[Acute kidney injury - remote ischaemic preconditioning: a nephroprotective strategy?]

Acute kidney injury is a common and serious complication with a huge impact on morbidity and short- as well as long-term mortality. Sepsis and major surgeries, especially cardiac surgery, are the most common causes of acute kidney injury. Slight increases of serum-creatinine levels are associated with adverse outcomes highlighting the relevance of the need for nephroprotective strategies to reduce the occurrence of acute kidney injury. Remote ischaemic preconditioning is an intervention consisting of brief episodes of ischaemia and reperfusion at a remote site before subsequent ischaemic insults occur. This simple and uncomplicated method may offer an effective nephroprotective strategy.