Risk factors for the progression of chronic kidney disease after acute kidney injury.

INTRODUCTION

The incidence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is increasing with the increasing age of the population and the increasing number of elderly survivors of acute kidney injury (AKI). The risk factors for the progression of CKD after AKI are unclear.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association between AKI and its progression to CKD and the risk factors involved.

METHODS

An observational, retrospective study of AKI patients followed from 2009 to 2012 was carried out. We evaluated the etiology of AKI, the use of vasoactive drugs and mechanical ventilation, the need for dialysis, the presence of comorbidities, the glomerular filtration rate (GFR), the length of stay and the progression of CKD. Statistical analyses, including the Chi-square test and Pearson's correlation, were performed using SPSS.

RESULTS

The 207 patients analyzed had a mean age of 70.1 ± 13.1, and 84.6% of the male patients exhibited decreased renal function and CKD (vs. 60.4% of the female patients). The progression of AKI to CKD was more frequent in patients admitted to wards (63.8%), cancer patients (74.19%), patients with sepsis (67.18%) and patients with obstruction (91.66%). Dialyses were performed in 16.4% of the patients, but this was not correlated with the progression of CKD.

CONCLUSIONS

Being an elderly male patient with AKI due to sepsis and obstruction was correlated with progression to CKD following discharge.