RIFLE criteria
Also written as: RIFLE — Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss, End-stage
Classification system for acute kidney injury based on serum creatinine and urine output changes.
Full Definition
RIFLE criteria provide a standardized framework for defining and staging acute kidney injury (AKI) using three severity levels: Risk, Injury, and Failure, plus two outcome measures: Loss and End-stage kidney disease. The system uses relative changes in serum creatinine and absolute urine output thresholds to classify AKI severity. In surgical critical care, RIFLE criteria help clinicians communicate AKI severity, guide treatment decisions, and predict patient outcomes. The criteria have largely been superseded by KDIGO guidelines but remain clinically relevant.
Usage
Usage note: Often replaced by KDIGO criteria in current practice.
In Context
- "The patient met RIFLE criteria for acute kidney injury at the Injury stage." — Nephrology consultation
- "RIFLE criteria guided the decision to initiate continuous renal replacement therapy." — ICU progress note