In almost half of all sepsis patients, acute kidney injury (AKI) develops. However, the pathobiologic differences between sepsis patients with and without AKI are only poorly understood.
We used a unique opportunity to examine dynamic inflammatory, renal hemodynamic, and microvascular changes in two clinically relevant large-animal models of sepsis. Aim was to assess variability in renal responses to sepsis and to identify both hemodynamic and nonhemodynamic mechanisms discriminating individuals with AKI from those in whom AKI did not develop.
Observed variability in susceptibility to septic AKI in our models replicates that of human disease. Early abnormal host response accompanied by subsequent uncoupling between systemic and renal vascular resistance appear to be major determinants in the early phase of porcine septic AKI.
Nonuniform and modelrelated renal hemodynamic responses unpredictable from systemic changes should be taken into consideration when evaluating interventions in septic AKI.