Acute kidney failure, more precisely termed acute kidney injury, is an abrupt and often reversible decline in renal function occurring over hours to days, marked by a rapid fall in glomerular filtration rate and the accumulation of nitrogenous waste, with disturbances of fluid, electrolyte, and acid-base balance. It…
Acute kidney failure, more precisely termed acute kidney injury, is an abrupt and often reversible decline in renal function occurring over hours to days, marked by a rapid fall in glomerular filtration rate and the accumulation of nitrogenous waste, with disturbances of fluid, electrolyte, and acid-base balance. It is conventionally classified by mechanism as prerenal, arising from reduced renal perfusion; intrinsic, due to direct damage to the glomeruli, tubules, interstitium, or vasculature, as in ischaemic or nephrotoxic injury; or postrenal, resulting from obstruction of urine flow. Clinical features may include reduced urine output, fluid overload, electrolyte derangements such as hyperkalaemia, and rising creatinine and urea, and severe or untreated cases can become life-threatening, sometimes requiring renal replacement therapy. Common precipitants include sepsis, hypovolaemia, surgery, nephrotoxic medications and contrast agents, and acute obstruction, and recovery depends on prompt identification and removal of the cause. Distinguishing acute injury from chronic kidney disease, and recognizing acute-on-chronic presentations, is central to management and prognosis. The condition is a major concern in hospitalized and critically ill patients and a determinant of subsequent chronic kidney disease. The journal publishes peer-reviewed research in nephrology, including the causes, evaluation, and management of acute kidney injury and its relationship to chronic renal disease.
12 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
The 12 articles above have been cited 89 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Acute Kidney Failure, linking to each citing work.