Care Bundle for Acute Kidney Injury in Cardiac Patients: A Cluster-Randomized Trial

Detection and timely intervention of acute kidney injury (AKI) is a major challenge worldwide. Electronic alerts for AKI may improve process- and patient-related endpoints. The present study evaluated the efficacy of an AKI electronic alert system and care bundle. This is a two-arm, prospective, cluster-randomized, controlled trial enrolling patients with AKI (KDIGO criteria) and cardiac diseases. Patients were randomly assigned to a routine care group or intervention group (DRKS-IDDRKS00017751). Two hundred patients (age 79 years, 46% female) were enrolled, with 100 patients in each group. The primary endpoint did not differ between patients in the routine care group 0.5 (−7.6–10.8) mL/min/1.73 m(2) versus patients in the intervention group 1.0 (−13.5–15.1) mL/min/1.73 m(2), p = 0.527. Proportions of patients in both study groups with hyperkalemia, pulmonary edema, and renal acidosis were comparable. The stop of antihypertensive medication during hypotensive periods was more frequent in patients in the intervention group compared to patients in the control group, p = 0.029. The AKI diagnosis and text module for AKI in the discharge letter were more frequently documented in patients in the intervention group (40%/48% vs. 25%/34%, p = 0.034; p = 0.044, respectively). Continued intake of RAAS inhibitors and the presence of a cardiac device were independently associated with a less pronounced decrease in eGFR from admission to the lowest value. In this RCT, electronic alerts for AKI and a care bundle improved process- but not patient-related endpoints.