Abstract

INCIDENCE, PREDICTORS AT ADMISSION, AND IMPACT OF WORSENING RENAL FUNCTION AMONG CARDIOVASCULAR PATIENTS

Aswathy Jai Kumar*, Thomas Zacharia, Anju Joseph, Anu J. and Anu Philip

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease is a class of diseases that involves the heart, the blood vessels or both. The heart and the kidneys are involved in maintaining hemodynamic stability and organ perfusion through an intricate network. Thus, in patients with cardiovascular diseases, due to reduced renal perfusion, it is common to encounter worsening of renal function during the length of hospital stay. This study was carried out to determine the association between patient’s characteristics and the development of worsening renal function, to identify its independent predictors and to assess the relative risk of cardiovascular patients developing worsening renal function using a risk score. After analyzing the data collected, Ejection Fraction was found to be a major risk factor and predictor and a slight decrease in it could increase the likelihood of worsening renal function up to 3 times. Also a risk score was proven to be beneficial in distinguishing the relative risks of developing worsening renal function, ranging from 13% to 67% among different cardiovascular patients. This study reveals that worsening renal function occurs frequently among hospitalized cardiovascular patients and that clinical characteristics available at hospital admission can be used to identify both the predictors and the patients at increased risk for developing worsening renal function.

Keywords: Cardiovascular disease, Worsening renal function, Ejection Fraction.