Biomarkers of acute kidney injury

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is common in dogs and cats and is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Serum creatinine is the most commonly utilized marker for renal function, but is neither sensitive nor specific for early detection of renal injury. Therefore, there is a need for sensitive renal biomarkers that will facilitate the diagnosis of early kidney injury. Early detection of AKI will enable timely intervention and thus is expected to improve the outcome. Renal biomarkers may also aid in assessing the severity of the disease, indicate repair processes and predict the outcome. It is unlikely though, that a single biomarker will provide all this information,but rather an array of biomarkers will have to be used. This paper reviews the main biomarkers currently under investigation in veterinary medicine, including their advantages and limitations.