Increased risk of dementia in patients hospitalized for acute kidney injury

Acute kidney injury (AKI) causes biochemical changes in the brain in animal models and is associated with adverse neurological complications in hospitalized patients. While there is no known cure, early detection for dementia remains one of the most important factors in positive outcomes for both patients and families. Understanding the long-term consequences of AKI and the potential risk factors for dementia is vital in the context of public health.

Using data from a community-based cohort of participants enrolled in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study, researchers found that participants with hospitalizations for AKI were at higher risk of dementia than those without such hospitalizations. This study, published in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases (AJKD), suggests that persons hospitalized for AKI may constitute a high-risk population that warrants greater monitoring with the hope that early diagnosis may lead to better outcomes.

AUTHORS: Sarah Tung, BS, Jessica Kendrick MD, MPH, Aditya Surapaneni, PhD, Johannes B. Scheppach, MD, Josef Coresh, PhD, Rebecca Gottesman, MD, PhD, A. Richey Sharrett, MD, DrPH, Natalie Daya, MPH, and Morgan E. Grams, MD, PhD

DOI: 10.1053/j.ajkd.2022.02.015