Acute Kidney Injury in Cirrhosis.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a frequent complication of end-stage liver disease, especially in those with acute-on-chronic liver failure, occurring in up to 50% of hospitalized patients with cirrhosis. There is no specific blood or urine biomarker that can reliably identify the cause of AKI in cirrhotic patients. This review examines studies used to assess renal dysfunction in cirrhotic patients including new diagnostic criteria and potential novel biomarkers. Although biomarker development to differentiate the cause of AKI in cirrhosis has promise, the utility of biomarkers to determine irreversible renal dysfunction with liver transplant remains lacking, warranting further investigation.