Acute Kidney Injury in Newborns

Neonatal acute kidney injury is a common clinical condition encountered in neonatal intensive care units. Acute kidney injury in newborns is associated with a poor prognosis and significantly increased risks of mortality and chronic kidney disease. Neonatal kidney function changes with gestation and neonatal extra-uterine adaptation affects the transformation and regulation of renal functions. In particular, premature infants are more likely to develop acute kidney injury due to incomplete kidney development, which increases the difficulty of care. It is necessary to understand the definition and risk factors of acute kidney injury in neonates as well as treatment options, which include maintaining body fluid and water balance, stabilizing electrolyte levels, and implementing renal replacement therapy. Healthcare providers must carefully evaluate a newborn's physiological changes after birth and use relevant biological indicators to detect acute kidney injury as early as possible in order to prevent or reduce the risk of acute kidney injury and provide appropriate care to improve the quality of newborn care.