Use of ultra high performance liquid chromatography with high resolution mass spectrometry to analyze urinary metabolome alterations following acute kidney injury in post-cardiac surgery patients

•Cardiac surgery-associated AKI results in dramatic changes in urinary metabolome.•Urinary metabolite disorder observed in patients with cardiac surgery-associated AKI.•When metaboloite disorder was due to ischaemia and medical treatment, kidneys could return to normal.•This work provides data about urinary metabolic profiles and resources for further research on AKI.