Acute Kidney Injury Among Neonates

Introduction: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is among the major tasks in neonatology globally. Its incidence has wide range globally. The mortality and the risk factors for death due to AKI signifies one of the foremost reasons of death among neonatal period.  Aim: To identify the incidence of AKI among neonates in neonatal intensive care (NICU) and to determine its causes and the risk factors of mortality among neonates with AKI.  Methodology: It is a retrospective hospital-based study conducted in the NICU of AL- Sabeen hospital for Maternity and Childhood (SHMC) over a year. Epi-Info program No. 7 was used to analyse the data that retrieved from the hospital's records of the enrolled patients using a pre-designed questionnaire.  Results: The rate of AKI among the 1086 NICU admissions was 5.3% and the mortality rate among neonates with AKI was 41%. Gestation age <37 weeks, the need for mechanical ventilation (M.V.) and hospitalization days > 3 days were the significant independent factors for death among neonates with AKI.  Conclusion: Preventing AKI and decreasing mortality among them may be achieved by early identification of risk factors and prompt treatment of underlying disease.