Heart Failure Risk Is Significantly Higher in AKI Patients

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is an independent risk factor for incident heart failure, according to the results of a recent study.

Although heart failure is a leading cause of cardiovascular disease among patients with chronic kidney disease, the association between AKI and heart failure is unknown.
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For their study, researchers examined data on 300,868 hospitalized US veterans without a history of heart failure. They defined AKI as a 0.3-mg/dL or 50% increase in serum creatinine concentration from baseline to peak hospital value. Patients with AKI were matched 1:1 based on 28 in- and outpatient covariates. Incident heart failure was defined as 1 or more hospitalizations or 2 or more outpatient visits with a diagnosis of heart failure within a 2-year period.

Overall, the incidence rate of heart failure was 30.8 per 1000 person-years in patients with AKI compared with 24.9 per 1000 person-years in those without AKI. In multivariable models, AKI was associated with a 23% increased risk for incident heart failure.

“AKI is an independent risk factor for incident heart failure. Future studies to identify underlying mechanisms and modifiable risk factors are needed,” the researchers concluded.

—Michael Potts

Reference:

Bansal N, Matheny ME, Greevy RA, et al. Acute Kidney Injury and Risk of Incident Heart Failure Among US Veterans [published online November 20, 2017]. AJKD. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1053/j.ajkd.2017.08.027.