The histopathology of septic acute kidney injury: a systematic review
2008

The Histopathology of Septic Acute Kidney Injury

Sample size: 184 publication Evidence: low

Author Information

Author(s): Christoph Langenberg, Sean M Bagshaw, Clive N May, Rinaldo Bellomo

Primary Institution: Austin Hospital, University of Melbourne, University of Alberta Hospital

Hypothesis

What are the histopathological changes associated with septic acute kidney injury?

Conclusion

There are no consistent renal histopathological changes in human or experimental septic AKI, with ATN being relatively uncommon.

Supporting Evidence

  • Only 22% of patients had features suggestive of acute tubular necrosis (ATN).
  • In human studies, ATN was a relatively uncommon finding.
  • The majority of studies reported normal histology or only mild, nonspecific changes.

Takeaway

Doctors looked at kidney samples from sick patients to see if they had damage from sepsis, but they found that most kidneys looked normal or only a little damaged.

Methodology

A systematic review of studies describing kidney histopathology in septic AKI was performed using multiple databases.

Potential Biases

Potential biases due to late sampling and confounding factors in study designs.

Limitations

The study sample was small and varied in design, with many studies being observational and lacking controls.

Participant Demographics

Included both human and animal studies, with a total of 184 patients and various animal models.

Statistical Information

P-Value

0.43

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/cc6823

Want to read the original?

Access the complete publication on the publisher's website

View Original Publication