Introduction: Since the breakout of COVID-19 in December 2019, the virus has already affected and taken millions of lives over the past year. There is still much to learn about this disease. It has been postulated that the human kidney is a potential pathway for COVID-19 due to the presence of the ACE2 receptors found in the surfaces of kidney cells. Some studies that demonstrated acute tubular necrosis and lymphocyte infiltration among post mortem COVID-19 patients, concluding that the virus could directly damage the kidney, increasing the risk of the development of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) among patients with COVID-19. This study investigated the incidence and severity of AKI among hospitalized COVID-19 patients and the association of the degree of AKI with regards to the severity and outcomes of COVID-19 patients. Methods: This was a single-center cross-sectional study retrospective chart review of COVID-19 patients who developed AKI. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the general and clinical characteristics of the patients. Frequency and proportion were used for categorical variables. Shapiro-Wilk test was used to determine the normality distribution of continuous variables. Continuous quantitative data that met the normality assumption was described using mean and standard deviation, while those that did not were described using median and range. Continuous variables which are normally distributed were compared using the One-way ANOVA, while those variables that are not normally distributed were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis H test. For categorical variables, the Chi-square test was used to compare the outcomes. If the expected percentages in the cells are less than 5%, Fisher's Exact Test was used instead. Results: A total of 1441 COVID-19 in-patients from March 1, 2020 to March 1, 2021 were reviewed, 59 of whom were excluded. Among the adults with COVID-19 who developed AKI, 60% were in stage I, 10% in stage II, and 30% in stage III. The incidence of AKI among COVID-19 in-patients at Makati Medical Center was 13.10% (95% CI 11.36% - 14.99%). Among the 181 patients, 79 (43.65%, 95% CI 36.30 - 51.20) had died. The mortality rate is 22.02% for Stage I, 50% for Stage II, and 85.19% for Stage III. The median length of hospital stay was 12 days, ranging from 1 day up to 181 days. Full renal recovery on discharge was observed only in one-third of the patients. It was observed in 44.95% of those in Stage I, 27.78% of those in Stage II, and 5.56% of those in Stage III. Conclusion The study demonstrated that the incidence of AKI in hospitalized COVID-19 patients was 13.1% (95% CI 11.36% - 14.99%), which was lower than previously reported. This could be attributed to the longer study period wherein, to date, we have a better understanding of the disease and had already established a standard of care for treatment for the disease attributing to the decreased incidence of AKI among COVID-19 patients than what was initially reported. The development of AKI has a direct correlation with the degree of infection. Among patients who developed AKI, 20% required renal replacement therapy. Overall development of AKI increases the risk of mortality among hospitalized COVID-19 patients. The stage of AKI has a direct correlation with regards to mortality and has an indirect relationship with regards to renal recovery.
Acute Kidney Injury ; COVID-19 ; Renal Replacement Therapy ; Mortality

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The burden of acute kidney injury (AKI) has not been explored in Jordanian patients who receive hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency, risk factors, and mortality of AKI among patients who underwent HSCT. METHODS: A retrospective pilot study included 70 adult patients who received peripheral HSCT was conducted. Weekly measurement of serum creatinine (SCr) was obtained for 3 months after chemotherapy and HSCT. Then, stages of Risk, Injury, and Failure of Kidney were determined based on the Kidney Disease for Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO). RESULTS: The median follow-up was 41 months. Mortality was reported in 16 patients (23%). Out of 60 patients that had SCr values, 19 patients (31.6%) had AKI in 90 days after chemotherapy. Allogeneic HSCT, male donors, high-dose melphalan protocols and values of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were significantly higher among patients with AKI. CONCLUSIONS: Combining many nephrotoxic drugs and dosing adjustments should be considered in uniform protocols. Multidisciplinary care should be utilized to assess early kidney dysfunction that decreases adverse events and improves outcomes.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Adult ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Clothing ; Creatinine ; Drug Therapy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; Humans ; Incidence ; Jordan ; Kidney ; Kidney Diseases ; Male ; Melphalan ; Mortality ; Pilot Projects ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Tissue Donors

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN)-defined nephrotoxicity in patients undergoing intravenous colistimethate sodium (CMS) therapy for major burns. METHODS: This retrospective study included burn patients who received more than 48 h of intravenous CMS between September 2009 and December 2015. Data collection was performed using the institution's electronic medical record system. Patients assigned to the developed nephrotoxic group experienced aggravation of current AKIN stage during CMS treatment; those assigned to the non-nephrotoxic group experienced no change in current or exhibited improved AKIN stage during CMS therapy. RESULTS: A total of 306 patients were included in this study. All patients were grouped according to AKIN stage: AKIN 0 (n=152); AKIN 1 (n=6); AKIN 2 (n=9); AKIN 3 (n=139). The baseline creatinine (Cr) level was 0.73 mg/dL. The incidence of nephrotoxicity was 50.3% according to AKIN stage; overall mortality was 45.8%. The non-nephrotoxic group consisted of 127 (74.7%) patients and 43 (25.3%) were in the developed nephrotoxic group. In patients requiring continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), baseline Cr level was 0.83 mg/dL, pre-CMS Cr level was 1.17 mg/dL, and post-CMS Cr level was 1.34 mg/dL. CONCLUSION: CMS can be administered without signs of nephrotoxicity for a certain period (approximately 1 week), it can be used relatively safely for 2 weeks. Application of CMS is a reasonable option for treating infections caused by multi-drug resistant gram-negative bacteria in patients with major burns. The caution should be exercised nevertheless.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Burns ; Colistin ; Creatinine ; Data Collection ; Electronic Health Records ; Gram-Negative Bacteria ; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mortality ; Renal Replacement Therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Sodium

Bilateral renal obstruction is a rare critical condition, requiring a prompt diagnostic approach and treatment to restore the renal function. The most commonly observed obstructive uropathy in children is congenital malformation, such as posterior urethral valves and bilateral ureteropelvic junction obstruction. Malignant pelvic masses obstructing the ureter are widely reported in adults but are rarely observed in children. The treatment of ureteral obstruction related to pelvic malignancy is a therapeutic challenge with a median survival duration of 3–7 months in adults; however, pediatric patients with pelvic malignancy leading to ureteral obstruction had better outcomes, with a reported 5-year mortality rate of 20%, than the adult patients. Here, we report a rare case of bilateral ureteral obstruction associated with pelvic rhabdomyosarcoma presenting with acute kidney injury treated by ureteral diversion with double J stent, and concommittent emergency hemodialysis, leading to restoration of good renal function. We suggest that bilateral ureteral obstruction should be released as soon as possible using surgical or interventional approach to minimize the obstruction period, and subsequential chemotherapy may contribute to improvement of survival and recovery of renal function.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Adult ; Child ; Drug Therapy ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Mortality ; Pelvic Neoplasms ; Prognosis ; Renal Dialysis ; Rhabdomyosarcoma ; Stents ; Ureter ; Ureteral Obstruction ; Urinary Bladder Neck Obstruction

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical findings in pediatric rhabdomyolysis and the predictive factors for acute kidney injury (AKI) in Korean children. METHODS: Medical records of 39 Korean children, who were newly diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis from January 2008 to December 2015, were retrospectively analyzed. The diagnosis was made from the medical history, elevated serum creatinine kinase level >1,000 IU/L, and plasma myoglobin level >150 ng/mL. Patients with muscular dystrophy and myocardial infarction were excluded. RESULTS: The median patient age at diagnosis was 14.0 years (range, 3–18 years), and the male to female ratio was 2.5. The most common presenting symptom was myalgia (n=25, 64.1%), and 14 patients (35.9%) had rhabdomyolysis-induced AKI. Eighteen patients (46.2%) had underlying diseases, such as epilepsy and psychotic disorders. Ten of these patients showed rhabdomyolysis-induced AKI. The common causes of rhabdomyolysis were infection (n=12, 30.7%), exercise (n=9, 23.1%), and trauma (n=8, 20.5%). There was no difference in the distribution of etiology between AKI and non-AKI groups. Five patients in the AKI group showed complete recovery of renal function after stopping renal replacement therapy. The median length of hospitalization was 7.0 days, and no mortality was reported. Compared with the non-AKI group, the AKI group showed higher levels of peak creatinine kinase and myoglobin, without statistical significance. CONCLUSION: The clinical characteristics of pediatric rhabdomyolysis differ from those observed in adult patients. Children with underlying diseases are more vulnerable to rhabdomyolysis-induced AKI. AKI more likely develops in the presence of a high degree of albuminuria.
Acute Kidney Injury* ; Adult ; Albuminuria ; Child ; Creatinine ; Diagnosis ; Epilepsy ; Female ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Male ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Muscular Dystrophies ; Myalgia ; Myocardial Infarction ; Myoglobin ; Phosphotransferases ; Plasma ; Psychotic Disorders ; Renal Replacement Therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Rhabdomyolysis*

BACKGROUND: Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is an important treatment modality for severe acute kidney injury. As such, the epidemiology of CRRT in Korea needs further investigation. METHODS: We conducted a nationwide, population-based study analyzing the claims data from National Health Insurance Service of Korea. All index intensive care unit admission cases of CRRT in government-designated tertiary referral hospitals in Korea from 2005 to 2016 were included. Patients with a history of renal replacement therapy or who were under 20 years old were not considered. In addition to baseline and treatment characteristics, patient outcomes, including all-cause mortality and renal survival rates, were investigated. We stratified the study patients according to 3-year time periods and major regions of the nation. RESULTS: We included 37,337 patients who received CRRT in Korea. The overall use of CRRT increased over time, and more than 80% of cases of acute renal replacement therapy were CRRT after 2014. Seoul was the region in which the majority of CRRT (45.0%) was performed. The clinical characteristics of CRRT patients were significantly different among time-intervals and regions. Both all-cause mortality and renal survival rates after CRRT were prominently improved in the recent time periods (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: CRRT is a widely used treatment strategy for severe acute kidney injury in Korea. The prognosis of CRRT patients has improved compared to the past. This epidemiological study of CRRT in Korea revealed notable trends with regard to time period and geographic region.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Critical Care ; Dialysis ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Epidemiology* ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Korea* ; Mortality ; National Health Programs* ; Prognosis ; Renal Replacement Therapy* ; Seoul ; Survival Rate ; Tertiary Care Centers

BACKGROUND: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a lifesaving therapy used in critically ill patients with severe cardiopulmonary dysfunction. Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is supplemented to treat fluid overload, acute kidney injury, and electrolyte disturbances during ECMO. However, the best time to initiate CRRT is not well-defined. We performed this study to identify the optimal timing of CRRT for ECMO. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter retrospective cohort study of 296 patients over 12 years. Patients received CRRT during ECMO at Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, or Yonsei University Hospital. We assigned patients to an early or late CRRT group depending on the CRRT initiation time. We considered early CRRT to be CRRT instituted within 72 hours of ECMO initiation. RESULTS: Among 296 patients, 212 patients (71.6%) received early CRRT. After using a propensity score matching method, 47 patients were included in each group. The time from ECMO initiation to CRRT initiation was 1.1 ± 0.9 days in the early CRRT group and 14.6 ± 18.6 days in the late CRRT group. No difference in patients’ mortality (P = 0.834) or hospital stay (P = 0.627) between the early and late CRRT groups was found. After adjusting all covariables, there was no significant difference in mortality between the early and late CRRT groups (hazard ratio, 0.697; 95% confidence interval, 0.410–1.184; P = 0.182). CONCLUSION: This study showed that early CRRT may not be superior to late CRRT in ECMO patients. Further clinical trials are warranted.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Cohort Studies ; Critical Illness ; Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation* ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Methods ; Mortality ; Propensity Score ; Renal Replacement Therapy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul ; Time-to-Treatment

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is characterized by abrupt deterioration of renal function, and its diagnosis relies on creatinine measurements and urine output. AKI is associated with higher morbidity and mortality, and is a risk factor for development of chronic kidney disease. There is no proven medication for AKI. Therefore, prevention and early detection are important. Physicians should be aware of the risk factors for AKI and should monitor renal function in high-risk patients. Management of AKI includes optimization of volume status and renal perfusion, avoidance of nephrotoxic agents, and sufficient nutritional support. Continuous renal replacement therapy is widely available for critically ill children, and this review provides basic information regarding this therapy. Long-term follow-up of patients with AKI for renal function, blood pressure, and proteinuria is recommended.
Acute Kidney Injury* ; Blood Pressure ; Child* ; Creatinine ; Critical Illness ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Mortality ; Nutritional Support ; Perfusion ; Proteinuria ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Renal Replacement Therapy* ; Risk Factors

PURPOSE: Contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) is associated with poor outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention. However, CI-AKI has rarely been evaluated within the neurovascular field. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence and clinical implication of CI-AKI after coil embolization in patients with an aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2005 and March 2016, 192 patients who underwent coil embolization were enrolled in this study. CI-AKI was defined as an increase from baseline serum creatinine concentration of >25% or >0.5 mg/dL within 72 hours after coil embolization. A poor clinical outcome was defined as a score of ≥3 on the modified Rankin Scale at one-year post-treatment. RESULTS: A total of 16 patients (8.3%) died as a result of medical problems within one year. CI-AKI was identified in 14 patients (7.3%). Prominent risk factors for one-year mortality included CI-AKI [odds ratio (OR): 16.856; 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.437–82.664] and an initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score ≤8 (OR: 5.565; 95% CI: 1.703–18.184). A poor clinical outcome was associated with old age (≥65 years) (OR: 7.921; 95% CI: 2.977–21.076), CI-AKI (OR: 11.281; 95% CI: 2.138–59.525), an initial GCS score ≤8 (OR 31.02; 95% CI, 10.669–90.187), and a ruptured aneurysm (p=0.016, OR: 4.278) in posterior circulation. CONCLUSION: CI-AKI seems to be an independent predictor of the overall outcomes of aSAH after endovascular treatment.
Acute Kidney Injury/chemically induced ; Acute Kidney Injury/diagnostic imaging ; Acute Kidney Injury/etiology ; Acute Kidney Injury/mortality ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Aneurysm/complications ; Aneurysm/diagnostic imaging ; Aneurysm/therapy ; Angiography ; Contrast Media/adverse effects ; Embolization, Therapeutic/adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage/complications ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage/diagnostic imaging ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage/therapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Proenkephalin (PENK) has been suggested as a novel biomarker for kidney function. We investigated the diagnostic and prognostic utility of plasma PENK in comparison with neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR) in septic patients. METHODS: A total of 167 septic patients were enrolled: 99 with sepsis, 37 with septic shock, and 31 with suspected sepsis. PENK and NGAL concentrations were measured and GFR was estimated by using the isotope dilution mass spectrometry traceable-Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) Study and three Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equations: CKD-EPI(Cr), CDK-EPI(CysC), and CKD-EPI(Cr-CysC). The PENK, NGAL, and eGFR results were compared according to sepsis severity, presence or absence of acute kidney injury (AKI), and clinical outcomes. RESULTS: The PENK, NGAL, and eGFR results were significantly associated with sepsis severity and differed significantly between patients with and without AKI only in the sepsis group (all P<0.05). PENK was superior to NGAL in predicting AKI (P=0.022) and renal replacement therapy (RRT) (P=0.0085). Regardless of the variable GFR category by the different eGFR equations, PENK showed constant and significant associations with all eGFR equations. Unlike NGAL, PENK was not influenced by inflammation and predicted the 30-day mortality. CONCLUSIONS: PENK is a highly sensitive and objective biomarker of AKI and RRT and is useful for prognosis prediction in septic patients. With its diagnostic robustness and predictive power for survival, PENK constitutes a promising biomarker in critical care settings including sepsis.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Cooperative Behavior ; Critical Care ; Diet ; Epidemiology ; Glomerular Filtration Rate* ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Kidney ; Lipocalins* ; Mass Spectrometry ; Mortality ; Neutrophils* ; Plasma ; Prognosis ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Renal Replacement Therapy ; Sepsis* ; Shock, Septic