Estimated glomerular filtration rate predicts 30-day mortality in medical emergency departments: Results of a prospective multi-national observational study

BackgroundRenal failure is common in patients seeking help in medical emergency departments. Decreased renal function is associated with increased mortality in patients with heart failure or sepsis. In this study, the association between renal function (reflected by estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at the time of admission) and clinical outcome was evaluated.Methods/ObjectivesData was used from a prospective, multi-national, observational cohort of patients treated in three medical emergency departments of tertiary care centers. The eGFR was calculated from the creatinine at the time of admission (using the Chronic Kidney Disease-Epidemiology Collaboration equation,CKD-EPI). Uni- and multivariate regression models were used for eGFR and 30-day mortality, in hospital mortality, length of stay and intensive care unit admission rate.Results6983 patients were included. The 30-day mortality was 1.8%, 3.5%, 6.9%, 11.1%, 13.6%, and 14.2% in patients with eGFR of above 90, 60–89, 45–59, 30–44, 15–29, and 2, respectively. Using multivariate regression, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) was 2.31 (for 15–29 ml/min/1.73m2, 95% confidence interval 1.36 to 3.90, p = 0.002) and 3.73 (for eGFR 2 as compared to >90 ml/min/1.73m2, 95% CI 2.04 to 6.84, p2 decrease in eGFR the OR for the 30-day mortality was 1.15 (95% CI1.09 to 1.22, pConclusionReduced eGFR at the time of admission is a strong and independent predictor for adverse outcome in this large population of patients admitted to medical emergency departments.