Abstract
To characterize current evidence and current foci of perioperative clinical trials, we systematically reviewed Medline and identified perioperative trials involving 100 or more adult patients undergoing surgery and reporting renal end points that were published in high-impact journals since 2004. We categorized the 101 trials identified based on the nature of the intervention and summarized major trial findings from the five categories most applicable to perioperative management of patients. Trials that targeted ischemia suggested that increasing perioperative renal oxygen delivery with inotropes or blood transfusion does not reliably mitigate acute kidney injury (AKI), although goal-directed therapy with hemodynamic monitors appeared beneficial in some trials. Trials that have targeted inflammation or oxidative stress, including studies of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, steroids, N-acetylcysteine, and sodium bicarbonate, have not shown renal benefits, and high-dose perioperative statin treatment increased AKI in some patient groups in two large trials. Balanced crystalloid intravenous fluids appear safer than saline, and crystalloids appear safer than colloids. Liberal compared with restrictive fluid administration reduced AKI in a recent large trial in open abdominal surgery. Remote ischemic preconditioning, although effective in several smaller trials, failed to reduce AKI in two larger trials. The translation of promising preclinical therapies to patients undergoing surgery remains poor, and most interventions that reduced perioperative AKI compared novel surgical management techniques or existing processes of care rather than novel pharmacologic interventions.