Mortality predictors in recipients developing acute respiratory distress syndrome due to pneumonia after kidney transplantation.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to investigate the risk factors related to hospital mortality due to infection in kidney recipients with ARDS meeting the Berlin definition.

METHODS: Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to confirm the independent risk factors related to infection-associated mortality.

RESULTS: From January 2001 to August 2014, a total of 94 recipients with acute respiratory dress syndrome (ARDS) caused by pneumonia following kidney transplantation were enrolled in the present study. The most common type of infection was bacterial (52/94; 55.3%), viral (25/94; 26.6%), and polymicrobial (14/94; 14.9%). The most common ARDS was diagnosed within 6 months after transplantation (76/94; 80.9%). There were 39 deaths in these recipients (39/94; 41.5%). Eleven (11.7%) patients had mild, 47 (50.0%) moderate, and 36 (38.3%) severe ARDS; mortality was 27.3, 27.7, and 63.9%, respectively. The independent predictors of infection-related mortality were serum creatinine level >1.5 mg/dL at ARDS onset (OR 3.5 (95%CI 1.2-10.1), p = 0.018) and severe ARDS (OR 3.6 (95%CI 1.4-9.7), p = 0.009) in the multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSION: Infection-related mortality in kidney transplant patients with ARDS was associated with high serum creatinine level and severe ARDS.