Astute Medical, Inc. to Sponsor Acute Kidney Injury Symposium at International Critical Care Meeting

BRUSSELS, March 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Faculty Will Discuss Novel Biomarkers of AKI and Early Detection in Critically Ill Patients

Astute Medical, Inc. today announced a satellite symposium at the annual International Symposium on Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine (ISICEM) in Brussels, Belgium. A leader in identifying and validating novel biomarkers of acute kidney injury (AKI) for risk assessment in critically ill patients, Astute Medical is sponsoring the satellite event, "Evaluating Patients at Risk for AKI (acute kidney injury): Are Biomarkers Rising to the Challenge?" Interested participants can visit http://www.akichallenge.com to register online and follow via Twitter @ACuteKidneyMan.

The educational luncheon will feature presentations from some of the foremost experts in critical care. Speakers will offer insights on how new methods involving novel biomarkers of AKI may allow more rapid clinical responses in the ICU, potentially improving patient outcomes. The symposium is open to ISICEM attendees and will take place at 100 Hall, Rue Mont de Arts, 1000 Brussels on Wednesday, March 21, 2012.

"The tools to risk assess acute kidney injury have changed little in the last 50 years," added presenter Dr. John Kellum, professor of critical care medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, "And, the prognosis remains poor -- with mortality rates approaching 60 percent for severely ill patients in the intensive care setting (ICU). It is imperative that physicians and clinicians, worldwide, keep abreast of research, guidelines and emerging trends related to AKI. The high mortality rate and detection difficulties make AKI a big dilemma in the ICU, but novel biomarkers that allow earlier risk assessment can potentially make a real difference in how we manage these patients."

In addition to Dr. Kellum, the renowned faculty at this educational event includes Department of Nephrology, Dialysis & Transplantation director at the International Renal Research Institute, Dr. Claudio Ronco; associate professor in medicine at Medical University Innsbruck, Dr. Michael Joannidis; and associate professor of medicine at George Washington University Medical Center, Dr. Lakhmir Chawla.

Along with sponsoring the luncheon, Astute Medical will participate as an exhibitor at the ISICEM, one of the most prestigious critical care conferences in the world, attracting approximately 6,000 key opinion leaders, physicians and other health care personnel each year. Throughout the ISICEM meeting, Astute Medical representatives will be available at Booth1.33-1.44 to discuss the Company's focus on the risk assessment of AKI in critically ill patients.

About Astute Medical, Inc.

Astute Medical is dedicated to identifying and validating novel biomarkers of AKI and other high-risk medical conditions and diseases. Such biomarkers can serve as the basis for risk assessment tools that can aid the clinician in making more rapid decisions that may very well save lives. The Company focuses on community- and hospital-acquired acute conditions that require rapid risk assessment. Astute Medical's current areas of analysis include kidney injury, abdominal pain and sepsis. For additional information, visit http://www.astutemedical.com.           

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