Objective Hyperchloremia is frequently observed in critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). Our study aimed to examine the association of serum chloride (Cl) levels with hospital mortality in septic ICU patients. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Urban academic medical center ICU. Patients ICU adult patients with severe sepsis or septic shock who had Cl measured on ICU admission were included. Those with baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate < 15 ml/min/1.73 m2 or chronic dialysis were excluded. Intervention: None. Measurements and Main Results Of 1940 patients included in the study, 615 (31.7%) had hyperchloremia (Cl ≥ 110 mEq/L) on ICU admission. All-cause hospital mortality was the dependent variable. Cl on ICU admission (Cl0), Cl at 72 h (Cl72), and delta Cl (ΔCl = Cl72 – Cl0) were the independent variables. Those with Cl0 ≥ 110 mEq/L were older and had higher cumulative fluid balance, base deficit, and sequential organ failure assessment scores. Multivariate analysis showed that higher Cl72 but not Cl0 was independently associated with hospital mortality in the subgroup of patients with hyperchloremia on ICU admission [adjusted odds ratio (OR) for Cl72 per 5 mEq/L increase = 1.27, 95% CI (1.02–1.59), P = 0.03]. For those who were hyperchloremic on ICU admission, every within-subject 5 mEq/L increment in Cl72 was independently associated with hospital mortality [adjusted OR for ΔCl 5 mEq/L = 1.37, 95% CI [1.11–1.69], P = 0.003]. Conclusions In critically ill septic patients manifesting hyperchloremia (Cl ≥110 mEq/L) on ICU admission, higher Cl levels and within-subject worsening hyperchloremia at 72 h of ICU stay were associated with all-cause hospital mortality. These associations were independent of base deficit, cumulative fluid balance, acute kidney injury, and other critical illness parameters.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) occurs frequently in septic patients. Albuminuria may play a role as an early marker of septic AKI. The potential association between de novo dipstick albuminuria (DA) and septic AKI has not been examined. Methods: We conducted a single-center observational cohort study of 423 critically ill septic patients without chronic kidney disease (CKD) or prior positive DA within 3 months before admission.The association betweende novo DA within the first 24 h of presentation and AKI at 72 h was examined. Results: AKI was identified in 268/423 (63%) patients and 20/423 (4.7%) required dialysis. De novo DA was associated with AKI (univariate OR 1.91; 95% CI 1.27-2.86, p = 0.002). The association persisted in a multivariate logistic regression model adjusted for demographics, baseline kidney function, comorbidities, critical illness parameters, and exposure to nephrotoxins (adjusted OR 1.87; 95% CI 1.21-2.89, p = 0.005). The association between de novo DA and AKI was stronger for severe AKI, i.e. Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) stage 3 (adjusted OR 2.99; 95% CI 1.52-5.85, p = 0.001) and AKIN stage 2 (adjusted OR 1.79; 95% CI 1.002-3.21, p = 0.049) but not AKIN stage 1 (adjusted OR 1.41; 95% CI 0.87-2.29, p = 0.16). Conclusions: De novo DA within the first 24 h of admission was independently associated with severe AKI in critically ill septic patients. Future studies are required to fully elucidate the utility of DA testing in the early detection and stratification of AKI.