Acute kidney injury with cardiorenal syndrome; experience from a tertiary care renal unit in Pakistan

Introduction: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a commonly recognized clinical problem after many morbid conditions related to heart like congenital heart disease surgery, acute or chronic congestive heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, infective endocarditis or cardiomyopathies. Cardio-renal syndrome (CRS) includes a spectrum of disorders involving both the heart and kidneys simultaneously; here acute or chronic dysfunction in one organ may induce acute or chronic dysfunction in the other. Objectives: To report here, case series of patients with AKI developing in association with CRS. We aim to report different causes of CRS and outcome of patients in this group of patients. Patients and Methods: Subjects for the study reported here comprised a cohort of 34 patients coming to this institution with AKI in association of CRS. AKI was defined according to KDIGO guidelines and CRS based on consensus conference of ADQI in 2012. Type 1or type2 CRS are included in the study. All patients had normal size kidneys on ultrasonography. Results: Thirty-four patients with AKI and CRS were brought to this institute from January 1990 to December 2014; this was contributing 1% to medical causes of total AKI. Among these 25 were males and 9 females; mean age of these patients was 54.06 +/- 14.106 years. Causes of CRS were acute myocardial infarction (ST elevated), congestive cardiac failure, infective endocarditis and dilated cardiomyopathy. More than two third of patients were either oliguric or anuric on presentation. Fluid replacement and/or inotropic support required in 79%. Renal replacement therapy in form of hemodialysis was conducted in 64.7% and intermittent peritoneal dialysis in one patient. Complete renal recovery was observed in 19 (56%) patients, while 12 (35%) died during acute phase of illness. CKD-V developed in one patient, 2 patients lost long term follow up, but became dialysis free and renal functions were in improving trends, they were labeled as partial recovery. Secondary insults like hypotension, aggressive diuresis, and volume loss from gastro-intestinal tract or infection were evaluated for any co-relation with outcome but statistically no significant difference was found. Conclusion: CRS can be severe life-threatening condition especially when patients present with circulatory collapse. Diuretics must be used cautiously in patients with congestive cardiac failure. Infective endocarditis with acute right heart failure can lead to CRS.