Prevalence, Risk Factors and Immediate Outcome of Acute Kidney Injury in Critically Ill Children Admitted to Tertiary Hospitals in Central Tanzania

Background : Acute kidney injury is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in critically ill children, yet data on its prevalence and associated risk factors in low-resource settings remain limited. Objectives This study determine the prevalence, risk factors, and immediate outcomes of Acute kidney injury among critically ill children admitted to tertiary hospitals in Dodoma, Tanzania. Methods : A cross-sectional study was conducted among hospitalized children. Data on demographic, clinical, and laboratory variables were collected, and logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent predictors of Acute kidney injury. Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were reported. Results : The prevalence of Acute kidney injury was 58.8%. On multivariate analysis, several factors were independently associated with Acute kidney injury. Children with an illness duration of ≥4 days had higher odds of AKI (OR = 13.9, 95% CI: 3.1–62.5). Clinical features including two or more convulsions within 24 hours (OR = 3.7, 95% CI: 1.05–14.28), impaired consciousness (OR = 7.0, 95% CI: 1.70–29.49), and respiratory distress (OR = 7.7, 95% CI: 2.17–33.3) were also significant predictors. No significant associations were found with sex, nutritional status, or malaria infection. Conclusion : AKI is highly prevalent among critically ill children in Tanzania. Prolonged illness duration, multiple convulsions, impaired consciousness, and respiratory distress were key predictors. These findings underscore the need for early recognition and targeted interventions to improve outcomes in this vulnerable population