Swedish Covenant Hospital is one of the first hospitals in Chicago to begin using a first-of-its-kind risk assessment test for acute kidney injury (AKI), a stealthy, time-sensitive and potentially deadly condition that is a common complication in critically ill patients.
"Astute Medical's NephroCheck® Test allows clinicians to quickly identify patients at risk of developing AKI so they can intervene earlier and reduce the threat of irreparable kidney damage," said
Eric Gluck, M.D., a
pulmonologist and critical care specialist and part of the medical staff at Swedish Covenant Hospital. "Currently, most hospitals rely on renal tests that detect changes in kidney function; however, these changes may not be evident until injury to the kidney has already occurred."
AKI is known to strike in up to half of critically ill patients and has been linked to a tenfold increase in mortality. Like a “silent” heart attack, the condition lacks obvious signs and symptoms. Delays in recognition can lead to chronic kidney disease, kidney disease requiring dialysis,
heart disease or death. Early knowledge that a patient is likely to develop AKI may prompt closer patient surveillance and help prevent permanent kidney damage or death.
The test quantitatively measures two urinary biomarkers, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2 (TIMP-2) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7 (IGFBP-7), which have been related to early kidney stress. In high-risk hospital patients, this stress can signal a future threat of moderate to severe AKI.
"I'm excited that we can now proactively address AKI using these new biomarkers, which have been shown to be helpful in improving patient outcomes by identifying those at risk for the condition," said Dr. Gluck. "Doctors have accepted AKI as inevitable in some critically ill patients, but now that does not have to be the case."
About Astute Medical, Inc.
Astute Medical is dedicated to improving outcomes for patients with high-risk medical conditions and diseases through the identification and validation of protein biomarkers that can serve as the basis for novel diagnostic tests. The Company’s focus is community- and hospital-acquired acute conditions that require rapid diagnosis and risk assessment. Astute Medical’s current areas of interest include abdominal pain, acute coronary syndromes, cerebrovascular injury, kidney injury and sepsis.
About Swedish Covenant Hospital
Swedish Covenant Hospital is Chicago's leading independent, nonprofit teaching hospital. Using some of the most advanced technology and procedures available at any hospital in the country, our board-certified physicians and providers offer over 50 specialties, such as cardiac surgery, vascular surgery and neurosurgery. Outpatient services include everything from lab work to wound care. Swedish Covenant Hospital is a Magnet® facility, which is the highest honor in nursing.
