The association between pre-operative variables, including blood pressure, and postoperative kidney function

We used multivariate analyses to assess the association of pre-operative variables with kidney function in 41,523 adults after scheduled surgery in a single large academic hospital. Eight variables were independently associated with a reduction in postoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate: pre-operative renal function; age; ASA physical status; cardiac failure; anaemia; cancer; type of surgery; and the lowest quartile of pre-operative mean arterial blood pressure (< 71 mmHg). The estimated glomerular filtration rate fell by a mean (95% CI) of 2.7 (0.04-5.40) ml.min^-1 .1.73 m^-2 for patients with a pre-operative mean arterial pressure < 71 mmHg, p = 0.047. The same variables and male sex were associated with postoperative acute kidney injury. The odds ratio (95% CI) for acute postoperative kidney injury was 1.9 (1.2-2.9) for patients with a pre-operative mean arterial blood pressure < 71 mmHg, p = 0.005.