In particular, in the subgroup of patients with septic shock, PENK concentrations were 199.7 (101.7–304.3) pmol/L when AKI was present and 117.6 [80.6–209.6] pmol/L in the absence of AKI, yet this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.2128) [29]. Here, PENK is linked to septic shock.