Impact of Serum Albumin Levels on Contrast-Induced Acute Kidney Injury in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndromes Treated With Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Relationship between serum albumin level and hospitalization duration following percutaneous coronary intervention for acute coronary syndrome

Low serum albumin levels increase coronary morbidity, mortality, and postoperative cardiovascular risk. Therefore, this study investigated the relationship between these levels and the length of hospital stay in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute coronary syndrome. A total of 350 patients were divided into quartiles according to serum albumin levels. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify factors associated with the length of hospital stay. A non-linear regression analysis of serum albumin and length of hospital stay was also performed. The results of the multifactorial analysis revealed low serum albumin levels as an independent predictor of longer hospital stay, even in the fully adjusted model. In the segmented linear regression model, serum albumin level showed a U-shaped relationship with the length of hospital stay. In conclusion, low serum albumin level was an independent predictor of longer hospital stay in patients undergoing PCI for acute coronary syndrome, with shorter stays observed for increasing serum albumin levels. Low serum albumin can be used to identify patients who require longer hospitalization and may need additional nutritional support or interventions to improve their prognosis.

Prognostic value of nutrition for contrast-induced nephropathy in patients undergoing peripheral vascular intervention

Background: The objective was to examine the predictive value of malnutrition, assessed via the Controlling Nutritional status (CONUT) and Prognostic Nutrition Index (PNI) scores, in the development of contrast-associated acute kidney injury (CA-AKI) following peripheral vascular intervention (PVI).Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional observational study included the enrollment of 243 consecutive patients who underwent PVI. Patients were categorized into two groups based on the occurrence of CA-AKI.Results: Patients with CA-AKI had lower PNI scores and the PNI score was an independent predictor of CA-AKI development (Odds Ratio: 0.518, 95% CI: 2.295-0.908, p = 0.021). Nomogram had higher discriminative ability than both PNI and CONUT scores and discriminative abilities were similar for PNI and CONUT scores.Conclusion: Malnutrition, as identified by the CONUT and PNI, was found to be associated with a high risk of CA-AKI development following PVI.

Predictive Value of the Naples Prognostic Score for Acute Kidney Injury in ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Patients Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

The purpose of this investigation was to investigate whether there was an association between the Naples prognostic score and the development of acute kidney injury (AKI) in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients following primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). The study comprised 2901 consecutive STEMI patients who had pPCI. For each patient, the Naples prognostic score was determined. To evaluate the predictive performance of the Naples score (which included either continuous and categorical variables), we developed a Nested model and a nested model combined with the Naples score. The Naples prognostic score was the most significant predictor of AKI occurrence after admission creatinine, age, and contrast volume. The continuous Naples prognostic score model provided the best prediction performance and discriminative ability. The C-index of the Nested and full models with continuous Naples prognostic score were significantly higher than that of the Nested model. The decision curve analysis found that the overall model had a higher full range of probability of clinical net benefit than the baseline model, with a 10% AKI likelihood. The present study found that the Naples prognostic score may be useful to predict the risk of AKI in STEMI patients undergoing pPCI.

Impact of white blood cell count on the development of contrast-induced acute kidney injury in patients receiving percutaneous coronary intervention

This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of a pre-procedural white blood cell (WBC) count in the prediction of contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) risk in coronary artery disease patients receiving a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This observational study comprises a sample of 1,013 coronary artery disease patients (including ACS and stable angina) receiving PCI, gathered from September 2015 to July 2017. CI-AKI incidence in the study population was 4.8% (49/1013). Patients in the CI-AKI group had significantly higher WBC counts than those in the non-CI-AKI group (10.41 ± 5.37 vs. 8.09 ± 3.10, p = 0.004). Logistic analysis showed that WBC count (odds ratio [OR]: 1.12, 95% CI [1.03-1.21], P = 0.006) was a significant and independent predictor of CI-AKI risk in patients receiving PCI, Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis found that pre-procedural WBC count ≥11.03*109/L was the optimal cut-off value in the prediction of CI-AKI risk with a sensitivity of 41.0% and a specificity of 86.5%. Patients with CI-AKI had a significantly worse 1-year survival rate than patients without CI-AKI (91.8% vs. 97.6%, P = 0.012). In summary, increased pre-procedural WBC count is associated with an increased risk of developing CI-AKI in patients receiving PCI.

Association of random glucose to albumin ratio with post-contrast acute kidney injury and clinical outcomes in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction

Purpose

Both glucose and albumin are associated with chronic inflammation, which plays a vital role in post-contrast acute kidney injury (PC-AKI). To explore the relationship between random glucose to albumin ratio (RAR) and the incidence of PC-AKI after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Patients and methods

STEMI patients who underwent PCI were consecutively enrolled from January, 01, 2010 to February, 28, 2020. All patients were categorized into T1, T2, and T3 groups, respectively, based on RAR value (RAR < 3.377; 3.377 ≤ RAR ≤ 4.579; RAR > 4.579). The primary outcome was the incidence of PC-AKI, and the incidence of major adverse clinical events (MACE) was the second endpoint. The association between RAR and PC-AKI was assessed by multivariable logistic regression analysis.

Results

A total of 2,924 patients with STEMI undergoing PCI were finally included. The incidence of PC-AKI increased with the increasing tertile of RAR (3.2% vs 4.8% vs 10.6%, P<0.001). Multivariable regression analysis demonstrated that RAR (as a continuous variable) was associated with the incidence of PC-AKI (adjusted odds ratio (OR) =1.10, 95% confidence interval (CI) =1.04 - 1.16, P<0.001) and in-hospital MACE (OR=1.07, 95% CI=1.02 - 1.14, P=0.012); RAR, as a categorical variable, was significantly associated with PC-AKI (T3 vs. T1, OR=1.70, 95% CI=1.08 - 2.67, P=0.021) and in-hospital MACE (T3 vs. T1, OR=1.63, 95% CI=1.02 - 2.60, P=0.041) in multivariable regression analyses. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that RAR exhibited a predictive value for PC-AKI (area under the curve (AUC)=0.666, 95% CI=0.625 - 0.708), and in-hospital MACE (AUC= 0.662, 95% CI =0.619 - 0.706).

Conclusions

The high value of RAR was significantly associated with the increasing risk of PC-AKI and in-hospital MACE after PCI in STEMI patients, and RAR offers a good predictive value for those outcomes.

Assessing the Predictive Value of Different Nutritional Indexes for Contrast-Associated Acute Kidney Injury in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

BACKGROUND

The link between malnutrition and poor prognosis in cardiovascular disease has been established but the association between malnutrition and contrast-associated acute kidney injury (CA-AKI), a common complication of coronary procedures, remains poorly understood. In this study we investigated the predictive value of 3 nutritional indexes for CA-AKI in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

METHODS AND RESULTS

The study included a total of 6,049 consecutive patients undergoing PCI between May 2012 and September 2020, among whom 352 (5.8%) developed CA-AKI. We used the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score, the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI), and the Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI) to assess the association between malnutrition risk and CA-AKI after PCI. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that malnutrition, as identified by GNRI and PNI, was significantly associated with a higher risk of CA-AKI (moderate-severe malnutrition in GNRI: odds ratio [OR]=1.92, [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.27-2.85]; malnutrition in PNI: OR=1.87, [95% CI, 1.39-2.50]), whereas the CONUT score did not demonstrate a significant difference (P>0.05). Furthermore, GNRI (∆AUC=0.115, P<0.001) and PNI (∆AUC=0.101, P<0.001) exhibited superior predictive ability than the CONUT score for CA-AKI and significantly improved reclassification and discrimination in the fully adjusted model.

CONCLUSIONS

Malnutrition, especially identified by the GNRI and PNI, was associated with a higher risk of CA-AKI after PCI. GNRI and PNI performed better than the CONUT score in predicting CA-AKI.

The relationship between perioperative serum albumin and contrast-induced acute kidney injury in patients after percutaneous coronary intervention

OBJECTIVE

Contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) is a common complication in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Studies have shown that perioperative serum albumin levels may play a role in the occurrence of CI-AKI. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of perioperative serum albumin (delta albumin or &Alb) levels on the occurrence and long-term prognosis of CI-AKI patients after PCI.

METHODS

A total of 959 patients who underwent PCI between January 2017 and January 2019 were selected for this study. A receiver operating characteristic curve was used to determine the optimal cut-off value of the &Alb level for predicting CI-AKI after PCI. Patients were divided into two groups based on the optimal cut-off value: the high &Alb group (&Alb ≥ 4.55 g/L) and the control group (&Alb < 4.55 g/L). The incidences of CI-AKI and major adverse cardiac events (MACEs, including all-cause death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and target vessel revascularization) were compared between the groups. Cox regression analysis was used to identify predictors of long-term prognosis after PCI.

RESULTS

Of the 959 patients, 147 (15.3%) developed CI-AKI after PCI. The CI-AKI group had a greater level of &Alb than did the non-CI-AKI group [(6.14 (3.90-9.10) versus 3.48 (4.31-6.57), P < 0.01)]. The incidence of CI-AKI in the high &Alb group was significantly greater than that in the low group (23.6% versus 8.3%, P < 0.01). After a 1-year follow-up, the incidence of MACEs was significantly greater in the high &Alb group than in the low group (18.6% versus 14.5%, P = 0.030). Cox regression analysis confirmed that CI-AKI was an independent predictor of MACEs at the 1-year follow-up (HR 1.43, 95% CI 1.04-1.96, P = 0.028). In addition, patients with low preoperative serum albumin levels had s significantly greater incidence of MACEs than did those with high preoperative serum albumin levels (23.2% versus 19.5%, P = 0.013).

CONCLUSION

In summary, high baseline &Alb levels are an independent risk factor for CI-AKI in patients after PCI. The occurrence of CI-AKI in the perioperative period is also an independent predictor of long-term prognosis after PCI. These findings highlight the importance of monitoring &Alb levels and taking steps to prevent CI-AKI in patients undergoing PCI.

Association between C-Reactive Protein to Albumin Ratio and Multi-Vessel Coronary Artery Disease in Patients with Stable Coronary Artery Disease

Multivessel coronary artery disease (MV-CAD) remains a prevalent and serious health concern despite advances in treatment. Early identification and risk stratification are crucial for optimizing treatment. The CRP-to-albumin ratio (CAR) has emerged as a promising biomarker in various inflammatory diseases. This study investigated the potential of CAR as a marker for MV-CAD. We retrospectively analyzed 1360 patients with suspected CAD. Patients were divided into three groups based on CAR tertiles. Logistic regression analyses were carried out to estimate the association between MHR and MV-CAD. Elevated CAR levels were significantly associated with an increased prevalence of CAD (p < 0.001), severe CAD (p < 0.001), and MV-CAD (p < 0.001). Patients with the highest CAR tertile had five times higher odds of MV-CAD compared to the lowest tertile (p < 0.001). CAR demonstrated moderate accuracy in predicting MV-CAD (AUC: 0.644, 95% CI: 0.615-0.674, p < 0.001). CAR holds promise as a tool for the early identification and risk stratification of multivessel CAD. Further research is warranted to validate its clinical utility and explore its potential to guide treatment decisions and improve outcomes in patients with this high-risk condition.

Association between alkaline phosphatase to albumin ratio and mortality among patients with sepsis

The alkaline phosphatase-to-albumin ratio (APAR) is correlated to worse prognosis in coronary artery disease, cancer, and acute renal failure. However, the relationship between APAR and sepsis prognosis has received little research. The content of this research was to investigate the prognostic relationship between APAR and sepsis. And validate the stability of the correlation in 90-days and 1-year mortality. Retrospective cohort research was conducted basing MIMIC-IV database (version 2.0). The hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (Cl) were computed using multivariate Cox regression analysis. In addition, plots of survival curves and subgroup analyzes were conducted. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were also used. 9741 participants were included in this investigation. The 90-days mortality was 32.8%, and the 1-year mortality was 42.0%. After controlling for confounders, the adjusted HRs (95% CI) for tertile 2 (2.2-3.8) and tertile 3 (> 3.8) were 1.37 (1.25-1.51) and 1.74 (1.58-1.91), respectively. The Kaplan-Meier curve analysis showed a higher probability of 90-days death in the higher APAR group. The area under the curve (AUC) of APAR was 0.674 and could reach 0.709 after combining the Oxford Acute Severity of Illness Score (OASIS). This study demonstrates that APAR is significantly related to bad clinical outcomes in sepsis.

Lactate dehydrogenase-to-albumin ratio: A superior inflammatory marker for predicting contrast-associated acute kidney injury after percutaneous coronary intervention

PURPOSE

Inflammation is commonly considered a mechanism underlying contrast-associated acute kidney injury (CA-AKI). This study aimed to explore the predictive capability of the novel inflammatory marker lactate dehydrogenase-to-albumin ratio (LAR) for CA-AKI following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and further compare it with other common inflammatory biomarkers.

METHODS

This study enrolled 5,435 patients undergoing elective PCI. The primary outcome was CA-AKI, and the secondary outcome was all-cause mortality. All patients were grouped into three groups based on the LAR tertiles.

RESULTS

Three hundred fifteen patients (5.8%) experienced CA-AKI during hospitalization. The fully adjusted logistic regression suggested a significant increase in the risk of CA-AKI in LAR Tertile 3 (odds ratio [OR]: 2.51, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.68-3.83, p < .001) and Tertile 2 (OR: 2.11, 95% CI: 1.42-3.20, p < .001) compared to Tertile 1. Additionally, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis demonstrated that LAR exhibited significantly superior predictive capability for CA-AKI compared to other inflammatory biomarkers. Regarding the secondary outcome, multivariate COX regression analysis showed a positive correlation between elevated LAR levels and all-cause mortality.

CONCLUSION

In patients undergoing elective PCI, LAR was significantly independently associated with CA-AKI, and it stood out as the optimal inflammatory biomarker for predicting CA-AKI.

The Association Between the Albumin-Bilirubin Score and Contrast-Associated Acute Kidney Injury in Patients Undergoing Elective Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

The albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) score is considered an effective and convenient scoring system for assessing liver function. We hypothesized that the ALBI score was predictive of contrast-associated acute kidney injury (CA-AKI) and long-term mortality in patients undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We retrospectively observed 5629 patients undergoing elective PCI. Contrast-associated acute kidney injury is defined as a 50% or 0.3 mg/dl increase in baseline serum creatinine levels within 48 h of contrast exposure. The incidence of CA-AKI was 6.2% (n = 350). After adjusting for potential confounding factors, multivariate analysis showed that the ALBI score was an independent predictor of CA-AKI (P = .002). A restricted cubic spline analysis confirmed approximately linear relationships between the ALBI score and risks of CA-AKI. Furthermore, at a median follow-up of 2.8 years, multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that the ALBI score was an independent risk factor for long-term mortality (P < .001). The ALBI score was closely related to the occurrence of CA-AKI and long-term mortality in patients who underwent elective PCI. This score might be useful for risk stratification in high-risk patient groups to predict CA-AKI.

C-Reactive Protein to Albumin Ratio as a Predictor of Contrast-Induced Nephropathy After Carotid Angiography

This study evaluated the role of the C-reactive protein (CRP)/albumin ratio (CAR) in estimating the probability of occurring contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) after carotid artery angiography (CAAG). Patients (n = 410) who had CAAG for carotid artery stenosis (CAS) were included in this study. A spike in serum creatinine was used to define CIN within 72 h of the procedure (>.5 mg/dL or >25% above baseline). CAR was calculated by dividing the CRP by the albumin level. Patients with CIN had higher numbers of white blood cells (P = .002), numbers of neutrophils (P = .007), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratios (P = .026), high-sensitivity CRP levels (P < .001), and CAR levels (P < .001) than those without CIN. They were also older (P < .001) and more likely to have diabetes mellitus (P = .006) and hypertension (P = .016). According to receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC) analysis, the CAR value has a 75% sensitivity and a 68% specificity for identifying CIN at a cutoff of 1.8. Also, NLR and CRP predicted CIN with 71% sensitivity and 67% specificity, 71% sensitivity and 66% specificity at the best cutoff values of 1.96 and 7.91, respectively. According the present study, in patients with CAS, the development of CIN after CAAG is independently correlated with CAR at admission.

Association of Hypoalbuminemia With Clinical Outcomes in Patients Admitted With Acute Heart Failure

Albumin is a protein produced by the liver essential for maintaining blood volume and regulating fluid balance. Hypoalbuminemia is characterized by low levels of albumin in the blood. It is also a marker of malnutrition-inflammatory syndrome. Several studies have demonstrated its prognostic role in patients with chronic heart failure; however, data regarding hypoalbuminemia in acute heart failure admissions are scarce. This study aims to analyze the relationship between hypoalbuminemia and heart failure. We used a retrospective cohort study surveying data from the 2016-2018 combined National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. Adult hospitalizations for heart failure patients were identified using the ICD-10 codes, stratified into cohorts with and without hypoalbuminemia. Primary outcomes were (1) in-patient mortality, (2) length of stay, and total hospital charge. We also reclassified the HF admissions with hypoalbuminemia to those with systolic or diastolic heart failure to compare any differences in mortality and other in-patient complications. Multivariate linear and logistic regression were used to adjust for confounders and to analyze the outcomes. There were 1,365,529 adult hospitalizations for Congestive Heart Failure (CHF), and among them 1,205,990 (88 %) had secondary diagnoses of hypoalbuminemia. Patients with comorbid hypoalbuminemia were, on average, 8 years older (P < 0.001), predominantly white race, and males (P-value <0.001). HF hospitalizations with hypoalbuminemia had double in-hospital mortality than those without (4.8% vs 2.7%, P < 0.001). However, there was no difference in mortality between patients with Systolic heart failure and Diastolic heart failure with concomitant low albumin levels (from 4.9 % vs 4.7%, P 0.13). We found that patients admitted with HF and concomitant Hypoalbuminemia (HA) had nearly twice the odds of in-patient mortality than those with normal albumin levels. The Length of Stay (LOS) was higher between comparison groups. THC remained statistically indifferent in patients regardless of albumin levels but was greater in hypoalbuminemic patients with Systolic heart failure than Diastolic heart failure ones.

Association between total bilirubin/Albumin ratio and all-cause mortality in acute kidney injury patients: A retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

The association between the total bilirubin/albumin (B/A) and the all-cause mortality of critically ill patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) remains unclear. This retrospective study aimed to investigate the relationship between B/A ratio and mortality in patients with AKI.

METHODS

The clinical data of AKI patients in the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III (MIMIC-III) database were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into the low and high B/A groups (B/A ≤ 0.25 and B/A > 0.25, respectively). The primary outcome was 28-day all-cause mortality, and the secondary outcomes were 60-day, 1-year and 4-year all-cause mortality. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox proportional risk models were constructed to evaluate the effect of B/A on survival outcomes.

RESULTS

The 28-day mortality rates were 18.00% and 25.10% in the low and high B/A groups, respectively (P < 0.001). The Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that patients with higher B/A values had higher all-cause mortality risk (log-rank P < 0.0001). The multivariate Cox proportional risk analysis showed that B/A was an independent risk predictor for death at 28 days, 60 days, 1 year, and 4 years.

CONCLUSION

B/A is an independent risk factor for increased mortality in patients with AKI and may be used as a predictor of clinical outcomes in AKI.

A new marker for the prediction of contrast induced-acute kidney injury following primary percutaneous coronary intervention: logarithm of haemoglobin-albumin product

BACKGROUND

Contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) is a disorder that adversely affects the prognosis of STEMI. The study aimed to assess the predictive value of a new marker, logarithm of haemoglobin and albumin product (LHAP) on the risk of CI-AKI development after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (p-pcı).

METHOD

We retrospectively enrolled 3057 patients with ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction who were treated with p-PCI. The primary outcome was CI-AKI, defined as >25% or >0.5 mg/dl increase of baseline creatinine values during post-procedural 48 h.

RESULTS

First, a baseline model was produced to determine the predictors of CI-AKI, then haemoglobin, albumin and LHAP were included in the base model and the performances of all models were compared. The predictive accuracy (Likelihood ratio χ2 and R2) and discrimination (ROC-AUC) of the model including LHAP were significantly higher than that of models including both albumin and Hgb. LHAP best cut-off value for the development of CI-AKI was 9.26 (sensitivity 68% and specificity 66%).

CONCLUSION

LHAP values were the most important predictor of CI-AKI, followed by creatinine value and Killip class. LHAP values are significantly associated with CI-AKI after p-PCI.

Predictive Value of Systemic Inflammation Score for Contrast-Associated Acute Kidney Injury and Adverse Outcomes Among Patients Undergoing Elective Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Purpose

Prior research has demonstrated a key role of systemic inflammatory state in the pathogenesis and progression of contrast-associated acute kidney injury (CA-AKI). Recently, the systemic inflammation score (SIS) has been introduced to evaluate the inflammatory status, utilizing the lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) and albumin. The primary objective of this study was to determine whether the SIS can predict CA-AKI and long-term prognosis in patients undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Patients and Methods

A total of 5726 patients who underwent elective PCI were included from January 2012 to December 2018. The primary outcome was CA-AKI, defined as an increase in serum creatinine (SCr) ≥0.3 mg/dl or ≥50% than baseline SCr within 48 h after the PCI procedure. The secondary outcome was long-term mortality. All patients were classified into low- and high-SIS groups.

Results

During hospitalization, 349 (6.1%) patients developed CA-AKI. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that patients in the high SIS group had a 1.47-fold higher risk of developing CA-AKI than those in the low SIS group [odds ratio (OR): 1.50, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.12-2.01, P =0.006]. Furthermore, the SIS showed the greatest prediction performance for CA-AKI compared with other inflammatory hematological ratios. In the multivariate Cox regression analysis, the high SIS group was found to be closely associated with long-term mortality [hazard ratio (HR): 1.58, 95% CI: 1.26-1.97, P <0.001, vs low SIS group]. The Kaplan-Meier curve analysis also demonstrated a difference in long-term mortality between the two groups (Log rank test, P <0.001).

Conclusion

The SIS was closely associated with CA-AKI and long-term mortality in patients after elective PCI. Thus, more attention should be paid to exploring the potential benefits of anti-inflammatory strategies in preventing CA-AKI and improving the prognosis of patients undergoing PCI.

The Value of C-reactive Protein/Albumin Ratio in the Prediction of Contrast-Induced Nephropathy in Emergency Department Patients

BACKGROUND

Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is the third most common cause of acute renal failure in hospitalized patients and is an important cause of prolonged hospital stay, morbidity, and mortality. We aimed to investigate the effectiveness and sufficiency of the prognostic capacity of the inflammatory biomarkers C-reactive Protein (CRP) and albumin ratio (CAR) in predicting the development of CIN in patients undergoing contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) imaging in the emergency department (ED).

METHODS

This study was performed on patients whose laboratory values ​​could be reached within 48 hours after contrast-enhanced CT imaging in the emergency department of our hospital. The patients were divided into two groups as those with and without CIN according to their increased creatinine levels. Its effectiveness in detecting the development of CIN in the early period was evaluated comparatively.

RESULTS

One hundred and twenty-five patients were included. CIN developed in 10.4% of the patients. The CAR was 0.19 (IQR: 0.17-0.33) in the group with CIN and 0.02 (IQR: 0.01-0.06) in the group without CIN; and the difference between the two groups was significant (p<0.001). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, it was found that the CAR increased as an independent risk factor for CIN (OR: 2.326; 95% CI: 1.39-3.893; p=0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

We think that early identification of patients who may develop CIN through the CAR in EDs and early initiation of treatment for CIN may affect the morbidity-mortality rate and reduce the duration of hospitalization and treatment costs.

Prognostic Value of the Red Blood Cell Distribution Width-to-Albumin Ratio in Critically Ill Older Patients with Acute Kidney Injury: A Retrospective Database Study

Background. There is no evidence suggesting that red blood cell distribution width-to-albumin ratio (RA) predicts outcomes in severely ill older individuals with acute kidney injury (AKI). We hypothesized that RA is associated with all-cause mortality in critically ill older patients with AKI. Methods. We recorded demographics, laboratory tests, comorbidities, vital signs, and other clinical information from the MIMIC-III V1.4 dataset. The primary endpoint was 90-day all-cause mortality, and the secondary endpoints were 30-day mortality, one-year mortality, renal replacement treatment (RRT), duration of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU), sepsis, and septic shock. We generated Cox proportional hazards and logistic regression models to determine RA’s prognostic values and subgroup analyses to determine the subgroups’ mortality. We conducted a Pearson correlation analysis on RA and C-reactive protein (CRP) in the cohort of patients from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University. Results. A total of 6,361 patients were extracted from MIMIC-III based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. RA levels directly and linearly correlated with 90-day all-cause mortality. After controlling for ethnicity, gender, age, and other confounding variables in multivariate analysis, higher RA was significantly associated with an increased risk of 30-day, 90-day, and one-year all-cause mortality as opposed to the reduced levels of RA (tertile 3 vs. tertile 1: hazard ratios (HRs), 95% confidence intervals (CIs): 1.70, 1.43–2.01; 1.90, 1.64–2.19; and 1.95, 1.72–2.20, respectively). These results suggested that elevated levels of RA were linked to an elevated risk of 30-day, 90-day, and one-year all-cause death. There was a similar trend between RA and the use of RRT, length of stay in ICUs, sepsis, and septic shock. The subgroup analysis did not reveal any considerable interplay among strata. When areas under the curve were compared, RA was a weaker predictor than the SAPS II score but a stronger predictor than red blood cell distribution width (RDW) or albumin alone ( $P<0.001$ ); RA combined with SAPS II has better predictive power than SAPS II alone ( $P<0.001$ ). The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University cohort showed that CRP positively correlated with RA, with a coefficient of 0.2607 ( $P<0.001$ ). Conclusions. RA was an independent prognostic predictor in critically ill older patients with AKI, and greater RA was linked to a higher probability of death. The risk of AKI is complicated when RRT occurs; sepsis and septic shock increase with RA levels.

What Promotes Acute Kidney Injury in Patients with Myocardial Infarction and Multivessel Coronary Artery Disease-Contrast Media, Hydration Status or Something Else?

Multivessel coronary artery disease (MVCAD) is found in approximately 50% of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Although we have data showing the benefits of revascularization of significant non-culprit coronary lesions in patients with AMI, the optimal timing of angioplasty remains unclear. The most common reason for postponing subsequent percutaneous treatment is the fear of contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI). Acute kidney injury (AKI) is common in patients with AMI undergoing PCI, and its etiology appears to be complex and incompletely understood. In this review, we discuss the definition, pathophysiology and risk factors of AKI in patients with AMI undergoing PCI. We present the impact of AKI on the course of hospitalization and distant prognosis of patients with AMI. Special attention was paid to the phenomenon of AKI in patients undergoing multivessel revascularization. We analyze the correlation between increased exposure to contrast medium (CM) and the risk of AKI in patients with AMI to provide information useful in the decision-making process about the optimal timing of revascularization of non-culprit lesions. In addition, we present diagnostic tools in the form of new biomarkers of AKI and discuss ways to prevent and mitigate the course of AKI.

Increased Serum Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index is Independently Associated With Severity of Carotid Artery Stenosis

Stroke is a significant contributor to morbidity and mortality. The present study investigated how the systemic immune inflammation index (SII) could be used to predict the likelihood of developing carotid artery stenosis (CAS), which can be seen using carotid artery angiography (CAAG). This study comprised 418 individuals who underwent CAAG for CAS. SII was calculated by multiplying the platelet count by the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR). The patients were divided into two groups: non-critical and critical CAS (stenosis below %70 and above ≥70%, respectively). Compared with the non-critical CAS, the critical CAS group had greater high sensitivity C-reactive protein levels (4.5 [3.1-5.7] vs 3.9 [2-5] [mg/L], P < .001), NLR (4.1 [2.9-7.5] vs 2.9 [1.8-3.7], P < .001), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (233 [110-297] vs 119 [96-197], P < .001), and SII (860 [608-2455] vs 604 [458-740], P < .001). Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve analysis demonstrated the best cutoff value of 672.3 for SII to predict the critical CAS with 71.2% sensitivity and 60.1% specificity. According to our study, an increase in SII is an independent predictor of the severity of CAS in patients undergoing CAAG.

A risk score model of contrast-induced acute kidney injury in patients with emergency percutaneous coronary interventions

Background

The previously built score models of contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) were principally founded on selective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) cases. Our study was to form a risk score model of CI-AKI and make a temporal validation in a population who underwent emergency PCIs.

Methods

We included patients who underwent emergency PCIs from 2013 to 2018 and divided them into the derivation and validation cohorts. Logistic regression analysis was harnessed to create the risk model. In this research, we defined CI-AKI as an increase in serum creatinine (SCr) ≥0.5 mg/dL (44.2 μmol/L) above baseline within seven days following exposure to contrast medium.

Results

A total of 3564 patients who underwent emergency PCIs were enrolled and divided into the derivation (2376 cases) and validation cohorts (1188 cases), with CI-AKI incidence of 6.61 and 5.39%, respectively. By logistic analysis, the CI-AKI risk score model was constituted by 8 variables: female (1 point), history of transient ischemic attack (TIA)/stroke (1 point), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) classification (1 point per class), big endothelin-1 (ET-1) classification (1 point per class), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) classification (1 point per class), intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) application (1 point), left anterior descending (LAD) stented (1 point), and administration of diuretic (2 points). The patients could be further divided into three groups: low-risk, moderate-risk, and high-risk groups, in accordance with the risk scores of 3–6, 7–10, and ≥11 points, and to the CI-AKI rates of 1.4, 11.9, and 42.6%. The CI-AKI risk score model performed well in discrimination (C statistic = 0.787, 95% CI: 0.731–0.844) and calibration ability, and showed a superior clinical utility.

Conclusion

We developed a simple CI-AKI risk score model which performs well as a tool for CI-AKI prediction in patients who underwent emergency PCIs.

Elevated Serum Uric Acid/Albumin Ratio as a Predictor of Post-Contrast Acute Kidney Injury After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients with ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Background

The serum uric acid/albumin ratio (sUAR), a novel inflammatory marker, effectively predicts acute kidney injury (AKI) and cardiovascular outcomes. However, whether the sUAR predicts post-contrast acute kidney injury (PC-AKI) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains uncertain. In this study, we evaluated the association between the sUAR and PC-AKI in patients with STEMI undergoing PCI.

Methods

We consecutively recruited patients with STEMI who underwent PCI and stratified them into three groups according to the terciles of the sUAR. The primary outcome was the incidence of PC-AKI. The association between the sUAR and PC-AKI was assessed by multivariate logistic regression analysis.

Results

A total of 2861 patients with STEMI were included in this study. The incidence of PC-AKI increased stepwise with increasing sUAR tercile (2.6% vs 4.0% vs 11.6%, p < 0.001), and the incidence of in-hospital major adverse clinical events (MACEs) was highest among patients in the Q3 group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the sUAR was also an independent predictor of PC-AKI (continuous sUAR, per 1-unit increase, odds ratio [OR] [95% confidence interval (CI)]: 1.06 [1.02-1.10], p = 0.005; tercile of sUAR, OR [95% CI] for Q2 and Q3: 1.18 [0.69-2.01] and 1.85 [1.12-3.06], respectively, with Q1 as a reference) but not in-hospital MACEs. In the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, the area under the curve (AUC) of the sUAR for predicting PC-AKI was 0.708 (95% CI: 0.666-0.751), and ROC analysis also showed that the sUAR was superior to uric acid and albumin alone in predicting PC-AKI.

Conclusion

Increasing sUAR was significantly associated with a higher risk of PC-AKI but not in-hospital MACEs in patients with STEMI who underwent PCI, suggesting that sUAR had a predictive value for PC-AKI after PCI in patients with STEMI. Further studies are required to confirm this finding.

The neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and serum albumin as predictors of acute kidney injury after coronary artery bypass grafting

Postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) is a highly prevalent and serious complication after cardiac surgery. The aim of this study is to identify the predictors of AKI and the cut-off values after isolated off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB). A total of 329 adult patients, who underwent isolated OPCAB between December 2008 and February 2021, were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into three groups: non-AKI, early AKI and late AKI groups. The early AKI group or the late AKI group were defined as ‘having AKI that occurred before or after 48 h postoperatively’, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the predictors of AKI. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to evaluate the cutoff value, the sensitivity, and the specificity of the predictors. On the multivariate analysis, the emergency surgery, the preoperative serum albumin, and the postoperative day 1 neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NL ratio) were identified as the independent predictors of AKI. However, neither albumin nor the NL ratio predicted late AKI. The present study showed the preoperative albumin and the postoperative day 1 NL ratio were the robust and independent predictors of postoperative early AKI in isolated OPCAB.

Prognostic Nutritional Index Predicts Contrast-Induced Nephropathy in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome

This study evaluated the effectiveness of prognostic nutritional index (PNI) in predicting contrast induced nephropathy (CIN) in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This study included 925 ACS patients (mean age 62.5 ± 12.4 years, 73.5% male); 604 were diagnosed as unstable angina pectoris/non–ST-elevation myocardial infarction (USAP/NSTEMI) and 321 as ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The PNI formula was: 10 × serum albumin (g/dL) + .005 × total lymphocyte count (/mm3). The patients were divided into two groups: CIN (n = 232) and non-CIN (n = 693). Patients without CIN had a significantly lower PNI than patients with CIN (44.3 ± 6.9 vs 54.7 ± 7.4; P < .001). In the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, the cut-off value for PNI of 48.6 has 80% specificity and 81% sensitivity in predicting CIN (area under the ROC curve (AUC): .87, 95% CI [.84–.89]). PNI <48.6 (odds ratio (OR): 6.765, P < .001), pre-procedural creatinine levels (OR: 6.223, P < .001), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (OR: .960, P < .001), age (OR: 1.025, P = .005), diabetes mellitus (DM) (0R: 1.768, P = .006), contrast amount (OR: 1.003, P = .038), and having STEMI (OR: .594, P = .029) were found independently associated with CIN. PNI is a strong independent predictor of CIN in ACS patients.

Low serum albumin: A neglected predictor in patients with cardiovascular disease

Albumin, the most abundant circulating protein in blood, is an essential protein which binds and transports various drugs and substances, maintains the oncotic pressure of blood and influences the physiological function of the circulatory system. Albumin also has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antithrombotic properties. Evidence supports albumin's role as a strong predictor of cardiovascular (CV) risk in several patient groups. Its protective role extends to those with coronary artery disease, heart failure, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, peripheral artery disease or ischemic stroke, as well as those undergoing revascularization procedures or with aortic stenosis undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement, and patients with congenital heart disease and/or endocarditis. Hypoalbuminemia is a strong prognosticator of increased all-cause and CV mortality according to several cohort studies and meta-analyses in hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients with or without comorbidities. Normalization of albumin levels before discharge lowers mortality risk, compared with hypoalbuminemia before discharge. Modified forms of albumin, such as ischemia modified albumin, also has prognostic value in patients with coronary or peripheral artery disease. When albumin is combined with other risk factors, such as uric acid or C-reactive protein, the prognostic value is enhanced. Although albumin supplementation may be a plausible approach, its efficacy has not been established and in patients with hypoalbuminemia, priority is focused on diagnosing and managing the underlying condition. The CV effects of hypoalbuminemia and relevant issues are considered in this review. Large cohort studies and meta-analyses are tabulated and the physiologic effects of albumin and the deleterious effects of low albumin are pictorially illustrated.

Low albumin levels are independently associated with neonatal acute kidney injury: a report from AWAKEN Study Group

BACKGROUND

Data from adult and pediatric literature have shown an association between albumin levels and AKI. Whether hypoalbuminemia and neonatal AKI are associated has not been studied.

METHODS

We evaluated the association of albumin with early (during the first postnatal week) and late (after the first postnatal week) AKI for 531 neonates from the Assessment of Worldwide AKI Epidemiology in Neonates (AWAKEN) database and for 3 gestational age (GA) subgroups: < 29, 29 to < 36, and ≥ 36 weeks GA.

RESULTS

Low albumin levels were associated with increased odds of neonatal AKI; for every 0.1 g/dL decrease in albumin, the odds of late AKI increased by 12% on continuous analysis. After adjustment for potential confounders, neonates with albumin values in the lowest quartiles (< 2.2 g/dL) had an increased odds of early [Adjusted Odd Ratio (AdjOR) 2.5, 95% CI = 1.1-5.3, p < 0.03] and late AKI [AdjOR 13.4, 95% CI = 3.6-49.9, p < 0.0001] compared to those with albumin in the highest quartile (> 3.1 g/dL). This held true for albumin levels 2.3 to 2.6 g/dL for early [AdjOR 2.5, 95% CI = 1.2-5.5, p < 0.02] and late AKI [AdjOR 6.4, 95% CI = 1.9-21.6, p < 0.01]. Albumin quartiles of (2.7 to 3.0 g/dL) were associated with increased odds of late AKI. Albumin levels of 2.6 g/dL and 2.4 g/dL best predicted early (AUC = 0.59) and late AKI (AUC = 0.64), respectively. Analysis of albumin association with AKI by GA is described.

CONCLUSIONS

Low albumin levels are independently associated with early and late neonatal AKI. Albumin could be a potential modifiable risk factor for neonatal AKI.

Effects of RAAS blocker use on AKI in elderly hypertensive STEMI patients with propensity score weighed method

Studies reported conflicting results on the effect of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) blocker use on acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients undergoing elective coronary angiography but association in elderly patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is not known. Also, there are limited data on the effect of inflammatory markers on AKI. We aimed to investigate the effects of RAAS blocker pretreatment and inflammatory markers on AKI in this population. A total of 471 patients were compared according to presence of RAAS blocker pretreatment at admission. Conventional and inverse probability weighed conditional logistic regression were used to determine independent predictors of AKI. Mean age of the study group was 75.4 ± 7.1 years and 29.1% of the patients were female. AKI was observed in 17.2% of the study population. Weighted conditional multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that AKI was associated with baseline creatinine levels and C-reactive protein/albumin ratio (CAR) (OR 2.08, 95% CI = 1.13-3.82, p = .02 and OR 1.19, 95% CI = 1.01-1.41, p = .04, respectively). No significant association was found between RAAS blocker pretreatment and AKI. CAR and elevated baseline creatinine levels were independent predictors of AKI in this patient group.

Association Between Different Versions of the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease Score and Contrast-Associated Acute Kidney Injury in Patients Undergoing Elective Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

BACKGROUND

Pre-procedure liver dysfunction was associated with acute kidney injury after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The aim of this study is to assess and compare the predictive value of different liver function scoring systems for contrast-associated acute kidney injury (CA-AKI) in patients undergoing elective PCI.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A total of 5,569 patients were retrospectively enrolled. The model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) including albumin (MELD-Albumin) score (AUC=0.661) had the strongest predictive value in comparison to the MELD score (AUC=0.627), the MELD excluding the international normalized ratio (MELD-XI) score (AUC=0.560), and the MELD including sodium (MELD-Na) score (AUC=0.652). In the fully adjusted logistic regression model, the MELD-Albumin score and the MELD-Na score were independently associated with CA-AKI regardless of whether they were treated as continuous or categorical variables; however, this was not the case for the MELD score and the MELD-XI score. Furthermore, the addition of the MELD-Albumin score significantly improved the reclassification beyond the fully adjusted logistic regression model. The study further explored the association between different versions of the MELD score and CA-AKI using restricted cubic splines and found a linear relationship between the MELD-Albumin score and the risk of CA-AKI.

CONCLUSIONS

The MELD-Albumin score had the highest predictive value for CA-AKI in patients undergoing elective PCI. The addition of the MELD-Albumin score to the existing risk prediction model significantly improved the reclassification for CA-AKI.

Predictive value of combining the level of fibrinogen and CHA2DS2-VASC Score for contrast-induced acute kidney injury in patients with acute coronary syndromes undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to investigate the value of preprocedural fibrinogen (FIB) combined with CHA2DS2-VASC scores in the risk prediction of contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS).

METHOD

A total of 934 patients (mean age 63.9 ± 11.5 years, and 32.1% female), who were admitted to our hospital for ACS and underwent PCI, were retrospectively enrolled. The patients were divided into two groups: non-CI-AKI group (n = 787) and CI-AKI group (n = 147). Contrast-induced acute kidney injury was defined as an increase of ≥ 0.5 mg/dL or ≥ 25% serum creatinine within 48-72 h after PCI. Spearman correlation analysis was used to determine the relationship between FIB and CHA2DS2-VASC scores.

RESULTS

Patients with high baseline FIB levels and high CHA2DS2-VASC scores had higher CI-AKI incidence. On spearman correlation analysis, FIB and CHA2DS2-VASC scores were positively correlated (R = 0.236, P < 0.001). The ROC statistical analysis showed that the combination had 63.3% sensitivity with 72.6% specificity for the development of CI-AKI (area under the curve: 0.727, 95% CI 0.697-0.755, P < 0.001). A total of 934 ACS patients were divided into low-risk group (404 cases), medium-risk group (383 cases) and high-risk group (147 cases) according to the cut-off values of FIB and CHA2DS2-VASC scores. The incidence of CI-AKI was higher in the high-risk group than in the low-risk and medium-risk groups (Log-rank χ2 = 104.505, 56.647. P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that albumin (OR = 0.913, 95% CI 0.867-0.962), FIB (OR = 1.451, 95% CI 1.185-1.77), CHA2DS2-VASC score (OR = 1.271, 95% CI 1.504-1.78) were the independent risk factors of CI-AKI (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The preprocedural fibrinogen combined with CHA2DS2-VASC score is independently associated with the risk of CI-AKI in ACS patients treated by PCI.

A New Predictor of Mortality in ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction: The Uric Acid Albumin Ratio

Several studies have shown that high uric acid (UA) and low serum albumin (SA) values increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We determined whether the uric acid/albumin ratio (UAR) is a predictor of mortality in STEMI patients. All patients who presented at our center with a diagnosis of STEMI and underwent percutaneous intervention from 2015 to 2020 were screened consecutively; 4599 patients were included. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to evaluate UAR, and adjusted predictors obtained from laboratory findings and clinical characteristics contributed to mortality. Also, a regression model was presented with a directed acyclic graph (DAG). The median age of the patients was 58 years (IQR [interquartile range]: 50–67); 3581 patients (77.9%) were male. The incidence of mortality in the entire patient group was 11.9%. Median follow-up duration of all groups was 42 months. Multivariate Cox proportional regression (model-1) analysis showed age (increase 50 to 67 years; HR [hazard ratio]: 1.34, 95% CI 1.18–1.52) and UAR (increase 1.15–1.73; HR: 1.33, 95% CI 1.16–1.52) were associated with mortality. UAR may be a prognostic factor for mortality in STEMI patients and an easily accessible parameter to identify high-risk patients.

A Novel Prediction Model of Acute Kidney Injury Based on Combined Blood Variables in STEMI

BACKGROUND

Development of acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with poor prognosis in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

OBJECTIVE

This study sought to investigate whether a combination of pre-procedural blood tests could predict the incidence of AKI in patients with STEMI.

METHODS

A total of 908 consecutive Japanese patients with STEMI who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention within 48 hours of symptom onset were recruited and divided into derivation (n = 617) and validation (n = 291) cohorts. A risk score model was created based on a combination of parameters assessed on routine blood tests on admission.

RESULTS

In the derivation cohort, multivariate analysis showed that the following 4 variables were significantly associated with AKI: blood sugar ≥200 mg/dL (odds ratio [OR]: 2.07), high-sensitivity troponin I >1.6 ng/mL (upper limit of normal ×50) (OR: 2.43), albumin ≤3.5 mg/dL (OR: 2.85), and estimated glomerular filtration rate <45 mL/min/1.73 m² (OR: 2.64). Zero to 4 points were given according to the number of those factors. Incremental risk scores were significantly associated with a higher incidence of AKI in both cohorts (P < 0.001). Receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis of risk models showed adequate discrimination between patients with and without AKI (derivation cohort, area under the curve: 0.754; 95% confidence interval: 0.733-0.846; validation cohort, area under the curve: 0.754; 95% confidence interval: 0.644-0.839).

CONCLUSIONS

Our novel laboratory-based model might be useful for early prediction of the post-procedural risk of AKI in patients with STEMI.

Relationship between CRP Albumin Ratio and the Mortality in Critically Ill Patients with AKI: A Retrospective Observational Study

Background

AKI is known to be associated with inflammation and nutritional status. The novel inflammatory prognostic score CAR (CRP/albumin ratio), which combines inflammation and nutritional status, was hypothesized to be associated with mortality in critically ill AKI patients in this study.

Methods

The included cases were patients admitted to the ICU of Shandong Provincial Hospital from January 2016 to November 2018 and diagnosed with AKI within 48 hours of ICU admission. From the electronic case database of Shandong Provincial Hospital, we extracted the baseline demographic information, vital signs, routine laboratory parameters, complications, and other data. The above records are measured within 48 hours of admission to ICU. The clinical endpoint was the total cause mortality rate in hospital and 2 years. We constructed two multivariate regression models to determine the statistically significant correlation between CAR and mortality and conducted subgroup analysis to determine the mortality among different subgroups.

Results

A total of 580 patients were included in this study. In multivariate regression analysis, higher CAR was associated with an increase in hospital and two-year all-cause mortality in critically ill patients with AKI after adjusting gender, age, respiratory frequency, temperature, and other confounding factors (tertile 3 versus tertile 1: OR, 95% CI: 2.97, 1.70-5.17; 3.03, 1.68-5.47, respectively; P < 0.001). Subgroup analysis showed that the CAR level in each subgroup increases with hospital mortality in critically ill patients with AKI.

Conclusion

The increase of CAR in critically ill patients with AKI was associated with an increased risk of all-cause death.

Linear Association Between Hypoalbuminemia and Increased Risk of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Critically Ill Adults

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text.

We hypothesized that low serum albumin would contribute to pulmonary edema formation, thereby independently increasing the risk of developing acute respiratory distress syndrome in critically ill patients.

Association between neutrophil percentage-to-albumin ratio and contrast-associated acute kidney injury in patients without chronic kidney disease undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention

BACKGROUND

Neutrophil and albumin are well-known biomarkers of inflammation, which are highly related to contrast-associated acute kidney injury (CA-AKI). We aim to explore the predictive value of neutrophil percentage-to-albumin ratio (NPAR) for CA-AKI and long-term mortality in patients without chronic kidney disease (CKD) undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

METHODS

We retrospectively observed 5083 consenting patients from January 2012 to December 2018. CA-AKI was defined as an increase in serum creatinine ≥50% or 0.3 mg/dL within 48 h after contrast medium exposure.

RESULTS

The incidence of CA-AKI was 5.6% (n=286). The optimal cut-off value of NPAR for predicting CA-AKI was 15.7 with 66.8% sensitivity and 61.9% specificity [C statistic=0.679; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.666-0.691]. NPAR displayed higher area under the curve values in comparison to neutrophil percentage (p < 0.001) and neutrophil-to-albumin ratio (NAR) (p < 0.001), but not albumin (p = 0.063). However, NPAR significantly improved the prediction of CA-AKI assessed by the continuous net reclassification improvement (NRI) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) compared to neutrophil percentage (NRI=0.353, 95% CI: 0.234-0.472, p < 0.001; IDI=0.017, 95% CI: 0.010-0.024, p < 0.001) and albumin (NRI=0.141, 95% CI: 0.022-0.260, p = 0.020; IDI=0.009, 95% CI: 0.003-0.015, p = 0.003) alone. After adjusting for potential confounding factors, multivariate analysis showed that NPAR >15.7 was a strong independent predictor of CA-AKI (odds ratio =1.90, 95% CI: 1.38-2.63, p < 0.001). Additionally, NPAR >15.7 was significantly associated with long-term mortality during a median of 2.9 years of follow-up (hazard ratio =1.68, 95% CI: 1.32-2.13; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

NPAR was an independent predictor of CA-AKI and long-term mortality in patients without CKD undergoing elective PCI.

Prognostic Nutritional Index Predicts Contrast-Associated Acute Kidney Injury in Patients with ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

BACKGROUND

Contrast-associated acute kidney injury (CA-AKI) previously known as contrast-induced nephropathy is associated with a worse prognosis in patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The prognostic nutritional index (PNI) is a simple index comprised of serum albumin level and lymphocyte count which reflects the immunonutritional-inflammatory status. Recently, clinical studies have shown associations between the PNI and clinical outcomes in several cardiovascular diseases. The aim of the study was to assess the possible utilization of the PNI to predict the development of CA-AKI after primary PCI.

METHODS

We retrospectively included 836 patients (mean age 58 ± 12 years, 76% men) with STEMI treated with primary PCI. The PNI was calculated as 10 × serum albumin (g/dL) + 0.005 × total lymphocyte count (per mm³). The patients were divided into two groups according to whether or not CA-AKI developed.

RESULTS

The overall incidence of CA-AKI was 9.4%. Compared to the patients without CA-AKI, those with CA-AKI had a significantly lower PNI value (40.7 ± 3.7 vs. 35.2 ± 4.9; p < 0.001). In receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the optimal cutoff value of the PNI to predict CA-AKI was 38, with 82% sensitivity and 70% specificity (area under the curve 0.836, p < 0.001). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, PNI < 38, body mass index and creatinine were independently associated with CA-AKI (odds ratio 11.275, 95% confidence interval 3.596-35.351; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The PNI was inversely and significantly associated with the development of CA-AKI in acute STEMI. Assessing PNI at admission may be useful for early risk stratification of STEMI patients.

C-Reactive Protein/Albumin Ratio Predicts Acute Kidney Injury in Patients With Moderate to Severe Chronic Kidney Disease and Non-ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

In this study, we aimed to evaluate the predictive value of admission C-reactive protein/albumin ratio (CAR) for acute kidney injury (AKI) in cases with moderate to severe chronic kidney disease (CKD) not on dialysis who presented with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and underwent coronary angiography (CAG). This cross-sectional and observational study included 420 NSTEMI patients. The study population was categorized based on the CAR tertiles as groups T1, T2, and T3. The primary outcome of the study was AKI development; 92 (21.9%) cases developed AKI. The frequency of AKI was significantly higher in the T3 group compared with the T2 and T1 groups (34% vs 17% vs 14%, P < .001). Age, estimated glomerular filtration rate, contrast media volume, and CAR (odds ratio: 1.36; 95% CI: 1.17-1.57; P < .01) were significant predictors of AKI. In a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, CAR levels >0.20 predicted AKI development with a sensitivity of 74% and a specificity of 45%. We observed that the CAR may be a promising inflammatory parameter for AKI in NSTEMI patients with moderate to severe CKD after CAG.

Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index Is a Predictor of Contrast-Induced Nephropathy in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

We evaluated the predictive value of admission systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) for the risk of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and SII (platelet × NLR) levels were calculated in 1621 consecutive patients with STEMI. The relationship of these parameters with CIN development within 72 hours of pPCI was analyzed. Of the study population, 343 (21.1%) cases developed CIN. The frequency of CIN was 11.1% in the first SII quartile, 11.6% in the second SII quartile, 26.8% in the third SII quartile, and 35% in the fourth SII quartile, which differed significantly between groups (P < .01). Age, baseline glomerular filtration rate, contrast media volume, hypertension, C-reactive protein levels, and the quartiles of SII were independent predictors of CIN. Patients in the third SII quartile versus first SII quartile (OR: 2.906, 95% CI, 1.903-4.437; P < .001), and fourth SII quartile versus first SII quartile (OR: 4.168, 95% CI, 2.754-6.313; P < .001) had a significantly higher risk for CIN in the multivariable model. The SII may be a promising inflammatory parameter to predict CIN after pPCI.

Association between Prognostic Nutritional Index and Contrast-Associated Acute Kidney Injury in Patients Complicated with Chronic Kidney Disease and Coronary Artery Disease

Background

Contrast-associated acute kidney injury (CA-AKI) is a major adverse effect of coronary angiography (CAG). Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and coronary artery disease (CAD) are at high risk of CA-AKI. This study aimed to investigate the association between prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and CA-AKI in this high-risk population.

Methods

This study enrolled a total of 4,391 patients. CA-AKI was defined as a serum creatinine increase ≥0.3 mg/dL or 50% from baseline within the first 48 hours following CAG. The PNI was calculated upon hospital admission: serum albumin (g/L) + 5 × total lymphocyte count (10⁹/L). PNI was analysed from the high level to low level as a continuous variable and categorical variable which was divided into four groups by quartile. Restricted cubic splines and logistic regression were applied.

Results

Overall, 13.09% (575/4391) of patients developed CA-AKI. PNI score was significantly lower in patients with CA-AKI than that in patients without CA-AKI (P < 0.01). The relationship between PNI score and CA-AKI was linear. A logistic regression model revealed that decreased PNI score was associated with increased risk of CA-AKI [per 1-point decrement; adjusted OR = 1.08, 95% CI, 1.05–1.09; compared with Quartile 1 (PNI ≥ 46.30), Quartile 4 (PNI < 37.90), adjusted OR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.41–2.51; and Quartile 3 (37.90 ≤ PNI < 42.15), adjusted OR = 1.37, 95% CI: 1.02–1.84].

Conclusion

Our study indicated a negative linear relationship between PNI score and CA-AKI in patients undergoing CAG complicated with CKD and CAD. It suggested that malnutrition is associated with increased risk of CA-AKI in this population.

Monocyte-to-albumin ratio as a novel predictor of long-term adverse outcomes in patients after percutaneous coronary intervention

Background: Monocyte count and serum albumin (Alb) have been proven to be involved in the process of systemic inflammation. Therefore, we investigated the prognostic value of monocyte-to-albumin ratio (MAR) in patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods: We enrolled a total of 3561 patients in the present study from January 2013 to December 2017. They were divided into two groups according to MAR cut-off value (MAR < 0.014, n=2220; MAR ≥ 0.014, n=1119) as evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The average follow-up time was 37.59 ± 22.24 months.

Results: The two groups differed significantly in the incidences of all-cause mortality (ACM; P<0.001), cardiac mortality (CM; P<0.001), major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs; P=0.038), and major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs; P=0.037). Multivariate Cox regression analyses revealed MAR as an independent prognostic factor for ACM and CM. The incidence of ACM increased by 56.5% (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.565; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.086–2.256; P=0.016) and that of CM increased by 76.3% (HR = 1.763; 95% CI, 1.106–2.810; P=0.017) in patients in the higher-MAR group. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis suggested that patients with higher MAR tended to have an increased accumulated risk of ACM (Log-rank P<0.001) and CM (Log-rank P<0.001).

Conclusion: The findings of the present study suggested that MAR was a novel independent predictor of long-term mortality in patients who underwent PCI.

Malnutrition and the risk for contrast-induced acute kidney injury in patients with coronary artery disease

PURPOSE

Malnutrition is a common comorbidity of coronary artery disease (CAD) and is often associated with adverse events. The malnutrition often means lower cholesterol, albumin and high lymphocyte, as risk factors of Contrast-Induced Acute Kidney Injury (CI-AKI). We aim to evaluate the association between malnutrition and CI-AKI following coronary angiography (CAG) in CAD patients.

METHODS

We analyzed 3170 CAD patients with variables of nutritional status (Controlling Nutritional Status score (CONUT)) from the prospective multicenter study, REICIN (NCT01402232) including 4,271 consecutive patients undergoing CAG from January 2013 to February 2016. Patients were divided into the normal group (CONUT score 0-1) and malnutrition group (CONUT score > 1). The association of malnutrition and the risk of CI-AKI was examined in all CAD patients using multivariable logistics regression analysis.

RESULTS

Among the 3170 patients (mean age: 63.1 ± 10.7 years), 1865 (58.8%) suffered from malnutrition, 111 (3.5%) developed CI-AKI, including 23 (1.76%) in normal group and 88 (4.72%) in malnutrition group (p < 0.01). The malnourished patients were older, and likely had anemia and worse cardiorenal function. After adjustment for confounders, the risk of CI-AKI was 1.04 times higher in the malnutrition group than in the normal group (adjusted OR: 2.04, 95% CI 1.28-3.38, p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Among CAD patients undergoing CAG, malnutrition is extremely common and associated with a double risk of CI-AKI. Further studies are needed to investigate the potential renal protection of intervening malnutrition in CAD patients.

Nutritional status and risk of contrast-associated acute kidney injury in elderly patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention

Background

This study aimed to investigate the connection between malnutrition evaluated by the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score and the risk of contrast-associated acute kidney injury (CA-AKI) in elderly patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods

A total of 1308 patients aged over 75 years undergoing PCI was included. Based on the CONUT score, patients were assigned to normal (0–1), mild malnutrition (2–4), moderate-severe malnutrition group (≥ 5). The primary outcome was CA-AKI (an absolute increase in ≥ 0.3 mg/dL or ≥ 50% relative serum creatinine increase 48 h after contrast medium exposure).

Results

Overall, the incidence of CA-AKI in normal, mild, moderate-severe malnutrition group was 10.8%, 11.0%, and 27.2%, respectively (p < 0.01). Compared with moderate-severe malnutrition group, the normal group and the mild malnutrition group showed significant lower risk of CA-AKI in models adjusting for risk factors for CA-AKI and variables in univariate analysis (odds ratio [OR] = 0.48, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.26–0.89, p = 0.02; OR = 0.46, 95%CI: 0.26–0.82, p = 0.009, respectively). Furthermore, the relationship were consistent across the subgroups classified by risk factors for CA-AKI except anemia. The risk of CA-AKI related with CONUT score was stronger in patients with anemia. (overall interaction p by CONUT score = 0.012).

Conclusion

Moderate-severe malnutrition is associated with higher risk of CA-AKI in elderly patients undergoing PCI.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10157-021-02061-4.

Serum albumin level for prediction of all-cause mortality in acute coronary syndrome patients: a meta-analysis

The prognostic utility of serum albumin level as a predictor of survival in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) has attracted considerable attention. This meta-analysis sought to investigate the prognostic value of serum albumin level for predicting all-cause mortality in ACS patients. A systematic literature search was conducted in Pubmed and Embase databases until 5 March 2019. Epidemiological studies investigating the association between serum albumin level and all-cause mortality risk in ACS patients were included. Eight studies comprising 21667 ACS patients were included. Meta-analysis indicated that ACS patients with low serum albumin level had an increased risk of all-cause mortality (risk ratio [RR] 2.15; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.68-2.75) after adjusting for important covariates. Subgroup analysis showed that the impact of low serum albumin level was stronger in hospital mortality (RR 3.09; 95% CI 1.70-5.61) than long-term all-cause mortality (RR 1.75; 95% CI 1.54-1.98). This meta-analysis demonstrates that low serum albumin level is a powerful predictor of all-cause mortality in ACS patients, even after adjusting usual confounding factors. However, there is lack of clinical trials to demonstrate that correcting serum albumin level by means of intravenous infusion reduces the excess risk of death in ACS patients.

Predictive Value of Hypoalbuminemia for Contrast-Associated Acute Kidney Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Contrast-associated acute kidney injury (CA-AKI) is a major adverse complication of intravascular administration of contrast medium. Current studies have shown that hypoalbuminemia might be a novel risk factor of CA-AKI. This systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the predictive value of hypoalbuminemia for CA-AKI. Relevant studies were identified in Ovid-Medline, PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library up to December 31, 2019. Two authors independently screened studies, consulting with a third author when necessary to resolve discrepancies. The pooled odds ratio (OR) was calculated to assess the association between hypoalbuminemia and CA-AKI using a random-effects model or fixed-effects model. Eight relevant studies involving a total of 18 687 patients met our inclusion criteria. The presence of hypoalbuminemia was associated with an increased risk of CA-AKI development (pooled OR: 2.59, 95% CI: 1.80-3.73). Hypoalbuminemia is independently associated with the occurrence of CA-AKI and may be a potentially modifiable factor for clinical intervention. This systematic review and meta-analysis was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42020168104).

Long-Term Follow-Up of Contrast-Induced Acute Kidney Injury: A Study from a Developing Country

Introduction

Contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) is a worldwide known complication related to the use of contrast media with either imaging or angiography; it carries its own complications and effect on both morbidity and mortality; early identification of patients at risk and addressing modifiable risk factors may help reducing risk for this disease and its complications.

Methods

This was a prospective observational study, where all patients admitted for cardiac catheterization between June 2015 and January 2016 were evaluated for CI-AKI. There were two study groups: contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) group, and noncontrast-induced acute kidney injury (non-CI-AKI) group.

Results

Patients (n = 202) were included and followed up for 4 years. Death and development of chronic kidney disease (CKD) need for another revascularization were the end points. The incidence of CI-AKI was 14.8%.In univariate analysis, age (P = 0.016) and serum albumin at admission (P = 0.001) were statistically significant predictors of overall death. Age (P = 0.002), HTN (P = 0.002), DM (P = 0.02), and the use of diuretics (P = 0.001) had a statistically significant impact on eGFR. The rate of recatheterization was not statistically significant between the two groups (61 (35.5%) for the non-CI-AKI vs. 12 (40%) for the other group; P = 0.63). Some inflammatory markers (NGAL P = 0.06, IL-19 P = 0.08) and serum albumin at admission P = 0.07 had a trend toward a statistically significant impact on recatheterization. Death (P = 0.66) and need for recatheterization (P = 0.63) were not statistically different between the 2 groups, while the rate of eGFR decline in for the CI-AKI was significant (P = 0.004).

Conclusion

CI-AKI is a common complication post percutaneous catheterization (PCI), which may increase the risk for CKD, but not death or the need for recatheterization. Preventive measures must be taken early to decrease the morbidity.

C-reactive Protein/Albumin Ratio and Acute Kidney Injury after Radical Cystectomy among Elderly Patients: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis

Background

The C-reactive protein (CRP)/albumin ratio is a useful index used to represent patient inflammation and nutritional status. Elderly patients are at the highest risk for acute kidney injury (AKI). We clarified the impact of the preoperative CRP/albumin ratio on AKI and evaluated the impact of postoperative AKI on end-stage renal disease (ESRD) among elderly cystectomy patients.

Methods

We included elderly patients ≥ 65 years of age who underwent radical cystectomy. Multivariate logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis were performed to identify risk factors for AKI. Propensity score-matched analysis and conditional logistic regression analysis were performed to elucidate the impact of the CRP/albumin ratio on AKI. The incidence of ESRD was compared between the non-AKI and AKI groups at 12 months after radical cystectomy.

Results

AKI occurred in 110 patients (32.2%). The CRP/albumin ratio and 6% hydroxyethyl starch amount were risk factors for postoperative AKI. The optimal cut-off value for the CRP/albumin ratio predicting AKI was 0.1. After propensity score matching, the AKI incidence in the CRP/albumin ratio ≥ 0.1 group was higher than that in the CRP/albumin ratio < 0.1 group (46.7% vs. 20.6%, P < 0.001), and a CRP/albumin ratio ≥ 0.1 was associated with a higher AKI incidence (odds ratio = 4.111, P < 0.001). The ESRD incidence was higher in the AKI group than in the non-AKI group (7.3% vs. 1.2%, P = 0.017).

Conclusion

A CRP/albumin ratio ≥ 0.1 was associated with an increased incidence of AKI, which was associated with higher ESRD incidence among elderly cystectomy patients.

Prognostic value of C-reactive protein/albumin ratio in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

Serum C-reactive protein (CRP)/albumin ratio (CAR) is demonstrated as a more precise marker in determining the prognosis of critical diseases than albumin and CRP levels, separately. Recently, inflammatory biomarkers are increasingly used for both screening and prognosis of coronary artery disease (CAD). As an ischemia-dependent risk index, CAR is an independent marker of in-hospital and long-term all-cause mortality in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with percutaneous coronary intervention. The results indicate that CAR is a more effective prognostic marker than either CRP or albumin.