Reversible anuric acute kidney injury secondary to acute renal autoregulatory dysfunction

Autoregulation of glomerular capillary pressure via regulation of the resistances at the afferent and efferent arterioles plays a critical role in maintaining the glomerular filtration rate over a wide range of mean arterial pressure. Angiotensin II and prostaglandins are among the agents which contribute to autoregulation and drugs which interfere with these agents may have a substantial impact on afferent and efferent arteriolar resistance. We describe a patient who suffered an episode of anuric acute kidney injury following exposure to a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent while on two diuretics, an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, and an angiotensin receptor blocker. The episode completely resolved and we review some of the mechanisms by which these events may have taken place and suggest the term "acute renal autoregulatory dysfunction" to describe this syndrome.