Predictors of Postoperative Acute Renal Failure after Noncardiac Surgery in Patients with Previously Normal Renal Function

Abstract

ACUTE renal failure (ARF) occurs in approximately 1–5% of all hospitalized patients and is increasingly prevalent.1–3 The development of ARF is known to increase cost, duration of stay, and mortality.1 There have been a variety of predictive models developed to risk stratify patients undergoing cardiac surgery.4,5 The few published data regarding ARF in a noncardiac surgery population are limited to high-risk aortic procedures.6,7 There are no large studies addressing renal dysfunction after noncardiac, nonvascular surgery. Cardiopulmonary bypass induces unique pathophysiology in cardiac surgery patients.8 As a result, it is inappropriate to assume that the risk factors for ARF after noncardiac surgery are the same as those after cardiac surgery. In addition, no study has focused on patients with previously normal measured renal function.