Acute kidney injury in infective endocarditis: A retrospective analysis

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with high case fatality in infective endocarditis (IE), but epidemiological data on the frequency of AKI during IE is scarce. We aimed to describe the frequency and risk factors for AKI during the course of IE using Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes consensual criteria.

Using the French hospital discharge database (French acronym PMSI), we retrospectively reviewed the charts of 112 patients presenting with a first episode of probable or definite IE between January 2010 and May 2015.

Seventy-seven patients (68.8%) developed AKI. In univariate analysis, risk factors for AKI were cardiac surgery for IE (n=29, 37.7% vs. n=4, 1.4%, P<0.0005), cardiac failure (n=29, 36.7% vs. n=1, 2.9%, P<0.0005), diabetes mellitus (n=14, 18.2% vs. n=1, 0.9%, P=0.034), and prosthetic valve IEs (n=24, 31.2% vs. n=4, 11.4%). No differences were observed for gentamicin exposure (n=57, 64% vs. n=32, 86.5%, P=0.286). Prosthetic valve IE, cardiac failure, and vancomycin exposure were independently associated with AKI with respective odds ratio of 5.49 (95% CI 1.92-17.9), 4.37 (95% CI 4.37-465.7), and 1.084 (1.084-16.2). Mean length of hospital stay was significantly longer in patients presenting with AKI than in controls (respectively 52.4±22.1 days vs. 39.6±12.6, P<0.005).

AKI is very frequent during IE, particularly in patients with prosthetic valve IE, cardiac failure, and those receiving vancomycin.