Postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) has been investigated as an important contributor to postoperative morbidity and mortality after cardiovascular surgery. Also, temporary worsening of renal function after aortic surgery is associated with higher long-term mortality. Although the associations between AKI and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in medical or other surgical settings were reported, only a few studies evaluated this relationship in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. More specifically, the association of the severity or duration of AKI with the risk of the development of new-onset CKD after cardiac surgery has not been clearly elucidated.
It would be important to find predictors of the long-term renal function or risk factors for the development of CKD after cardiac surgery because postoperative management of high-risk patients to develop long-term renal dysfunction may prevent further deterioration in renal function and improve patient prognosis.
The investigators aimed to evaluate (1) the long-term renal function after cardiac surgery and (2) the association between the duration and stage of acute kidney injury (AKI) and the development of chronic kidney disease during postoperative three years in patients undergoing cardiac or thoracic aortic surgery.
