Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Ischemia and reperfusion injury (IRI) in cardiac arrest patients after return to spontaneous circulation causes dysfunctions in multiple organs. Kidney injury is generally transient but in some patients persists and contributes both to mortality and increased resource utilisation. Ongoing shock may compound renal injury from IRI, resulting in persistent dysfunction. We tested whether cardiac dysfunction was associated with the development of persistent acute kidney injury (PAKI) in the first 72 h after cardiac arrest. METHODS: We performed an observational retrospective study from January 2013 to April 2017. We included consecutive patients treated after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest at a single academic medical center with renal function measured and immediately and for 48 h post arrest. We also recorded each patient's pre arrest baseline creatinine, demographic and clinical characteristics. Our primary outcome of interest was PAKI, defined as acute kidney injury (AKI) on at least 2 measurements 24 h apart. We compared demographics and outcomes between patients with PAKI and those without, and used logistic regression to identify independent predictors of PAKI. RESULTS: Of 98 consecutive patients, we excluded 24 for missing data. AKI was present in 75% of subjects on arrival. PAKI developed in 35% of patients. PAKI patients had a longer hospital length of stay (median 21 vs 11 days) and lower hospital survival (47% vs 71%). Serum lactate levels, dosage of adrenaline during resuscitation and days of dobutamine infusion strongly predicted PAKI. CONCLUSIONS: Among patient who survive cardiac arrest, acute AKI is common and PAKI occurs in more than one third. PAKI is associated both with survival and with length of stay at the hospital. High doses of adrenaline, high serial serum lactate levels, and dose of dobutamine predict PAKI. Evaluation of the trajectory of renal function over the first few days after resuscitation can provide prognostic information about patient recovery.