Acute Kidney Injury in Cirrhosis: Think Broadly and Exclude Other Causes Before Anchoring to Hepatorenal Syndrome

AKI is commonly encountered in patients with decompensated cirrhosis and is associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and adverse long-term outcomes. Among factors specific to cirrhosis, hepatorenal syndrome-AKI (HRS-AKI), is the most salient and unique etiology. At the same time, patients with cirrhosis are equally vulnerable to traditional causes of AKI. This section will focus on a comprehensive evaluation of traditional causes of AKI including prerenal azotemia, acute glomerulonephritis, acute tubular injury, acute interstitial nephritis, etiologies related to cirrhosis including abdominal compartment syndrome, cardiorenal processes due to cirrhotic cardiomyopathy and portopulmonary hypertension and HRS-AKI.

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