Critically ill patients with COVID-19-associated acute kidney injury treated with kidney replacement therapy: Comparison between the first and second pandemic waves in São Paulo, Brazil.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to compare the characteristics and outcomes of critically ill patients with COVID-19-associated acute kidney injury (AKI) who were treated with kidney replacement therapy (KRT) in the first and second waves of the pandemic in the megalopolis of Sao Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: A multicenter retrospective study was conducted in 10 intensive care units (ICUs). Patients aged ≥18 years, and treated with KRT due to COVID-19-associated AKI were included. We compared demographic, laboratory and clinical data, KRT parameters and patient outcomes in the first and second COVID-19 waves. RESULTS: We assessed 656 patients (327 in the first wave and 329 in the second one). Second-wave patients were admitted later (7.1±5.0 vs. 5.6±3.9 days after the onset of symptoms, p<0.001), were younger (61.4±13.7 vs. 63.8±13.6 years, p = 0.023), had a lower frequency of diabetes (37.1% vs. 47.1%, p = 0.009) and obesity (29.5% vs. 40.0%, p = 0.007), had a greater need for vasopressors (93.3% vs. 84.6%, p<0.001) and mechanical ventilation (95.7% vs. 87.8%, p<0.001), and had higher lethality (84.8% vs. 72.7%, p<0.001) than first-wave patients. KRT quality markers were independently associated with a reduction in the OR for death in both pandemic waves. CONCLUSIONS: In the Sao Paulo megalopolis, the lethality of critically ill patients with COVID-19-associated AKI treated with KRT was higher in the second wave of the pandemic, despite these patients being younger and having fewer comorbidities. Potential factors related to this poor outcome were difficulties in health care access, lack of intra-hospital resources, delay vaccination and virus variants.

Prevalence, outcomes and costs of patients with renal dysfunction in the emergency department of a specialized cardiology hospital

INTRODUCTION: Chronic kidney disease and acute kidney injury (AKI) are important complications of heart diseases. In developing countries, epidemiological and cost information on the interaction of these conditions are scarce. OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence, costs and outcomes of patients admitted for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) with renal dysfunction and AKI. METHODS: The study was based on a prospective database analysis of patients admitted for ACS to a Brazilian public hospital specialized in cardiology between 7/16/2018 and 12/31/2019. Renal dysfunction was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60ml/min/1.73m² at hospital admission. Community-acquired and hospital-acquired AKI were defined as a fall and an increase of ≥0.3mg/dl in serum creatinine from baseline, respectively. RESULTS: 1295 of the 1620 patients had a confirmed diagnosis of ACS (median age 64.2 [56.5-70.6] years, 65.4% male, 82.7% had hypertension, 45.5% diabetes and 22.6% renal dysfunction). The imaging diagnosis of ACS was coronary angiography in 84.3% and the treatment was performed by angioplasty, only clinically and by myocardial revascularization in 47.3%, 40.0% and 12.7%, respectively. Hospital- and community-acquired AKI occurred in 43.9% and 2.3% of patients, respectively. Compared with patients admitted with eGFR ≥60ml/min/1.73m², those with eGFR <60 were older (70.6 vs. 62.5 years, p<0.001), had a higher prevalence of hypertension (92.1% vs. 80.0%, p<0.001) and diabetes mellitus (60.6% vs.54.5%, p=0.010), had a higher incidence of AKI (65.0% vs. 51.4%, p <0.001) and higher: median amount reimbursed for hospitalization (1,344 [366-2,103] vs. 1,334 [290-2,018] dollars, p=0.034), median length of stay (5 [3-10] vs. 4 [2-7] days, p<0.001), death within 30 days (4.1% vs. 1.4%, p=0.004) and death within 12 months (9.2% vs. 2.9%, p<0.001). Patients with AKI, compared to those without this condition, were older (65.6 vs.63.3 years, p=0.008), had lower eGFR on admission (78.1 ml/min/1.73m² vs.86.1 ml/min/1.73m², p<0.001) and greater: median amount reimbursed for hospitalization (1,334 [301-1,865] vs. 1,724 [973-2,549] dollars, p<0.001), median length of stay (6 [4-13] vs. 3 [2-5] days, p <0.001) and death within 12 months (4.8% vs. 2.3%, p=0.032). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with ACS at a cardiology referral hospital, renal dysfunction on admission and AKI during hospitalization were frequent and associated with worse clinical and economic outcomes.