Acute kidney injury, fluid balance and risks of intraventricular hemorrhage in premature infants

Objective: Evaluate association between fluid balance and intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). Study design: Retrospective review of infants \u3c30 weeks gestation admitted to Kentucky Children’s Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Results: Infants with acute kidney injury (AKI) had a 2.4-fold increased risk of IVH (OR 2.38, 95% CI 1.46–3.87) and a 3.5-fold increased risk of severe IVH (OR 3.45, 95% CI 1.98–6.04). Infants above birthweight on day 4 had a 1.9-fold increased risk of IVH (OR 1.86, 95% CI 1.05–3.27) and a 2.0-fold increased risk of severe IVH (OR 1.96, 95% CI 1.03–3.74). When controlling for confounding factors, infants with AKI or above birthweight on day 4 had a 4.6-fold (aOR 4.60, 95% CI 1.80–11.78) and 3.0-fold (aOR 2.96, 95% CI 1.01–8.65) increased risk of severe IVH, respectively. Conclusion: Infants with AKI during the first week of life had a higher association of severe IVH even after controlling for confounding factors

Neonatal Acute Kidney Injury

Neonatal acute kidney injury (nAKI) is highly prevalent but the definition of nAKI remains nebulous. This is because we rely on serum creatinine (SCr) for the estimation of kidney function which is an indirect measure of muscle mass and the maternal placental transfer of SCr in the early post-natal period. Similarly, the physiological transition into the extra-uterine environment should result in a natural improvement in neonatal renal function from 25% to at least 60% of adult renal function within the first post-natal week. This should lead to a natural and steady decline in the SCr from birth to discharge. Neonatal AKI may be defined as a rise in SCr of >0.3 mg/dL, a peak in SCr ≥1.5 mg/dL and/or a “nadir” SCr at discharge ≥0.5 mg/dL. Importantly, infants born preterm and/or small for gestational age are more vulnerable to nAKI. Diagnosis, early medical intervention and longterm follow-up are essential for these individuals to avert the likely progression to chronic kidney disease including hypertension and cardiorenal disease with shortened longevity