Abstract:
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a highly fatal complication of malaria. We used the
Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) and Pediatric Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss,
End-Stage Kidney Disease (pRIFLE) guidelines to assess AKI among children. One hundred
children with Plasmodium falciparum malaria were recruited from the St. Andrew’s Catholic
Hospital. Admission and 48-h serum creatinine were estimated. Weight and height of the
participants were measured, and AKI status determined with the KDIGO and pRIFLE guidelines.
A questionnaire was used to collect the socio-demographic and clinical data of participants. Two
percent and 5% of the participants had AKI according to the KDIGO and pRIFLE criteria,
respectively. Per the KDIGO guidelines, 1% of the participants had Stage 2 and 1% also had
Stage 3 AKI. Four percent had Stage 1 (risk) and 1% had Stage 2 (injury) AKI per the pRIFLE
criteria. Participants with AKI were dehydrated, and neither had sepsis or on antibiotics when the
KDIGO guideline was used. Participants who had AKI were dehydrated, with 80% having sepsis
and 40% on antibiotics when the pRIFLE criteria were used. There was no association between
the KDIGO and pRIFLE criteria with respect to AKI status of participants (k = −0.029, P =
0.743). Two percent and 5% of the study participants had AKI when the KDIGO and pRIFLE
guidelines were used respectively. One percent of the participants had Stage 2 and 1% also had
Stage 3 AKI per KDIGO; 4% had Stage 1 (risk) and 1% had Stage 2 (injury) AKI per the
pRIFLE.
