title: Acute kidney injury.
abstract: Acute kidney injury (AKI) - an abrupt deterioration in renal function - causes a rise in serum creatinine (SCr) or fall in urine output. It is common, occurring in up to 20% of hospital admissions. Importantly, even small rises in SCr are associated with increased risk of death and longer hospital stays. A 2009 National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death report found that a proportion of AKI in secondary care was avoidable. In addition, management of established AKI was 'good' less than half the time. In practice, AKI represents a heterogeneous group of conditions, encompassing impairments in both kidney structure and function. Delivering disease-specific treatment early in the course of AKI may improve outcomes. The provision of best-practice care for all will rely on a better understanding of risk, and frameworks of care that can be applied across a diverse patient group.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Human Health and Performance, UCL, London, UK alistair.connell@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Alistair
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Connell
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Laing
mesh_terms: D058186:Acute Kidney Injury / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D064872:Patient Care Bundles; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Nephrology; acute kidney injury