Natriuretic peptides in acute kidney injury – A sojourn on parallel tracks?

•NP cause diuresis and natriuresis, enhances GFR and are anti-inflammatory.•Despite mixed results in several trials, NP decrease postoperative AKI.•AKI is a complex interplay between renal injury, renal hemodynamics and inflammation.•Natriuretic peptides modulate only some of these pathways.•Endpoints of dialysis/death in trials were overambitious nullifying the true effects of NP.