The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence, risk factors and prognosis of acute kidney injury (AKI) in critically ill patients after craniotomy.

This was a prospective, single-center, cohort study that included adult patients who were admitted to the ICU of Beijing Tiantan Hospital from January 2017 to December 2018 after craniotomy and had a stay in the ICU for ≥ 24 hours (patients with preoperative AKI were excluded). Data collected included patient demographics (age, gender, underlying diseases, baseline serum creatinine, etc.), primary diagnosis, perioperative information, disease severity scores, as well as the occurrence of hypernatremia and hyperchloremia within 48 hours after ICU admission. For patients with AKI, pre-AKI sepsis and shock, and the recovery of renal function were recorded. All patients were followed until discharge, and information about prognosis was recorded. Multivariate regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors of AKI.

Inclusion Criteria:

• patients underwent craniotomy
• admitted into ICU ward and the ICU length of stay ≥24h

Exclusion Criteria:

• Age< 18 years;
• Patients with pre-existing acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease undergoing long-term renal replacement therapy (RRT) .

Adult patients who underwent craniocerebral operation and admitted into intensive care unit (ICU) between January 2017 and December 2018 were consecutively screened. Patients developed AKI after ICU admission were deemed as cases, and those without AKI were included in the control group.