Preoperative EGFR and Rifle-Classified Postoperative AKI Predict Length of Stay Post Coronary Bypass Surgery in an Australian Setting

Abstract

Introduction: Mortality rate, the preferred post CABGS outcome measure, may have decreased so much that it is no longer a useful marker of quality. Renal dysfunction is common amongst CABGS candidates [1] and studies using estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), which is considered more reliable than serum creatinine, have shown that even mild degrees of preoperative renal dysfunction are associated with increased mortality and length of stay after cardiac surgery [1,2]. To classify change in renal function in the critically ill, the RIFLE criteria (acronym for degree of acute kidney injury (AKI): Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss, Endstage) have recently been validated [3].