Genetics of acute kidney injury

Genetics of Acute Kidney Injury

What is an acute kidney injury?

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a status of sudden kidney damage or failure. It causes waste products to build up in your blood and can cause significant damage to the rest of your body. Usually, kidneys would remove urea and creatine waste when they are not injured. There are different levels of kidney injury, varying from mild to severe. In severe cases, your brain, heart, and lungs cannot work as well because of AKI, and you can die.

Many conditions can cause AKI. Infections, poor blood flow, and certain medications can damage the kidneys. This can sometimes cause a sudden decline in kidney function. Patients who are in critical care or coming out of surgery are the most likely to get AKI. Hospitals often check everyone in these settings for AKI just in case.

How was the research done? 

This study looks at patients who did and did not have AKI after surgery. They want to see if a person’s genetics or medical history makes a difference in AKI risks. This may explain why some people get AKI while others don’t after surgery.

What is the purpose of the study?

AKI is a serious condition that can happen to people after surgery. It can lead to death in some cases. There is no proven way to treat AKI once it happens, so it’s important to try to prevent it. Age and certain conditions are known to increase the risk of AKI. However, more studies like this one are needed to know the role of genetics in AKI. By studying how genes might affect AKI, they could better predict who is at risk and find new ways to treat it.