Acute kidney injury after successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation: risk factors and prognosis

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is an independent risk factor in critically ill patients. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of AKI in resuscitated cardiac arrest (CA) patients, its potential risk factors, and outcomes of AKI in cardiac arrest survivors. 

A hundred and forty-nine cases of post-CA that survived for at least 24 hours, were admitted to three hospitals between 2016 and 2020, were studied. AKI was defined by the RIFLE (Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss, and End-stage) criteria. Baseline demographic data, resuscitation variables, the prevalence of AKI, in-hospital and six-month mortality were collected. Logistic regression evaluated the factors associated with AKI occurrence and mortality. 

AKI occurred in 59 (39.6%) of the patients. Of these, nine patients (15.3%) required renal replacement therapy (RRT) during their hospital stay. There were 47 (52.2%) in-hospital mortality in patients without AKI and 41 (69.5%) in patients with AKI (P=0.036). Post-CA AKI was significantly associated with six-month mortality (OR 1.65 [1.39-2.88]; p = 0.029). Older age, the higher cumulative dosage of epinephrine during cardiopulmonary resuscitation, post-CA shock, in-hospital CA, PEA/asystole rhythm, longer duration of cardiac arrest, as well as higher admission creatinine and lactate levels were independently associated with AKI, in contrast, higher admission Base Excess level was negatively associated with AKI. 

AKI occurred in nearly 40% of CA patients. AKI was associated with a higher in-hospital and six-month mortality rates.