Semiquantitative Power Doppler Ultrasound Score to Predict Acute Kidney Injury in Patients With Sepsis or Cardiac Failure: A Prospective Observational Study

BACKGROUND: Diagnosing acute kidney injury (AKI) stage 3 in critically ill patients may help physicians in making treatment decisions. This diagnosis relies chiefly on urinary output and serum creatinine, which may be of limited value. This study aimed to explore the diagnostic performance of renal resistive index (RRI) and semiquantitative power Doppler ultrasound (PDU) scores in predicting AKI stage 3 in patients with sepsis or cardiac failure. METHODS: This study is a prospective observational study that included 83 patients (40 with sepsis and 43 with cardiac failure). Renal resistive index and semiquantitative PDU scores were measured within 6 hours following admission to the intensive care unit. Acute kidney injury was defined according to the criteria set by Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes. RESULTS: The predictive values of RRI (area under the curve AUC = 0.772, 95% confidence interval CI = 0.658-0.886) and PDU score (AUC = 0.780, 95% CI = 0.667-0.892) were similar in all patients. Power Doppler ultrasound score (AUC = 0.910, 95% CI = 0.815-1.000) could effectively predict AKI stage 3 in the cardiac failure subgroup, and the optimal cutoff for this parameter was ≤ 1 (sensitivity = 87.5%, specificity = 92.6%, Youden index = 0.801, accuracy in our population = 90.7%). However, PDU scores (AUC = 0.620, 95% CI = 0.425-0.814) could not predict AKI stage 3 in the sepsis subgroup. The predictive values of RRI for AKI stage 3 in the cardiac failure (AUC = 0.820, 95% CI = 0.666-0.974) and sepsis (AUC = 0.724, 95% CI = 0.538-0.910) subgroups were similar. CONCLUSIONS: Power Doppler ultrasound scores could effectively predict AKI stage 3 in patients with cardiac failure but not in patients with sepsis. Renal resistive index is a poor predictor of AKI stage 3 in patients with sepsis or cardiac failure.