Neonatal Acute Kidney Injury: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Challenges

Abstract

Acute kidney injury (AKI) affects more than 30% of hospitalized neonates with increased rates of mortality and longer hospital admission. While research in neonatal AKI has increased over the last few years, advances in clinical recognition, diagnosis, and supportive care for AKI in this specific age group,  research in neonatal AKI have lagged behind advances in pediatric patient groups. The lack of a standardized definition of AKI in neonates similar to those used in adult and pediatric patients in addition, the unique renal physiology of preterm and term infants creates challenges for the use of serum creatinine as an AKI biomarker in these patients creating a challenge in diagnosis , management and even research concerning neonatal AKI. In addition nutrition as a critical item in neonatal care , the special precautions regarding drugs use in neonates and renal replacement therapy in neonates which is not only technically difficult, but also associated with high rates of complications all yields AKI management in neonates to be a great challenge.