Implementation of a new definition for acute kidney injury in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Project: What is the impact?

Background: The National Surgical Quality Improvement Project is the preeminent surgical quality database, but it undercaptures acute kidney injury. Recently, the National Surgical Quality Improvement Project lowered the thresholds for acute kidney injury for the first time, so we assessed the impact of implementing the definition change on the rate of acute kidney injuries.Methods: For this interrupted time series analysis, we assembled 2 institutional National Surgical Quality Improvement Project files to identify adults undergoing inpatient noncardiac nonvascular surgery. The acute kidney injury definition changed on July 1, 2021, so patients were stratified by their operative date into 12-month pre and post groups. Weighted covariate propensity score matching and logistic regres-sion were used to balance the periods and compare outcomes.Results: In total, 4,784 adults were eligible (55% pre and 45% post change). The overall rate of post-operative outcomes was similar, aside for acute kidney injury (pre 0.3%, post 5.6%, P < .0001). Regardless of the period, patients with acute kidney injuries had significantly longer lengths of stay and morbidity and mortality rates compared to those without an acute kidney injury. After the definition change, 81% of acute kidney injuries were stage I, and none were identified by urine output alone. After matching, surgery after the definition change was associated with an increased weighted odds of an acute kidney injury compared to surgery before the change (odds ratio 26.2; 95% confidence interval, 12.1-56.8). Conclusion: In the year after the definition change, there was a 1,700% relative increase in the rate of reported acute kidney injuries. Newly identified acute kidney injuries are associated with high complication rates, and this definition change has implications for patient counseling, research, and quality reporting.& COPY; 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The impact of a definition change on the rate of acute kidney injuries in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Project was assessed. The study found a 1,700% relative increase in the rate of reported acute kidney injuries after the definition change. Newly identified acute kidney injuries were associated with high complication rates, highlighting the importance of the definition change for patient counseling, research, and quality reporting.