Kidney Replacement Therapies and Outcomes in Children With Crush Syndrome–Associated Kidney Injury

Importance This study addresses the characteristics, kidney replacement therapy (KRT) modalities, and outcomes in children diagnosed with crush syndrome following an earthquake in Turkey. Objective To analyze the associations of different KRT modalities with long-term dialysis dependency and length of stay (LOS) in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Design, Setting, and Participants This multicenter, prospective, and retrospective cohort study was conducted across 20 PICUs in Turkey. Participants included children diagnosed with crush syndrome after the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquake, and eligibility criteria included age, diagnosis, and need for KRT. Data were analyzed from August to October 2024. Exposure Children diagnosed with crush syndrome who underwent KRT. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was dialysis dependency at discharge. Secondary outcomes included LOS in the PICU. Results The study included 183 pediatric patients (median [IQR] age, 158 (108-192) months; 49 [54.4%] males) with earthquake-related injury, of whom 90 required KRT. The median (IQR) time under the rubble was 25.7 (1-137) hours. At admission, 51 patients (56.6%) had stage 3 acute kidney injury, and the median (IQR) serum creatinine phosphokinase level was 15 555 (9386-59 274) IU/L. There was a significant association between the Kidney Disease—Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) stage at admission and serum creatinine phosphokinase level (area under the curve, 0.750; 95% CI, 0.621-0.879; P < .001). Among patients undergoing KRT, 33 (36.7%) received continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration, and 23 (25.6%) underwent intermittent hemodialysis (IHD). IHD treatment was the only independent factor associated with shorter PICU LOS (odds ratio [OR], 6.87; 95% CI, 1.54-30.67; P = .01). The dialysis dependency at discharge was higher in children who were transferred late to the PICU (β = 0.003; 95% CI, 0.001-0.005; P < .001) and those with a high Pediatric Trauma Score (β = 0.022; 95% CI, 0.003-0.041; P = 02). IHD was not statistically significantly associated with remaining dialysis-dependent at discharge (OR, 2.18; 95% CI, 0.53-8.98; P = .28). The overall mortality rate in the cohort was 6 patients (6.6%). Conclusions and Relevance This cohort study found that children who were transferred late to intensive care and those with a high trauma score after earthquake-related crush injury were more likely to remain dialysis-dependent at discharge. Furthermore, KDIGO stage at admission was associated with elevated serum creatinine phosphokinase levels. These findings highlight the critical importance of early intervention and appropriate treatment in children with AKI following prolonged entrapment.