Frequency of Acute Kidney Injury in Patients Presenting with Acute Pyelonephritis at Tertiary Care Hospital, Karachi

Objective: To determine the frequency of acute kidney injury in patients presenting with acute pyelonephritis at Tertiary Care Hospital, Karachi. Methods: A total of 141 patients were included in this hospital-based cross-sectional study. Baseline characteristics such as age, gender, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and smoking status were recorded. The presence of AKI was determined, and its association with these factors was analyzed. Results: AKI was diagnosed in 58.2% of participants, while 41.8% did not develop the condition. The majority of patients (68.1%) were between 46 and 75 years old, and the gender distribution was nearly equal (49.6% male, 50.4% female). Diabetes mellitus was present in 19.9%, hypertension in 28.4%, dyslipidemia in 8.5%, and 36.2% of participants were smokers. However, none of these factors showed a statistically significant association with AKI development (p > 0.05 for all variables). Conclusion: More than half of the patients with acute pyelonephritis developed AKI, yet no specific risk factor emerged as a significant predictor. This suggests that AKI in this population is likely influenced by a combination of factors rather than any single underlying condition. Further research with larger, multi-center cohorts and long-term follow-up is needed to better understand the risk factors and improve early detection and management strategies.