Acute renal failure is associated with higher death and disability in patients with acute ischemic stroke: analysis of nationwide inpatient sample.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Acute renal failure (ARF) in setting of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is associated with worse outcome. We sought to determine the prevalence of ARF and effect on outcomes of patients with AIS. METHODS Data from all patients admitted to US hospitals between 2002 and 2010 with a primary discharge diagnosis of ischemic stroke and secondary diagnosis of ARF were included. The effect of ARF on rates of intracerebral hemorrhage and discharge outcomes was analyzed after adjusting for potential confounders using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS Of 7,068,334 patients with AIS, 372,223 (5.3%) had ARF during hospitalization. Dialysis was required in 2364 (0.6%) of 372,223 patients. Patients with AIS with ARF had higher rates of moderate to severe disability (41.3% versus 30%; P<0.0001), intracerebral hemorrhage (1.0% versus 0.5%; P<0.0001), and in-hospital mortality (8.4% versus 2.9%; P<0.0001) compared with those without ARF. After adjusting for confounding factors, patients with AIS with ARF had higher odds of moderate to severe disability (odds ratio, 1.3; 95% confidence interval, 1.3-1.4; P<0.0001), intracerebral hemorrhage (odds ratio, 1.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.3-1.6; P<0.0001), and death (odds ratio, 2.2; 95% confidence interval, 2.0-2.2; P<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS ARF in patients with AIS is associated with significantly higher rates of moderate to severe disability at discharge and in-hospital mortality.