Low antithrombin levels accompanied by high urine protein/creatinine ratios are predictive of acute kidney injury among CS patients with preeclampsia

Abstract

Objectives

Previous acute kidney injury (AKI) is reportedly a risk factor for future preeclampsia (PE), and PE in current pregnancies may trigger the onset of AKI. In this study, we identified risk factors for AKI among Cesarean section (CS) patients with PE.

Methods

We performed a retrospective study at a single center. Among 4602 deliveries between January 2017 and July 2018, 944 women underwent CS. Of these, 90 women had hypertensive disorders during their pregnancies, with 53 diagnoses of PE and 37 diagnoses of gestational hypertension. Medical records of the 90 women were reviewed retrospectively.

Results

The rate of AKI was significantly higher in the PE group than in the GH group (17 versus 3%, p < .05). Univariate analyses of the PE group identified low preoperative serum albumin levels, low antithrombin III (ATIII) activities, and urine protein/creatinine ratios (U-P/Cr) as significant predictors of AKI. Cutoff values for these factors were calculated using ROC analyses, and the combination of ATIII and U-P/Cr, which were poorly correlated, was predictive of AKI. Specifically, the proportion of AKI in patients with low ATIII-high U-P/Cr was 50% (7/14), higher than that among patients with high ATIII-low U-P/Cr (0%, 0/19, p < .05), low ATIII-low U-P/Cr (10%, 1/10, p < .05), and high ATIII-high U-P/Cr (10%, 1/10, p < .05).

Conclusions

These data demonstrate that lower preoperative serum albumin levels, ATIII activities, and heavy proteinuria among CS patients with PE are risk factors for AKI.

Keywords:

• Acute kidney injury
• antithrombin
• preeclampsia
• proteinuria; hypoalbuminemia

Acknowledgments

The authors thank medical colleagues in Aiiku Hospital.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.