AKI Increases Risks of Kidney Disease and Death Well Beyond Hospital Discharge

New research indicates AKI patients face increased risks of kidney disease and death after receiving renal replacement therapy, which are not altered by increased dialysis intensity. A study of 1464 ICU patients with AKI randomized to receive 25 mL/kg/hour or 40 mL/kg/hour of continuous hemodiafiltration found 63% of lower-intensity patients and 72% of higher-intensity patients had died at a median of 3.7 years post-randomization. Among survivors to day 90, only 5.1% of lower-intensity patients and 5.8% of higher-intensity patients required maintenance dialysis. The PLOS Medicine study noted albuminuria was observed in 40% of lower-intensity survivors and 44% of higher-intensity survivors.