Prediction of mortality and need for renal replacement therapy in patients of acute kidney injury using fibroblast growth factor 23.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) occurs in up to 50% of patients admitted to the intensive care units. Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23), which plays an important role in regulating phosphate, rises early in AKI. Few studies were conducted to correlate the level of FGF23 and adverse outcomes in AKI. The study was conducted on 30 participants with AKI, which was defined according to AKI network criteria, admitted to the Critical Care Department, Kasr El Aini Hospital, Cairo University between July 2016 and May 2017, and serum FGF23 was measured within 24 h of AKI onset to correlate the level of FGF23 with mortality and need for renal replacement therapy (RRT). Enrollment FGF23 levels were significantly higher among patients who died than in the survival group (mean level: 544.2 vs. 59.3 pg/mL, P = 0.004). Furthermore, FGF23 levels were significantly higher in patients who needed RRT than in other participants (mean level: 529.5 vs. 285.11 pg/mL, P = 0.04). There was a statistically significant positive relationship between FGF23 level and sequential organ failure assessment score (P = 0.03). In patients with AKI, higher FGF23 levels are associated with increased risk of mortality and need for RRT.