Acute Kidney Injury and Abruptio Placentae: An Avoidable Association

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency of acute kidney injury (AKI) and its associated risk factors among patients with abruptio placentae at Liaquat University Hospital, Hyderabad.

Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Liaquat University Hospital, Hyderabad. Pregnant women diagnosed with abruptio placentae, irrespective of age or parity, were included. The enrolled women were managed according to institutional standard obstetric protocols for placental abruption. Serum creatinine levels and urine output were monitored serially throughout the hospital stay to assess the development of AKI. All data were entered and analysed using SPSS version 20.

Results: The mean age of the participants was 27.73 ± 4.59 years, the mean gestational age was 32.86 ± 4.41 weeks, and the mean body mass index (BMI) was 21.97 ± 3.21 kg/m². Most patients (81.2%) were from rural areas. Overall, AKI was observed in 13.0% of patients with abruptio placentae. It was more frequent among women of advanced age, those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, those residing in rural areas, and unbooked patients; however, these associations were not statistically significant (p>0.05). In contrast, higher BMI and the presence of hypertensive disorders were significantly associated with AKI (p<0.05).

Conclusion: AKI was a relatively frequent and clinically significant complication of abruptio placentae. Its occurrence was associated with higher BMI and hypertensive disorders, while rural residence, unbooked status, and lower socioeconomic status were also observed more frequently among women who developed AKI.

Keywords: Acute kidney injury, frequency, risk factors, abruptio placentae.