Associated factors of dialysis-dependence among acute kidney injury patients in intensive care unit

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common problem in hospitals and many end up requiring dialysis. The aim was to identify the associated factors of dialysis-dependent of AKI patients admitted to the intensive care units (ICUs). A retrospective cohort study was conducted where a list of 121 AKI patients admitted to ICU in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia was retrospectively reviewed. AKI patients aged below 18 years old, had kidney transplantation or chronic dialysis before ICU admission and had incomplete medical record were excluded from the study. Simple and multiple logistic regression analysis were used. The mean [standard deviation (SD)] age of patients was 56 (17.15) years. Majority of patients were males (63.2%) and Malay ethnic (54.1%). 49.3% of patients were in stage I, 48.3% in stage II and 76.2% in stage III. The mean (SD) duration of patients stayed in ICU was 7 days (6.92) for non-dialysis dependent and 12 days (8.37) for dialysis-dependent. The associated factors were male gender [adjusted odds ratio (OR): 3.68; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.53, 8.86; P = 0.004], AKI Stage III (adjusted OR: 4.51; 95% CI: 1.28, 15.91; P = 0.019), admitted in ICU (adjusted OR: 3.05; 95% CI: 1.28, 7.29; P = 0.012), and longer length of stay (adjusted OR: 1.10; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.18; P = 0.003). The factors influence of dialysis-requiring AKI were observed to be dependent on the male male gender, suffer from the advanced stage (Stage III), admitted to the ICU and had a longer length of stay in ICU. Therefore, it is important for physicians to identify patients who are at high risk of developing AKI and implement preventive strategies.