Increase in serum chloride and chloride exposure are associated with acute kidney injury in moderately severe and severe acute pancreatitis patients.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to evaluate whether early (first 48 h) hyperchloremia and/or the change of serum chloride concentration are associated with acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients with moderately severe and severe acute pancreatitis (MSAP and SAP).

METHODS

We retrospectively collected the data of patients with a primary diagnosis of MSAP or SAP from a tertiary center between January 2014 and June 2017. Consecutive chloride levels within the first 48 h after admission were retrieved for further calculation. Logistic regression analysis and receiving operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used to assess the relationship between hyperchloremia and AKI.

RESULTS

145 patients were enrolled for analysis, of whom 33.5% (47/145) developed hyperchloremia during the observation period. The incidence of AKI was significantly higher in the hyperchloremia group (40.4% vs 7.1%; p < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, the increase in serum chloride (Δ[Cl-]) was independently associated with AKI [OR = 1.32 (1.00-1.74)], as was chloride exposure [OR = 1.01 (1.00-1.02)], and these associations were found to be stronger in patients identified as predicted SAP (PSAP). Moreover, even in patients without hyperchloremia, increase in serum chloride (Δ[Cl-]) was still associated with AKI [OR = 1.65 (1.18-2.32)]. Area under the curve of the ROC curve (AUCROC) analysis found that Δ[Cl-] is a good predictor of AKI with an optimal cutoff point at 3.5 mmol/L, showing an AUCROC of 0.81.

CONCLUSION

Hyperchloremia is common in patients with AP and Δ[Cl] and chloride exposure during the first 48 h were independent risk factors for AKI in MSAP and SAP patients.