Persistent acute kidney injury: Postoperative impact and predictors in patients undergoing liver resection

Abstract Aim Persistent acute kidney injury (AKI) has not been investigated in patients undergoing liver resection. We aimed to identify the predictors of persistent AKI, its effect on postoperative outcomes and long‐term renal function in patients following liver resection, and its impact on survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods We examined 990 patients who underwent liver resection, including a subgroup analysis of 384 patients with curative resection for initial HCC. Persistent AKI was defined as residual impairment of serum creatinine ≥ 0.3 mg/dL or ≥50% from baseline 1 month after surgery. Results The persistent AKI group had significantly worse postoperative outcomes, including overall morbidity, major morbidity, longer hospital stay, and 90‐day mortality. In the subgroup analysis of patients with HCC, persistent AKI was associated with a significantly poorer overall survival (OS) rate ( p < 0.001), and the multivariate analysis confirmed persistent AKI as an independent poor prognostic factor for OS ( p = 0.005). The long‐term postoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate decline was significantly greater in the persistent AKI group than in the no AKI and transient AKI groups ( p < 0.001 for both). Chronic kidney disease, albumin–bilirubin grade ≥2, and anatomical resection were independent predictors of persistent AKI ( p = 0.001, p = 0.039, and p = 0.015, respectively). Conclusions Persistent AKI adversely affects postoperative outcomes and long‐term renal function in patients undergoing liver resection. Furthermore, it is associated with poor prognosis in patients with HCC. Therapeutic strategies to prevent persistent AKI are critical for improving postoperative outcomes in these patients.