Sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (SA-AKI) is defined as the presence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in the context of sepsis. In the setting of genetic susceptibility, sepsis can lead to SA-AKI through various mechanisms. Based on differences in pathophysiological mechanisms, SA-AKI is categorized into different "endotypes" and manifests as distinct "subtypes". The combination of biomarkers and predictive models has the potential to early identify high-risk AKI patients and elucidate SA-AKI "endotypes". Volume resuscitation and blood purification are optimized strategies for SA-AKI treatment. Furthermore, clinical research on SA-AKI in children is promising.