KDIGO criterion and cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury: reflections and learnings

Perioperative acute kidney injury (AKI) happens to be an actively investigated research subject with a continued focus on the corresponding risk stratification, preventive, and therapeutic strategies. Meanwhile, the peculiarities of cardiac surgery-associated AKI (CSA-AKI) in this regard can indeed not be overemphasized. There exists recent literature that captivates attention for opening newer debates surrounding the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criterion for characterizing CSA-AKI, especially in relation to its prognostic ramifications in the cardiac surgical patient population. Ahead of the significance of discussing these intriguing research findings, there is a concurrent need to delve deeper into the relevant intricacies of the matter. The index narrative review presents the readership with reflective insights into the literature surrounding KDIGO-based CSA-AKI characterization and the allied prognostic ramifications, offering valuable learning points in this topic of importance.