trail races can cause episodes of acute kidney injury (AKI) and exercise-associated hyponatremia (EAH) in healthy subjects without previous renal pathology. This systematic review aims to review the incidence of these two syndromes together and separately taking into account the length and elevation of the ultra-trail race examined. Materials and Methods: A systematic review was conducted through electronic search in four electronic databases (PubMed, EBSCO, Web of Science and Alcorze). Results: A total of 1127 articles published between January 2006 and December 31, 2021 were included, 28 of which met the inclusion criteria. The studies were categorized according to the length and stages of the race in four categories: medium (42 to 69 km), long (70 to 99 km), extra (>100 km) and multi-stage if they included various stages. A total of 2950 runners (666 females and 2284 males) were extracted from 28 publications. The AKI incidence found was 42.04% (468 cases of 1113), and 195 of 2065 were diagnosed with EAH, accounting for 9.11%. The concurrence of both pathologies together reached 11.84% (27 individuals) from a total of 228 runners with AKI and EAH simultaneously analyzed. Sorted by race category, the AKI+EAH cases were distributed as follows: 18 of 27 in the extra (13.63% and n = 132), 4 in the large (5.79% and n = 69) and 5 in the medium category (18.15% and n = 27). Conclusions: According to these results, extra and medium races showed a similar incidence of AKI+EAH. These findings underline the importance of the duration and intensity of the race and may make them responsible for the etiology of these medical conditions. Due to their variable incidence, EAH and AKI are often underdiagnosed, leading to poorer prognosis, increased condition seriousness and hindered treatment. The results of this review urge participants, coaches and race organizers to take measures to improve the early diagnosis and urgent treatment of possible EAH and AKI cases. Full article
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