RISK FACTORS OF ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY PATIENTS PRESENTING TO TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common and serious clinical condition with significant morbidity and mortality. Identifying precipitating risk factors is essential for early diagnosis and effective management. In developing countries, limited hospital data are available regarding the etiology and comorbidities associated with AKI. Objective: To evaluate the risk factors contributing to acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients admitted to a tertiary care hospital. Study Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study. Setting: Department of Medicine, Saidu Group of Teaching Hospital, Swat, Pakistan. Duration of Study: Six months (29-07-2023 to 29-01-2024). Methods: A total of 156 patients aged 18 to 80 years presenting with AKI were included using consecutive non-probability sampling. AKI was defined based on the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria as an increase in serum creatinine ≥0.3 mg/dL within 48 hours, a 1.5-fold increase from baseline within 7 days, or urine output <0.5 mL/kg/hour for 6 hours. Risk factors evaluated included sepsis, cardiovascular events, and diarrhea. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. Chi-square test was applied to assess associations with comorbid conditions, with a p-value ≤ 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: The mean age was 51.2 ± 17.1 years, and 56.4% were male. Sepsis was identified in 41.0% of patients, followed by cardiovascular events in 17.3%, and diarrhea in 14.1%. Sepsis was more frequent in older adults (>60 years: 43.8%). Cardiovascular-related AKI was significantly associated with diabetes (70.4%, p = 0.0001) and hypertension (81.5%, p = 0.009). Conclusion: Sepsis, cardiovascular events, and diarrhea are leading risk factors for AKI in hospitalized patients. Advanced age, hypertension, and diabetes are strongly associated with these triggers. Early recognition and targeted management strategies are crucial to reduce AKI-related complications and improve patient outcomes.