American journal of kidney diseases : the official journal of the National Kidney Foundation
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Multicenter Study
Acute Kidney Injury With Ventricular Assist Device Placement: National Estimates of Trends and Outcomes.
Ventricular assist devices (VADs) are used for end-stage heart failure not amenable to medical therapy. Acute kidney injury (AKI) in this setting is common due to heart failure decompensation, surgical stress, and other factors. Little is known about national trends in AKI diagnosis and AKI requiring dialysis (AKI-D) and associated outcomes with VAD implantation. We investigated national estimates and trends for diagnosed AKI, AKI-D, and associated patient and resource utilization outcomes in hospitalizations in which implantable VADs were placed. ⋯ A decreasing proportion of patients undergoing VAD implantation experience AKI-D, but mortality among these patients remains high. AKI diagnosis with VAD implantation is increasing, possibly reflecting changes in AKI surveillance, awareness, and coding.