Epidemiology of Acute Kidney Injury in Critically Ill Patients

Background Acute kidney injury (AKI) represents a major and life-threatening complication significantly arising in individuals with marked physiological instability. In this study, we sought to estimate the occurrence of AKI, identify the key factors predisposing to its onset, and assess its associated clinical outcomes among patients receiving care in intensive care units. Methods A total of 200 adult patients were included in this cross-sectional study, which stratified them into two groups: the AKI group (n = 122) and the non-AKI group (n = 78). Socioeconomic characteristics and clinical profiles, laboratory parameters, and illness-severity scores (APACHE and SOFA) were recorded. Both primary and secondary outcomes were thoroughly evaluated and analyzed among the critically ill population. Results The prevalence of AKI among critically ill patients reached 61%, with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and chronic kidney disease emerging as significant accompanying comorbidities (P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that age OR (95% CI) 1.0074 (1.0020–1.0128), GCS OR (95% CI) 0.6106 (0.5210–0.7155), APACHE score OR (95% CI) 1.0346 (1.0129–1.0569), and SOFA score OR (95% CI) 1.0285 (1.0043–1.0533) were independent predictors of developing AKI. Patients with AKI demonstrated longer hospital and ICU stays, with mean durations of 9.52 ± 6.39 and 8.52 ± 5.96 days, respectively, compared with the non-AKI group. Among those who developed AKI, 52 patients (42.62%) recovered, yet mortality was markedly higher at 46.72%, compared with 12.82% in the non-AKI group (P < 0.001). Conclusion AKI in critically ill patients is linked to prolonged hospitalization, extended ICU admission, and significantly increased mortality.