title: The kidney in the critically ill.
abstract: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common and serious complication in the intensive care setting. It seldom occurs in isolation, but is mostly part of a multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. The pathogenesis is frequently multifactorial, with sepsis contributing to 50% of the cases.The development of AKI in critically-ill patients is "bad news": patients with AKI have a high morbidity and mortality. In addition, AKI, even in its mildest from, is not only a marker of illness severity but appears to be independently associated with mortality. Prevention of AKI is therefore a major goal to improve outcome of critically-ill patients. Treatment of established AKI is largely supportive. The optimal modality for renal replacement therapy in critically-ill patients still remains a matter of debate). The majority of survivors recover renal function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium. marie.schetz@uz.kuleuven.ac.be
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schetz
mesh_terms: D058186:Acute Kidney Injury / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016638:Critical Illness; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors