Biomarkers of renal injury

A method for predicting dialysis independence after an acute renal injury, comprising:

• a) initiating renal replacement therapy in a patient having an acute renal injury, wherein said patient does not have an end stage renal disease;
• b) collecting at least two urine samples from said patient within fourteen days of said initiating renal replacement therapy;
• c) introducing said at least two urine samples into an assay device that detects a hyaluronic acid value normalized to urinary creatinine content in said urine sample, wherein said hyaluronic acid level decreases between an earlier urine sample hyaluronic acid value and a later urine sample hyaluronic acid level;
• and
• d) calculating therefrom an area under the curve receiver operated characteristic (AUC ROC) determination patient value between said earlier and later urine sample hyaluonic acid levels;
• e) correlating said AUC ROC patient value to an AUC ROC predetermined threshold value to determine a probability of recovery versus non-recovery for said patient;
• f) predicting a recovery of said patient when said probability of recovery vesus non-recovery correlates said AUC ROC patient value at or above said AUC ROC predetermined threshold value;
• and
• g) removing said patient from said renal replacement therapy under conditions of dialysis independence.