Duration of acute kidney injury after cardiac surgery effects mortality

Objective: Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) development is not a rare complication after cardiac surgery, and is often associated with a high risk of morbidity and mortality. In-hospital mortality rates of patients in need of dialysis can reach up to 70%. Our aim was to determine the risk factors for the development of AKI and the results of AKI development by examining the cases of AKI developed after cardiac surgeries performed in our hospital in a 8 year-period. Method: A total of 594 patients who underwent cardiovascular surgery between January 2010-September 2018 were retrospectively included in the study. Demographic data, preoperative risk factorsi, intraoperative variables, intensive care unit data, and mortality rates were recorded. Clinically important ones among the significant data were again divided into three groups according to duration of AKI in days: 1-3 days AKI (Group 1), 3-7 days AKI (Group 2) and 7 days AKI (Group 3). Results: AKI was observed in 31.1% of the patients. Duration of intubation (p<0.001), intensive care unit (ICU) (p<0.001), and hospital stay (p<0.001) and average time to exitus (p<0.001) were significantly longer in this patient group., in all subgroups except for Group 1. Mean time to exitus was longer only in Group 3 (p=0.002). Conclusion: Development of AKI after cardiac surgery is one of the important factors affecting mortality and morbidity after cardiac surgery. It is directly proportionate not only to AKI development after cardiac surgery, but also fundamentally to duration of AKI, duration of ICU, hospital stay and mortality.