What is the Difference Between Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) and Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)?

The main difference between Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) and Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) lies in their causes, symptoms, and reversibility. Here are the key differences:

Causes: AKI is usually caused by an event that leads to sudden kidney malfunction, such as dehydration, sepsis, shock, or organ failure. In contrast, CKD is typically caused by long-term diseases, conditions, or medications that gradually impair kidney function.
Symptoms: AKI tends to cause sudden, severe symptoms that are easily recognized. On the other hand, CKD symptoms develop slowly and are often mistaken for other conditions.
Reversibility: AKI can usually be reversed by resolving the underlying cause, making it more likely to recover from. CKD, however, is not reversible and requires management to preserve the remaining kidney function.
Progression: While AKI and CKD are interlinked, with AKI sometimes leading to CKD or kidney failure, AKI is more commonly reversible than CKD.
Treatment: Acute kidney injury can often be treated effectively if caught early, whereas kidney failure, the final stage of CKD, typically requires treatment with dialysis or a kidney transplant to survive.

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Comparative Table: Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) vs Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)

The main difference between Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) and Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) lies in the onset, progression, and reversibility of the conditions. Here is a table highlighting the key differences between the two:

Feature	Acute Kidney Injury (AKI)	Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
Onset	Sudden decline in kidney function	Develops over time, long-term
Progression	More commonly reversible	Persistent and progressive
Kidney Function	Rapid decrease in renal function	Decreased kidney function (eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m^2) for ≥ 3 months
Symptoms	Acute kidney injury usually occurs in people already in the hospital for other reasons	Chronic kidney disease can develop slowly and may not show symptoms until the later stages
Diagnosis	Diagnosed when routine tests show a sudden increase in creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN)	Diagnosed when routine tests show a persistent decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) over several months
Kidney Size	Renal sonogram may show normal or enlarged kidneys	Renal sonogram may show small kidneys
Treatment	Often reversible, depending on the underlying cause	Requires long-term management and may progress to end-stage kidney disease

It is essential to differentiate between AKI and CKD to determine the appropriate course of treatment and management for patients with kidney problems.

Guilherme Mazui

Guilherme Mazui is graduated in journalism from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and a master's degree in Communication from the University of São Paulo (USP). In addition, he has experience in advertising writing and has worked as a content editor in several companies.