Circulating NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation Is Associated With Sepsis-Associated Acute Kidney Injury and Disease Severity: A Prospective Pilot Study

Background

Sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (SA-AKI) is a severe and prevalent complication in critically ill patients, characterized by high mortality and a lack of reliable biomarkers that reflect inflammatory pathway activation and disease severity. Although the NLRP3 inflammasome is known to mediate inflammatory responses, pyroptosis, and renal injury, its clinical relevance in human SA-AKI remains poorly defined. This study aimed to characterize the expression profiles, dynamic trajectories, and clinical associations of circulating NLRP3 inflammasome components in patients with SA-AKI.