Biomarkers of acute kidney injury: a concise review of current literature

Abstract

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI), a medical condition associated with increased hospitalization rates which requires inter-disciplinary management, is a major health concern because of the burden it places on the health systems of different countries. Biomarkers represent the focus of recent years in furthering the early diagnosis of AKI, providing new opportunities for correct prophylaxis or early therapeutic intervention so that the evolution of patients with this pathology is favorable and the risk of life-threatening complications is negligible. Methods: We performed an extensive literature search on PubMed and ScienceDirect databases, using keywords related to bio-markers for AKI. We searched for acute kidney injury (AKI), cystatin C (CYS-C), galectin-3 (GAL-3), kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), neutrophil-gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and liver-type fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP). We included a high number of papers, with an emphasis on more recent publications. Results: Studies that analyzed the biomarkers for AKI show that CYS-C, GAL-3, KIM-1, NGAL, IL-8, calprotectin, and proteinuria were noted as potential biomarkers for early diagnosis of AKI. Conclusions: Biomarkers represent the focus of recent years in furthering an early diagnosis of AKI, providing new opportunities for correct prophylaxis or early therapeutic intervention.