Serum Lactate As Reliable Biomarker of Acute Kidney Injury in Low-risk Cardiac Surgery Patients.

Background: Cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (CSA-AKI) frequently occurs in patients assessed as low-risk for developing CSA-AKI. Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin (NGAL), Kidney Injury Molecule-1 (KIM-1) and lactate are promising biomarkers of CSA-AKI but have not yet been explored in low-risk patients.

Aim: To evaluate urinary NGAL (uNGAL), KIM-1 and lactate as biomarkers of CSA-AKI in patients with low-risk for developing CSA-AKI.

Modulation of aldosterone release by epidural analgesia impacts brain natriuretic peptide: a link to stress cardiomyopathy? Pilot study.

Objective: Data pertaining to whether stress-induced aldosterone release is associated with cardiac disorders are lacking. This study was designed to compare whether the modulation of intra-operative aldosterone release by epidural analgesia had an effect on the brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels.

Design, Patients, Measurements: A study was pilot prospective, open label randomized one.