Urine soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1) has been reported in sepsis diagnosis and prediction of sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (AKI). However, the mechanisms of the role of sTREM-1 for AKI remain unclear. It may be that topical inflammatory response of kidney, not just systemic inflammation, contributes to the elevated secretion of urine sTREM-1 in the process of sepsis-associated AKI. To further evaluate the role of sTREM-1 in this process, a larger-cohort multicenter study and the relevant basic research should be performed to reveal the diagnostic value and mechanism of sTREM-1 during the sepsis-associated AKI process. If successful, then urine sTREM-1 would be a good marker for sepsis and its associated AKI and could contribute to non-invasive diagnosis and monitoring in the clinical setting. Additionally, owing to the complexity of the pathogenesis of sepsis, it is necessary to combine some biomarkers to improve diagnostic performance in the diagnosis of sepsis-associated AKI rather than relying on a single marker.