Intravenous Fluid Bolus Volume and Resolution of Acute Kidney Injury in Children With Diabetic Ketoacidosis

Objectives To describe trends in creatinine and acute kidney injury (AKI) in children who present with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and receive low versus high intravenous (IV) fluid bolus volumes. Further, to determine whether resolution of AKI is hastened by low versus high bolus volumes. Methods We conducted an observational retrospective cohort study between January 2012 and March 2020 among children ≤21 years presenting with DKA. Acute kidney injury was defined by the Kidney Disease/Improving Global Outcomes creatinine criteria, using the Schwartz estimating equation to calculate an expected baseline creatinine. Bolus volume was categorized as low (<15 mL/kg) or high (≥15 mL/kg). Generalized additive mixed models were used to model trends of creatinine ratios. Estimated mean creatinine ratios and differences by bolus volumes were assessed at the time of bolus, and 12, 24, 36, 48 hours. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the association between resolution of AKI and bolus volume after adjustment for confounders. Results We identified 708 eligible encounters with DKA, of which 169 (23.9%) had AKI at presentation and 10 (1.4%) developed AKI after hospitalization. Comparing patients who received low versus high bolus volumes, the proportion of encounters with AKI on presentation was similar (P = 0.364) as was the mean difference in creatinine ratios over time. In adjusted analysis, treatment with high IV fluid bolus volume was only associated with a 6.2% faster resolution of AKI (hazard ratio, 1.062; 95% confidence interval, 0.61–1.87). Conclusions Intravenous fluid bolus volume was not associated with resolution of AKI in our cohort of children with DKA.