The Prognostic Importance of a Small Acute Decrement in Kidney Function in Hospitalized Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background Recently, acute kidney injury defined by small changes in serum creatinine levels was associated with worse short-term outcomes; however, the precision and variability of this association was not fully explored. Study Design Systematic review and meta-analysis. Setting & Participants Hospitalized patients. Selection Criteria for Studies MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched for observational cohort studies and randomized controlled trials published from 1990 through February 2007 that provided information for small changes in serum creatinine levels. Predictor Small acute changes in serum creatinine levels by absolute and percentage of changes in serum creatinine levels (lower threshold for increase in serum creatinine