Extracorporeal blood purification in sepsis and sepsis-related acute kidney injury.

Sepsis-related acute kidney injury (AKI) is an important complicating feature of sepsis, and is associated with greater complexity of care and higher mortality. Until recently, AKI lacked a standard, widely accepted definition, rendering it difficult to compare previously published strategies to prevent, recognize and treat this entity. Recently, the RIFLE classification of AKI has been developed, and confirmed in observational studies to be associated with subsequent morbidity and mortality. The management of sepsis-related AKI is evolving with new basic discoveries and ongoing translational clinical research, and will likely include nephroprotective strategies to protect kidneys in patients at risk, early recognition and amelioration of renal damage and pharmacological interventions to minimize injury and promote recovery. Furthermore, extracorporeal blood purification (EBP) has an important role to play, not only in the replacement of certain aspects of renal organ function such as acid-base/electrolyte homeostasis and extracellular fluid volume, but also in an immunomodulatory fashion. As a therapy that has the potential to influence the course of disease in sepsis, EBP in sepsis and sepsis-related AKI is the subject of this review. Copyright (c) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.