Predictive value of glycemic gap and stress glycemia ratio among critically ill patients with acute kidney injury: a retrospective analysis of the MIMIC-III database

Abstract Background and aims Acute hyperglycemia has been identified as a risk factor for acute kidney injury occurrence and mortality in various diseases. The aim of the current study was to investigate the relationship between stress-induced hyperglycemia and adverse outcomes in critically ill patients with AKI. Methods We extracted clinical data from Multiparameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care III version 1.4. Blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin during the first 24 h of ICU admission were used to calculate glycemic gap and stress hyperglycemia ratio (SHR). The outcomes included ICU mortality and need for renal replacement therapy. The association of the glycemic gap and SHR with outcomes were determined via logistic regression model and receiver-operating curves. The subgroup analysis of patients with and without diabetes was performed separately. Results Higher glycemic gap and SHR were observed in patients who had increased need of RRT, higher mortality rates and longer ICU stay. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that higher glycemic gap (OR 1.01, 95%CI 1.00-1.02, P = 0.015), as well as SHR (OR 1.32; 95%CI 1.07–1.64, P = 0.009), were independently associated with ICU mortality after adjusting for potential covariates. In subgroup analysis, the association of glycemic gap and SHR were only significant in the non-diabetic population as for the outcome of ICU mortality (OR 2.25, 95%CI 1.64–3.08, P