Following the initial introduction of clinical decision support systems (CDSS) into the clinical practice in the 1970s, the complexity and performance quality of CDSSs have increased. The current literature on the efficacy and effectiveness of such systems shows conflicting results. While some studies show a clear benefit in quality-of-care improvement, others fail to replicate these outcomes. Heterogeneity of studies and the complexity of CDSS characteristics drive these conflicting conclusions. The lower cost and the easier implementation of pragmatic clinical trials provide an excellent platform to prove the effectiveness of CDSS in the real-world scenarios. To achieve better results, a series of explanatory trials are needed to identify the most effective CDSS in controlled settings. Therefore, utilization of both explanatory and pragmatic trial designs is necessary to evaluate the safety and efficacy of CDSS on the care of patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) in the acute setting. In this review, the authors provide an overview of the literature on critical care-related CDSS, its characteristics and dimensions, differences between pragmatic and explanatory trials, and potential proposals for both trial designs for AKI.

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Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication of acute illness and carries a significant risk of mortality and morbidity, resulting in high health-care-associated costs. The incidence of AKI appears to be rising, making it ever more important to understand its acute and chronic consequences. In this review, we explore the evolving epidemiology of AKI, describe the impact of AKI on other organs, and discuss the short- and long-term effects of AKI on mortality and morbidity and its economic burden.

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Interest in the use of angiotensin (AT) (particularly in the context of shock) had been rekindled by recent randomized trial data (notably the AT II for the Treatment of High-Output Shock-3 study). This review article outlines the renin–AT system in health and during sepsis as well as the proposed clinical uses of AT II. The potential for wider application within critical care is also considered.

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