New Biomarkers to Improve Early Detection and Monitoring of Kidney Injury

Image: Researchers have identified six biomarkers of kidney injury (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Drug-induced kidney injury, also known as nephrotoxicity, is a frequent complication in clinical medicine, occurring when drugs damage the kidneys. This can result from various medications, including anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiretroviral, and chemotherapeutic drugs, and may lead to the discontinuation or restriction of treatment. Current biomarkers are often too slow to detect early signs of kidney damage. Researchers have now identified six new biomarkers that could enable quicker and more sensitive detection of kidney injury, paving the way for safer drug development and better patient outcomes. Early detection of kidney damage could allow clinicians to intervene sooner, potentially reducing long-term harm and improving patient health in diverse medical settings.

These newly discovered biomarkers, identified by researchers at Boston Medical Center (Boston, MA, USA), may offer a more sensitive approach compared to current standards for monitoring kidney health, leading to more tolerable treatment options. The research team analyzed urinary protein biomarkers in both healthy volunteers and patients being treated for mesothelioma with a chemotherapy drug known to be toxic to the kidneys. The six biomarkers they identified are primarily produced by the kidneys in response to injury or inflammation, enabling faster detection of kidney injury than traditional blood tests like serum creatinine, which can take days to show abnormal levels. The research team now aims to explore whether these biomarkers can be applied more broadly for monitoring kidney health in clinical trials.

"These biomarkers, which can be measured in the urine, could help clinicians detect kidney damage within 24 hours of injury, enabling more timely monitoring during drug development and better treatment of patients who are at risk in clinical settings," said Sushrut Waikar, MD, MPH, first author on the paper published in Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics. "These biomarkers have the potential to make a real difference in how we monitor kidney health and manage patients at risk for kidney damage. We are hopeful that these findings will contribute to better strategies for preserving kidney function and improving patient care, as well as advancing safer drug development."