Essence core: Fluid management in acute kidney injury

Abstract

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a heterogeneous disorder characterized by sudden decrease in kidney functioning, with increased serum creatinine levels and impairment of vital kidney functions such as fluid, electrolyte, and acid-base homeostasis. The key to perioperative AKI management is accomplishing optimal intravenous fluid therapy, involving guided fluid resuscitation and fluid balance management including proper fluid removal. In the present review, we highlighted the importance of fluid-based management of AKI, which is a critical process, as both reduced and increased levels of body fluids can have detrimental effects on the patient. While fluid depletion is commonly the targeted approach for fluid management, fluid overload is also largely recognized as a major contributor to worsening the outcomes. With the wide range of available fluid types, such as colloids and crystalloids, detailed knowledge and role of each are necessary before making the choice of a treatment strategy to be employed. While each of these has associated pros and cons, crystalloids are largely accepted as the treatment of choice due to better outcomes and affordability. Nevertheless, the dose and choice of fluid therapy must be goal irected and customized based on the patient's condition, ruling out the confounding factors.