The 28th ADQI workgroup has acknowledged SphingoTec’s penKid as a reliable functional biomarker that can accurately detect cases of SA-AKI. Sepsis is an extremely serious condition that can cause organ failure in its most severe cases. Unfortunately, the current methods of diagnosis for AKI are often inadequate and unreliable, making it essential to introduce new biomarkers to enhance patient care.
PenKid has been proven to be an effective tool in identifying patients with sepsis who are at a higher risk of developing acute kidney injury (AKI) and major adverse kidney events. Through studies, it has been seen that PenKid can detect subclinical AKI, which is a critical indicator in determining a patient’s health outcome.
The multicentric studies referenced have shown the incidence and outcome relevance of subclinical AKI in critically ill patients, further emphasizing the importance of PenKid’s identification capabilities.
SA-AKI is a complex syndrome caused by a variety of underlying mechanisms. To ensure the best treatment possible, its essential to leverage biomarkers and clinical information to identify the distinct characteristics of the disease, so that personalized treatment decisions can be made.
In addition, this granular approach allows for the predictive enrichment of randomized trials of development-stage therapeutics, allowing for an early identification of patient risk. In short, understanding SA-AKI is key to providing the best care possible.
Dr. Florian Uhle, Medical Director at SphingoTec, highlighted the need for additional options for assessing kidney function in the context of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI). He noted that the current standard of care biomarkers have well-known limitations, particularly when used in septic patients.
PenKid offers valuable insights to help clinicians recognize subclinical AKI, enabling them to take preventive measures before the problem even arises. With the primary treatment for AKI being symptom management, the use of tools such as PenKid can also aid in the identification of the right patients with the highest benefit and no harm in clinical trials.
PenKid is revolutionizing kidney function assessment, proving to be a versatile biomarker with a variety of applications. Not only can it detect early signs of SA-AKI, but it can also accurately measure the true glomerular filtration rate (true GFR), assess the severity of AKI, identify patients at high risk for unfavorable outcomes, and even indicate renal recovery, even under dialysis (3,4). Thanks to PenKid, kidney assessment is now easier and more accurate than ever before.
About SphingoTec
SphingoTec GmbH, based in Hennigsdorf near Berlin, Germany, is revolutionizing the way acute medical conditions are diagnosed and monitored. With their proprietary biomarkers, Proenkephalin A 119-159 (penKid) for the assessment of kidney function in critical diseases and bioactive.
Adrenomedullin 1-52 (bio-ADM) for the assessment of endothelial function in conditions like sepsis, they are providing an innovative solution to the world of critical care diagnostics. These markers are available on various IVD platforms, making them easily accessible and applicable to a wide range of medical contexts.