How long does AKI last?
- 10-14 days.
- Renal recovery. Most patients recover (if they survive), and the kidney function usually returns to the baseline level. This usually happens in 10-14 days, and for most people by three weeks. A small number take upto 3 months
- If the patient is on dialysis at 3 months, this is not a good sign, and you should start making plans for long-term dialysis or a kidney transplant.
Other aspects of prognosis
- Mortality. The mortality is high. Overall it is over 10% (double the ‘normal’ mortality for a medical admission); 30% if transferred to a renal ward and 50% if dialysis is required there. If the patient is on ICU (and on ventilator) the mortality is higher again (70%)
- Length of hospital stay: AKI doubles hospital stay and increases readmission rate
- Repeat AKI episodes. Some patients (especially those with CKD3A or worse at baseline) are at risk of repeat AKI episodes which can lead worsening CKD.
