Vol. 7, Issue 2, Part B (2025)

Background: Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) in neonates is an increasingly recognized complication associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Early identification of risk factors and prompt management can improve neonatal outcomes. The present study was undertaken to find out incidence and related risk factors causing AKI in neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of a tertiary health care hospital.
Methods: This prospective cross-sectional observational study was conducted in the Department of Pediatrics at a tertiary care center in Central India from January 2021 to December 2022. A total of 307 neonates admitted to the NICU were enrolled in the study. Serum creatinine and urine output were measured as per NICU protocol, and AKI was diagnosed using neonatal RIFLE (nRIFLE) criteria. Relevant clinical, demographic, and biochemical parameters were recorded and analyzed.
Results: The incidence of AKI was 10.42%. According to nRIFLE criteria, 53.12% of neonates were in the “Risk” group, 40.62% in the “Injury” group, and 6.25% in the “Failure” group. Significant risk factors associated with AKI were sepsis, shock, birth asphyxia, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), and maternal PIH. Neonates with AKI had a higher mean serum creatinine (1.31±0.15 mg/dL) and significantly higher mortality (43.75%) compared to those without AKI (16.36%).
Conclusion: The incidence of AKI among NICU-admitted neonates was substantial, with sepsis, shock, and asphyxia as key contributors. Early identification and management of high-risk neonates can reduce AKI-related morbidity and mortalitylevel.