Kemlin D, et al. - Herein, researchers examined critically ill patients with solid tumours, to determine factors associated with the occurrence of acute kidney injury (AKI), intensive care unit (ICU) and Day-90 mortality in these subjects. With a frequent incidence of AKI, a gradual decline in renal recovery in proportion to AKI severity was noted in this patient population. However, AKI was not shown to be independently related to a higher short-term mortality.

• Researchers analysed factors associated with the occurence of AKI, ICU and Day-90 mortality in patients with solid tumours admitted to a single-centre intensive care unit (ICU) from January 2011 to December 2015.

• This study included a total of 204 patients.
• As per data, the incidence of AKI was 59%, chiefly related to sepsis (80%), hypovolaemia (40%) and outflow tract obstruction (17%).
• Findings showed that 12% of the patients underwent renal replacement therapy, with a hospital mortality of 39%.
• Researchers found that the following factors independently predicted AKI: Simplified Acute Physiological Score II (SAPS II) [odds ratio (OR) 1.05; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.02–1.07; P < 0.001], abdominal or pelvic cancer (OR 2.84; 95% CI 1.35–5.97; P=0.006), nephrotoxic chemotherapy within the previous 3 months (OR 3.84; 95% CI 1.67–8.84; P=0.002) and sepsis (OR 2.74; 95% CI 1.30–5.77; P=0.008).
• An inverse association of renal recovery at Day 90 with AKI severity was also noted.
• ICU, hospital and Day-90 mortality were 15, 29 and 37%, respectively.
• Also, the following factors were noted to be independently related to ICU mortality: total serum protein (OR per 10 g/L, 0.44; 95% CI 0.23–0.86; P=0.02) and SAPS II (OR 1.04; 95% CI 1.01–1.07; P=0.02), while Day-90 mortality was associated with performance status 3–4 (OR 6.59; 95% CI 2.42–18; P < 0.001) and total serum protein (OR 0.60; 95% CI 0.38–0.94; P=0.02).