Long Term Follow-up of Acute Kidney Injury in Very Low Birth Weight Infants

The purpose of this study is to learn more about how to identify signs of early chronic kidney diseases in children who were born prematurely with low birth weight (less than 3 ½ pounds). Researchers plan to compare the kidney function in children who experienced acute kidney injury (AKI) in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) with those who did not experience it. Evidence from several studies and our experience at UVA show that older children who experienced AKI while in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) have increased risk of developing early chronic kidney disease, and they also show early changes in the urine and blood that is consistent with early chronic kidney disease. In this study, the investigators hope to determine if any of these changes can be detected in early childhood, and if so, at what age we can start detecting these changes.