Effect of cumulative fluid balance on acute kidney injury and patient outcomes after orthotopic liver transplantation: A retrospective cohort study

Aim: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a serious complication following orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) and it affects long-term patient survival. The aims of this study were to identify the effects of cumulative fluid balance (FB) on early post-OLT AKI and adverse outcomes and to construct a model to predict AKI. Methods: We retrospectively analysed 146 adult patients who underwent OLT. AKI severity was classified according to the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the association between cumulative FB and post-OLT AKI. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate the survival rate. Results: Within the perioperative period of 72 hours, 50% (66/132) of patients developed AKI, with 36 (54%), 16 (24%) and 14 (21%) patients having AKI stages 1, 2 and 3, respectively. The cumulative FB was the risk factors for post-OLT AKI (odds ratio [OR], 1.011; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.156~6.001; P =.021). Preoperative albumin was a protective factor for post-OLT AKI (OR, 0.309; 95% CI, 0.140~0.731; P =.007). The AKI group requires renal replacement therapy (RRT) more (15.2% vs 0%, P =.001) and associated with postoperative complications (56% vs 28.8%, P =.003). The complication-free survival was lower in the AKI group ([11.90 vs 18.74] months, χ² = 9.60, P =.002). Conclusion: Cumulative FB within 72 hours is associated with post-OLT AKI and requires RRT. Cumulative FB impacts the long-term complication-free survival of the recipients.