BackgroundMissing preadmission serum creatinine (SCr) values are a common obstacle to assess acute kidney injury (AKI) diagnosis and outcomes. The Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) guidelines suggest using a SCr computed from the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) with an estimated glomerular filtration rate of 75 ml/min/1.73 m2. We aimed to identify the best surrogate method for baseline SCr to assess AKI diagnosis and outcomes.MethodsWe compared the use of 1) first SCr at hospital admission 2) minimal SCr over 2 weeks after intensive care unit admission 3) MDRD computed SCr and 4) Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) computed SCr to assess AKI diagnosis and outcomes. We then performed multilinear regression models to predict preadmission SCr and imputation strategies to assess AKI diagnosis.ResultsOur one-year retrospective cohort study included 1001 critically ill adults; 498 of them had preadmission SCr values. In these patients, AKI incidence was 25.1% using preadmission SCr. First SCr had the best agreement for AKI diagnosis (22.5%; kappa = 0.90) and staging (kappa = 0.81). MDRD, CKD-EPI and minimal SCr overestimated AKI diagnosis (26.7%, 27.1% and 43.2%;kappa = 0.86, 0.86 and 0.60, respectively). However, MDRD and CKD-EPI computed SCr had a better sensitivity than first SCr for AKI (93% and 94% vs. 87%). Eighty-eight percent of patients experienced renal recovery at least 3 months after hospital discharge. All methods except the first SCr significantly underestimated the percentage of renal recovery. In a multivariate model, age, male gender, hypertension, heart failure, undergoing surgery and log first SCr best predicted preadmission SCr (adjusted R2 = 0.56). Imputation methods with first SCr increased AKI incidence to 23.9% (kappa = 0.92) but not with MDRD computed SCr (26.7%;kappa = 0.89).ConclusionIn our cohort, first SCr performed better for AKI diagnosis and staging, as well as for renal recovery after hospital discharge than MDRD, CKD-EPI or minimal SCr. However, MDRD SCr and CKD-EPI SCr improved AKI diagnosis sensitivity. Imputation methods minimally increased agreement for AKI diagnosis.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12882-017-0552-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background: Recent acute kidney injury (AKI) guidelines, based on studies performed a decade ago, recommend avoiding aminoglycosides (AGs) in patients at risk of AKI. Whether present patient characteristics and management have changed this risk is uncertain. We determined the current incidence, risk factors and outcomes of AG-AKI. Methods: We retrospectively identified adult patients who received gentamicin or tobramycin for ≥5 days in 2 large university-affiliated centers, excluding critically ill and dialysis patients. We assessed the incidence of Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss and End-stage kidney disease criteria of AKI risk and then matched each AKI to 2 controls of same age and gender to determine factors associated with AG-AKI and its recovery, defined by a creatinine within 150% of baseline by 21 days. Results: Since 2001, the frequency of AG administration and dosing declined, but the incidence of AG-AKI remained constant. Of the 562 patients who received AG for ≥5 days, 65 (12%) developed AG-AKI after 11 (IQR 8-15) days, with 56, 29 and 15% having stages 1, 2 and 3 AKI, respectively. We matched these to 130 controls. In this nested case-control study, independent AKI risk factors were vancomycin coadministration, high AG trough levels and heart failure. AG-AKI compared to AG exposure without AKI was associated with greater mortality. Renal recovery occurred in 51% of the AKI patients and was less likely with heart failure and higher AKI severity. Conclusion: AG administration has recently decreased but the risk of AKI remained unchanged and half of the patients did not recover. Vancomycin coadministration, high AG trough levels and heart failure independently predicted AKI.

The initiation of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) in acute kidney injury (AKI) with severe hypernatremia is challenging since sodium concentrations in commercial replacement fluid (RF) and dialysate solutions are usually fixed at 140 mEq/L. We present a case of AKI with severe hypernatremia successfully treated with CRRT using commercial RF solutions customized to prevent rapid correction of hypernatremia. None of the few case reports published on hypernatremia and AKI requiring CRRT have included formulas to help modulate the sodium content in the solutions. We present an equation to facilitate adjustment of the sodium concentration in this setting.

Disclaimer In an effort to expedite the publication of articles related to the COVID-19 pandemic, AJHP is posting these manuscripts online as soon as possible after acceptance. Accepted manuscripts have been peer-reviewed and copyedited, but are posted online before technical formatting and author proofing. These manuscripts are not the final version of record and will be replaced with the final article (formatted per AJHP style and proofed by the authors) at a later time. Purpose Patients on hemodialysis have a high risk of medication-related problems. Studies using deprescribing algorithms to reduce the number of inappropriate medications in this population have been published, but none have used a patient-partnership approach. Our study evaluated the impact of a similar intervention with a patient-partnership approach. Methods The objective was to describe the implementation of a pharmacist-led intervention with a patient-partnership approach using deprescribing algorithms and its impact on the reduction of inappropriate medications in patients on hemodialysis. Eight algorithms were developed by pharmacists and nephrologists to assess the appropriateness of medications. Pharmacists identified patients taking targeted medications. Following patient enrollment, pharmacists assessed medications with patients and applied the algorithms. With patient consent, deprescription was suggested to nephrologists if applicable. Specific data on each targeted medication were collected at 4 and 16 weeks. Descriptive statistics were used to examine the effects of the deprescribing intervention. Results Of 270 patients, 256 were taking at least one targeted medication. Of the 122 patients taking at least one targeted medication who were approached to participate, 66 were included in the study. At enrollment, these patients were taking 252 targeted medications, of which 59 (23.4%) were determined to be inappropriate. Deprescription was initiated for 35 of these 59 medications (59.3%). At 4 weeks, 33 of the 59 medications (55.9%) were still deprescribed, while, at 16 weeks, 27 of the 59 medications (45.8%) were still deprescribed. Proton pump inhibitors and benzodiazepines or Z-drugs were the most common inappropriate medications, and allopurinol was the most deprescribed medication. Conclusion A pharmacist-led intervention with a patient-partnership approach and using deprescribing algorithms reduced the number of inappropriate medications in patients on hemodialysis.