AKI

Serum cytokines are increased in patients with acute kidney injury (AKI), and increased serum interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8 and IL-10 predict mortality in patients with AKI. Cytokines are not just biomarkers of poor outcomes, but mediate deleterious systemic effects. Pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 and IL-8 mediate distant organ injury and contribute to the systemic inflammatory response syndrome and acute lung injury (ALI). Anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-10 may contribute to immune stasis and impair the ability to fight infection. These cytokine-mediated deleterious effects may contribute to the high mortality of patients with AKI. Thus, a better understanding of the production and clearance of cytokines in AKI may shed light onto potential therapeutic treatments for patients with AKI.

Acute Kidney Injury