Background

Few studies to date have analyzed the epidemiology of acute kidney injury (AKI) in children with cancer in developing countries. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence, risk profile and outcomes of AKI in Chinese children hospitalized with cancer.

Methods

This multi-center study analyzed Chinese children hospitalized with cancer in 2013–2015. Electronic hospital and laboratory databases were screened to select pediatric patients with malignancy who had at least two Scr results within any 7-day window during their first 30 days of hospitalization. AKI events were identified and staged according to Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria. The incidence of and risk factors for AKI were analyzed, as were mortality rate, incidence of kidney recovery, and length of hospital stay.

Results

Of the 9828 children with cancer, 1657 (16.9%) experienced AKI events, including 549 (5.6%) community-acquired (CA-AKI) and 1108 (11.3%) hospital-acquired AKI (HA-AKI) events. The three types of cancer with the highest incidence of AKI were urinary system cancer (25.8%), hepatic cancer (19.4%), and retroperitoneal malignancies (19.1%). The risk factor profiles of CA-AKI and HA-AKI events differed, with many HA-AKI events due to treatment with nephrotoxic agents. In-hospital death rates were 5.4% (90 of 1657) in children with and 0.9% (74 of 8171) in children without AKI events. AKI events were also associated with longer hospitalization and higher daily costs.

Conclusions

AKI events are common among Chinese children hospitalized for cancer and are associated with adverse in-hospital outcomes.