Many people who are rescued alive from rubble after earthquakes suffer from crush injuries and associated acute kidney injury (AKI). McMahon score is used to determine the risk of AKI and mortality due to rhabdomyolysis in hospitalized patients. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the clinical findings, biochemical characteristics, and outcomes of crush injury patients admitted to our tertiary hospital and the use of the McMahon score in determining the need for renal replacement therapy (RRT) in this patient group.

Sociodemographic, clinical, and biochemical parameters of 28 patients who had creatine kinase levels of 1000 U/L and above were recorded. Patients with crush injuries requiring and not requiring RRT were compared according to the McMahon Score.

A total of 42% of patients developed AKI and 67% of them required renal replacement therapy. In crush injury patients requiring RRT, serum urea, creatinine, LDH, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine transaminase, phosphorus, and procalcitonin levels were significantly higher and albumin levels were significantly lower at admission compared to patients not requiring RRT. All patients who required RRT had a McMahon Score ≥6.

A high McMahon score at hospital admission is associated with an increased need for RRT.

Neurodevelopmental delay is common in children who undergo surgery for Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) in infancy. Cardiac surgery associated acute kidney injury (CS-AKI) occurs frequently in the paediatric cardiac Intensive care unit (ICU). Cardiac surgery associated acute kidney injury (CS-AKI) is associated with worse neurodevelopmental scores and delay in cognitive, language, and motor domains in children with CHD. No known data exist regarding the association of CS-AKI and motor and language subscales. In this study, we explored the relationship between CS-AKI and receptive and expressive language, as well as gross and fine motor delay.

This was a single centre retrospective observational cohort study. Children who underwent surgery for CHD and developed recurrent CS-AKI in the first year of life who had follow-up neurodevelopmental testing using the Bayley Scale of Infant Development Version III were included. Neurodevelopmental delay subscales assessed included: receptive and expressive language, fine and motor skills.

The study cohort included 203 children. Recurrent CS-AKI was significantly associated with lower scores in receptive and expressive language, as well as fine and gross motor on unadjusted analyses. On adjusted analyses, recurrent CS-AKI was significantly associated with severe receptive language delay.

The independent association of recurrent CS-AKI with severe language delay in children who undergo surgery for CHD in infancy is novel. Our findings may contribute to the understanding of language impairment in this population. Further studies are required to better understand this relationship and any potentially modifiable factors.

Acute kidney injury is associated with worse outcomes after cardiac surgery. The haemodynamic goals to ameliorate kidney injury are not clear. Low post-operative renal perfusion pressure has been associated with acute kidney injury in adults. Inadequate oxygen delivery may also cause kidney injury. This study evaluates pressure and oximetric haemodynamics after paediatric cardiac surgery and their association with acute kidney injury.

Retrospective case–control study at a children’s hospital. Patients were < 6 months of age who underwent a Society of Thoracic Surgery-European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery Congenital Heart Surgery categories ≥ 3. Low renal perfusion pressure was time and depth below several tested thresholds. The primary outcome was serum creatine-defined acute kidney injury in the first 7 days.

Sixty-six patients (median age 8 days) were included. Acute kidney injury occurred in 36%. The time and depth of renal perfusion pressure < 42 mmHg in the first 24 hours was greater in acute kidney injury patients (94 versus 35 mmHg*minutes of low renal perfusion pressure/hour, p = 0.008). In the multivariable model, renal perfusion pressure < 42 mmHg was associated with acute kidney injury (aOR: 2.07, 95%CI: 1.25–3.82, p = 0.009). Mean arterial pressure, central venous pressure, and measures of inadequate oxygen delivery were not associated with acute kidney injury.

Periods of low renal perfusion pressure (<42 mmHg) in the first 24 post-operative hours are associated with acute kidney injury. Renal perfusion pressure is a potential modifiable target that may mitigate the impact of acute kidney injury after paediatric cardiac surgery.

Earthquakes rank among the most deadly natural disasters, and children are particularly affected due to their inherent vulnerability. Following an earthquake, there is a substantial increase in visits to emergency services. These visits stem not only from patients seeking care for physical traumas resulting from the earthquake and its subsequent complications, but also from individuals affected by the circumstances created by the disaster.

This study aims to determine the characteristics and outcomes of children who presented to the pediatric emergency department (PED) after the earthquake and to evaluate children who had crush injuries at a referral tertiary university hospital away from the earthquake area.

The medical records of children who presented to the PED from the earthquake area from February 6 through March 7, 2023 were retrospectively reviewed. Children rescued from under rubble were categorized as Group 1, those affected by earthquake conditions as Group 2, and patients seeking medical attention due to the follow-up of chronic illnesses were considered as Group 3. Patient data, including sociodemographic characteristics, time period under rubble (TPR), laboratory findings, and details of medical and surgical procedures, developing acute kidney injury (AKI), and the requirement for hemodialysis were recorded.

A total of 252 children were enrolled in the study, with 52 (20.6%) in Group 1, 180 (71.4%) in Group 2, and 16 (6.0%) in Group 3. The median age was six (IQR = 1.7-12.1) years. In the first group (n = 52), 46 (85.2%) children experienced crush injuries, 25 children (46.3%) developed crush syndrome, and 14 of them (14/25; 56.0%) required dialysis. In the second group, the most common diagnoses were upper respiratory tract infections (n = 69; 37.9%), acute gastroenteritis (n = 23; 12.6%), simple physical trauma (n = 16; 8.8%), and lower respiratory tract infections (n = 13; 7.1%). For children in the third group, pediatric neurology (n = 5; 33.3%), pediatric oncology (n = 4; 25.0%), and pediatric nephrology (n = 3; 18.8%) were the most frequently referred specialties.

Crush injuries, crush syndrome, and AKI were the most common problems in the early days following the earthquake. Along with these patients, children who were affected by the environmental conditions caused by the earthquake, as well as children with chronic illnesses, also accounted for a significant portion of visits to the PED, even if they were distant from the disaster area.

Acute kidney injury is a common postoperative complication of paediatric cardiac surgery associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study is to characterise associations between haemodynamic parameters, clinical parameters, and medical interventions, on acute kidney injury.

Nine patients with univentricular physiology undergoing the Norwood procedure from a single-centre tertiary care paediatric cardiac ICU were included (September 2022 to March 2023). Patients were monitored with the T3 software. Data were analysed using a Fisher exact test, Mann–Whitney-U test, LASSO-based machine learning techniques, and receiver operator curve analyses.

Over 27,000 datapoints were included. Acute kidney injury occurred in 2 patients (22%) during this period. Net fluid balance and renal oxygen extraction were independently associated with acute kidney injury, while commonly used metrics of pressure (systolic, diastolic, or mean arterial blood pressure) were not. The resulting acute kidney injury risk score was (4.1 × fluid balance) + (1.9 × renal oxygen extraction). The risk score was significantly higher in acute kidney injury with a score of 32.9 compared to 7.9 (p < 0.01). Optimal cut-offs for fluid balance (7 mL/hr) and renal oxygen extraction (29%) were identified. Higher serum creatinine:baseline creatinine ratio was associated with a higher mean airway pressure, higher renal oxygen extraction, higher mean arterial blood pressure, higher vasoactive inotropic score, and fluid balance.

Among patients with univentricular physiology undergoing the Norwood procedure, renal oxygen extraction and a higher net fluid balance are independently associated with increased risk of acute kidney injury. Renal perfusion pressure is not significantly associated with acute kidney injury.

Identifying early predictors of dialysis requirements in earthquake-related injuries is crucial for optimal resource allocation and timely intervention. This study aimed to develop a predictive scoring system, named SAFE-QUAKE (Seismic Assessment of Kidney Function to Rule Out Dialysis Requirement), to identify patients at high risk of developing acute kidney injury (AKI) and requiring dialysis.

A retrospective analysis was conducted on a cohort of 205 patients presenting with earthquake-related injuries. Patients were divided into two groups based on their need for dialysis: the no dialysis group (n = 170) and the dialysis group (n = 35). Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected and compared between the two groups to identify significant predictors of dialysis requirements. The parameters that would form the score were determined by conducting an importance analysis using artificial neural networks (ANNs) to identify parameters that exhibited statistically significant differences in univariate analysis.

The dialysis group had a significantly longer median duration of being trapped under debris (48 hours) compared to the no dialysis group (eight hours). Blood gas and laboratory analyses revealed significant differences in pH levels, lactate values, creatinine levels, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, and aspartate transaminase (AST)-to-alanine transaminase (ALT) ratio between the two groups. Based on these findings, the SAFE-QUAKE rule-out scoring system was developed, incorporating entrapment duration (<45 hours), pH levels (>7.31), creatinine levels (<2mg/dL), LDH levels (<1600mg/dL), and the AST-to-ALT ratio (<2.4) as key predictors of dialysis requirements. This score included 139 patients, and among them, only one patient required dialysis, resulting in a negative predictive value of 99.29%.

The SAFE-QUAKE scoring system demonstrated a high negative predictive value of 99.29% in ruling out the need for dialysis among earthquake-related injury cases. This scoring system offers a practical approach for health care providers to identify patients at high risk of developing AKI and requiring dialysis in earthquake-affected regions.

Earthquakes are sudden-onset natural disasters that are associated with substantial material damage, resulting in the collapse of built environment with a high rate of mortality, injury, and disability. Crush syndrome, which can be seen after devastating earthquakes, can lead to acute kidney injury (AKI) and patients may require amputation, fasciotomy, and dialysis. Supportive treatment has an important role in the prognosis of these patients.

The aim of this study was to investigate the demographic and clinical characteristics of traumatic earthquake survivors admitted to the emergency department (ED) of a hospital, which was close to the earthquake zone but not affected by the earthquake, after the February 6, 2023 Kahramanmaraş (Turkey) earthquakes.

This study was conducted by retrospectively analyzing the data of 1,110 traumatized earthquake survivors admitted to the ED of a tertiary care university hospital from February 6th through February 20th, 2023. Age; gender; time of presentation; presence of comorbid diseases; ED triage category; duration of stay under debris; presence of additional trauma; laboratory tests; presence of AKI; presence of crush injury and injury sites; supportive treatment (fluid replacement and intravenous [IV] sodium bicarbonate); need for amputation, dialysis, and fasciotomy; duration of hospitalization; and outcome of ED were evaluated.

Of the 1,110 traumatic victims in this study, 55.5% were female patients. The mean age of the patients was 45.94 (SD = 16.7) years; the youngest was 18 years old and the oldest was 95 years old. Crush injury was detected in 18.8% and AKI in 3.0% of the patients. Dialysis, amputation, and fasciotomy were required in 1.6%, 2.8%, and 1.4% of the patients, respectively. In total, 29.2% of patients were hospitalized, including 2.9% admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and 26.3% to the relevant ward. In total, 0.3% of the patients included in the study died at ED.

Post-earthquake patients may present with crush injury, AKI may develop, and fasciotomy, amputation, and dialysis may be needed, so hospitals and EDs should be prepared for natural disasters such as earthquakes.

This study aims to explore the evaluation of lactic acid (Lac) and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) on the condition and prognosis of patients with diquat (DQ) poisoning.

A total of 79 cases of DQ poisoning treated in one hospital from January 2019 through February 2023 were included: 10 cases of mild poisoning, 49 cases of moderate to severe poisoning, and 20 cases of fulminant poisoning. According to the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes-acute kidney injury (KDIGO-AKI) criteria, the patients were divided into 60 cases in the AKI group and 19 cases in the non-acute kidney injury (NAKI) group. According to the AKI diagnostic indicators, AKI patients were divided into Grade I, Grade II, and Grade III. According to prognosis, the patients were divided into survivor group and non-survivor group. During the same period, 30 healthy subjects were selected as the healthy group. The changes of blood Lac, NGAL, cystatin C (CysC), and serum creatinine (Scr) levels of patients were detected, the 28-day survival of patients was recorded, and the correlation between blood Lac, NGAL levels, and renal injury grade in patients with AKI caused by DQ poisoning was analyzed. The receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the predictive value and prognostic value of Lac, NGAL, and their combination in patients with AKI caused by DQ poisoning.

There were significant differences in AKI grade, Lac, NGAL, CysC, and Scr levels among different degrees of poisoning groups (P < .05). There were significant differences in the levels of Lac, NGAL, CysC, and Scr among patients with different AKI grades (P < .05). The levels of Lac, NGAL, CysC, and Scr in the survivor group were significantly lower than those in the non-survivor group (P < .05). The blood Lac and NGAL levels were positively correlated with AKI grades in patients with DQ poisoning (r = 0.752, 0.836; P = .000, .000). The combined detection of blood Lac and NGAL had higher predictive value for AKI and assessed value for death in DQ poisoning than either of them alone.

The combined detection of Lac and NGAL have a certain clinical value in AKI grading and evaluating AKI prognosis caused by DQ poisoning.

An alternative surgical approach for hypoplastic left heart syndrome is the Hybrid pathway, which delays the risk of acute kidney injury outside of the newborn period. We sought to determine the incidence, and associated morbidity, of acute kidney injury after the comprehensive stage 2 and the cumulative incidence after the first two operations in the Hybrid pathway.

A single centre, retrospective study was conducted of hypoplastic left heart patients completing the second-stage palliation in the Hybrid pathway from 2009 to 2018. Acute kidney injury was defined utilising Kidney Diseases Improving Global Outcomes criteria. Perioperative and post-operative characteristics were analysed.

Sixty-one patients were included in the study cohort. The incidence of acute kidney injury was 63.9%, with 36.1% developing severe injury. Cumulatively after the Hybrid Stage 1 and comprehensive stage 2 procedures, 69% developed acute kidney injury with 36% developing severe injury. The presence of post-operative acute kidney injury was not associated with an increase in 30-day mortality (acute kidney injury 7.7% versus none 9.1%; p = > 0.9). There was a significantly longer median duration of intubation among those with acute kidney injury (acute kidney injury 32 (8, 155) hours vs. no injury 9 (0, 94) hours; p = 0.018).

Acute kidney injury after the comprehensive stage two procedure is common and accounts for most of the kidney injury in the first two operations of the Hybrid pathway. No difference in mortality was detected between those with acute kidney injury and those without, although there may be an increase in morbidity.

The use of peritoneal catheters for prophylactic dialysis or drainage to prevent fluid overload after neonatal cardiac surgery is common in some centres; however, the multi-centre variability and details of peritoneal catheter use are not well described.

Twenty-two-centre NEonatal and Pediatric Heart Renal Outcomes Network (NEPHRON) study to describe multi-centre peritoneal catheter use after STAT category 3–5 neonatal cardiac surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass. Patient characteristics and acute kidney injury/fluid outcomes for six post-operative days are described among three cohorts: peritoneal catheter with dialysis, peritoneal catheter with passive drainage, and no peritoneal catheter.

Of 1490 neonates, 471 (32%) had an intraoperative peritoneal catheter placed; 177 (12%) received prophylactic dialysis and 294 (20%) received passive drainage. Sixteen (73%) centres used peritoneal catheter at some frequency, including six centres in >50% of neonates. Four centres utilised prophylactic peritoneal dialysis. Time to post-operative dialysis initiation was 3 hours [1, 5] with the duration of 56 hours [37, 90]; passive drainage cohort drained for 92 hours [64, 163]. Peritoneal catheter were more common among patients receiving pre-operative mechanical ventilation, single ventricle physiology, and higher complexity surgery. There was no association with adverse events. Serum creatinine and daily fluid balance were not clinically different on any post-operative day. Mortality was similar.

In neonates undergoing complex cardiac surgery, peritoneal catheter use is not rare, with substantial variability among centres. Peritoneal catheters are used more commonly with higher surgical complexity. Adverse event rates, including mortality, are not different with peritoneal catheter use. Fluid overload and creatinine-based acute kidney injury rates are not different in peritoneal catheter cohorts.

Tourniquets are the standard of care for civilian and military prehospital treatment of massive extremity hemorrhages. Over the past 17 years, multiple military studies have demonstrated rare complications related to tourniquet usage. These studies may not translate well to civilian populations due to differences in baseline health. Experimental studies have demonstrated increased rates of post-traumatic acute kidney injuries (AKIs) in rats with obesity and increased oxidative stress, suggesting that comorbidities may affect AKI incidence with tourniquet usage. Two recently published retrospective studies, focused on the safety of tourniquets deployed within civilian sectors, documented increased incidence of AKI in patients with a prehospital tourniquet as compared to previously published military results. This study aimed to provide descriptive data concerning the association between the use of prehospital tourniquets and AKIs amongst civilian patient populations as AKIs increase mortality in hospitalized patients.

This was a single-center, observational, cross-sectional, pilot study involving chart review of participants presenting to a tertiary Level 1 trauma center. Patient data were extracted from prehospital and hospital electronic medical records. For this study, AKI was defined using the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) guidelines.

A total of 255 participants were included. Participants with a history of diabetes mellitus had a significantly higher incidence of AKI as compared to those without. Analysis revealed an increased odds of AKI with diabetes in association to the use of a prehospital tourniquet. Participants with diabetes had an increased relative risk of AKI in association to the use of a prehospital tourniquet. The incidence of AKI was statistically higher than what was previous reported in the military population in association with the use of a prehospital tourniquet.

The incidence of AKIs was higher than previously reported. Patients with diabetes had an associated higher risk and incidence of sustaining an AKI after the use of a prehospital tourniquet in association with the use of a prehospital tourniquet. This may be due to the known deleterious effects of diabetes mellitus on renal function. This study provides clinically relevant data that warrant further multi-site investigations to further investigate this study’s associated findings and potential causation. It also stresses the need to assess whether renally-impacting environmental and nutritional stressors affect AKI rates amongst military personnel and others in which prehospital tourniquets are used.

This study aimed to examine the effects of theophylline use in preventing renal dysfunction in patients undergoing CHD surgery.

A total of 94 patients aged 1–60 months were included in the study. Patients in the theophylline group were enrolled according to a pre-defined protocol for treatment administration, while controls were selected retrospectively from patients without theophylline treatment during the same period – who were matched according to critical baseline characteristics.

The incidence of acute kidney injury was similar between the two groups (p = 1.000). Higher urinary output and lower fluid balance were found intraoperatively and also postoperatively in the theophylline group (all, p < 0.050). Postoperative decrease in urinary output and estimated glomerular filtration rate were higher in the theophylline group (p < 0.050). Lower postoperative urea and creatinine levels were shown in theophylline recipients (p < 0.050). Urea levels increased significantly in the non-theophylline group during surgery (p < 0.001), and no significant change was observed in theophylline group (p = 0.136). Postoperative increase in creatinine and lactate levels was demonstrated in theophylline group (p < 0.050), and lactate levels were higher in the non-theophylline group during and after cardiopulmonary bypass (p = 0.010). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed less reduction in estimated glomerular filtration rate with higher age and in the presence of theophylline use (p < 0.050).

Although we demonstrated a similar incidence of acute kidney injury in the both groups, we revealed an important decrease in serum creatinine, urea and lactate levels, accompanied by improved estimated glomerular filtration rate, increased urine output and decreased fluid overload, with theophylline treatment, suggesting that renal functions significantly improved with the use of theophylline.