Acute kidney injury

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is characterized by an abrupt loss of renal function which happens over the course of hours or days. Acute kidney injury (AKI) is common in critically ill patients and is associated with high mortality and morbidity. The KDIGO (Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcome) Clinical Practice Guideline for AKI defines AKI as any of the following: increase in serum creatinine by ≥ 0.3 mg/dl (≥ 26.5 mmol/l) within 48 hours, increase in serum creatinine to ≥ 1.5 times baseline, which is known or presumed to have occurred within the prior 7 days, or urine volume of < 0.5 ml/kg/h for 6 h.