IntroductionPostoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) is a frequently observed complication after on-pump cardiac surgery (CS) and is associated with adverse patient outcomes. Early identification of patients at risk is essential for the prevention of AKI after CS. In this study, we analysed whether urinary tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2 (TIMP-2) combined with urine insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7 (IGFBP-7) ([TIMP-2] × [IGFBP-7]) is an adequate diagnostic test to identify early AKI after on-pump CS.MethodsIn 42 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery, we surveyed individual risk factors for AKI and defined AKI by applying the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) classification during the day of surgery and the following 2 days after surgery. Concentrations of urinary TIMP-2 multiplied by IGFBP-7 were recorded at four time points: at baseline pre-surgery, at the end of surgery, 4 hours after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and at 8:00 am on the first postoperative day.ResultsIn total, 38% of the patients experienced AKI. The results showed a median baseline [TIMP-2] × [IGFBP-7] concentration of 0.3 (ng/ml)2/1,000, decreasing at the end of surgery and then increasing at the next measurement point 4 hours after CPB and further on the first postoperative day. On the first postoperative day, patients with AKI had significantly higher concentrations of [TIMP-2] × [IGFBP-7]. On the day of surgery, the concentration did not significantly differ between patients classified as KDIGO 0 or KDIGO 1 or 2. Previously published cutoff points of 0.3 and 2 were not confirmed in our study cohort.Conclusion[TIMP-2] × [IGFBP-7] concentration can be used as a diagnostic test to identify patients at increased risk of AKI after CS on the first postoperative day. At earlier time points, no significant difference in [TIMP-2] × [IGFBP-7] concentration was found between patients classified as KDIGO 0 or KDIGO 1 or 2.Trial registrationGerman Clinical Trials Register (DRKS) DRKS00005457. Registered 26 November 2013.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is frequently observed after cardiac surgery (CS) with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Multiple mechanisms underlie this phenomenon, including CPB-dependent haemolysis. Haemoglobin is released during haemolysis, and free haemoglobin (frHb) causes tubular cell injury after exceeding the binding capacity of haptoglobin (Hp). The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of perioperative changes in frHb and Hp levels on the incidence of CS-associated (CSA) AKI. After receiving local ethics committee approval and obtaining informed consent from our patients, we analysed the data pertaining to 154 patients undergoing CPB surgery. We recorded frHb and Hp concentrations pre-, intra- and postoperatively and defined AKI using the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) classification. We observed that frHb levels increased significantly during surgery and then decreased at ten hours thereafter and that Hp levels decreased during surgery and remained at low levels until the first postoperative day. We noted a moderate negative correlation between frHb and Hp levels. AKI was identified in 45.5% of patients; however, there was no significant difference in frHb or Hp levels between patients with and without AKI. We did not observe a relationship between frHb or Hp levels and CSA AKI and thus could not confirm the hypothesis that patients with higher baseline Hp concentrations experience a lower incidence of AKI than patients with lower baseline Hp concentrations.