Risk Factors for Mortality in Septic Children with Acute Kidney Injury in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) and sepsis are major causes of morbidity and mortality in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs), especially when they occur concurrently. Despite advancements in critical care, the identification of risk factors remains essential to improve survival outcomes in children. To determine the risk factors associated with mortality in children diagnosed as sepsis with treated in the PICU. This was an observational analytic study with a case-control design, conducted in the PICU of Prof. Dr. I. G. N. G. Ngoerah Hospital from 2022 to 2024. Pediatric patients aged 1 month to <18 years with diagnoses of AKI and sepsis were included. Variables analyzed included nutritional status, duration of PICU stay, requirement of mechanical ventilation, involvement of a pediatric nephrologist, history of nephrotoxic drug use, and the number of nephrotoxic drugs used. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed using logistic regression. Total of 126 patients were analyzed. Bivariate analysis showed a significant relationship between mortality and the need for mechanical ventilation (OR 6.2; p 0.001) and the absence of pediatric nephrology care (OR 2.1; p = 0.047). In multivariate analysis, the need for mechanical ventilation (OR 16.5; 95% CI 3.5-77.2; p = 0.001) and pediatric nephrology care (OR 6.7; 95% CI 1.6-28.0; p = 0.009) were independently associated with mortality. The need for mechanical ventilation and the lack of pediatric nephrology consultation are significant risk factors for mortality in septic children with AKI treated in the PICU.