Validation of a Contemporary Acute Kidney Injury Risk Score in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome

Proenkephalin improves cardio-renal risk prediction in acute coronary syndromes: the KID-ACS score

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Circulating proenkephalin (PENK) is a stable endogenous polypeptide with fast response to glomerular dysfunction and tubular damage. This study examined the predictive value of PENK for renal outcomes and mortality in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

METHODS

Proenkephalin was measured in plasma in a prospective multicentre ACS cohort from Switzerland (n = 4787) and in validation cohorts from the UK (n = 1141), Czechia (n = 927), and Germany (n = 220). A biomarker-enhanced risk score (KID-ACS score) for simultaneous prediction of in-hospital acute kidney injury (AKI) and 30-day mortality was derived and externally validated.

RESULTS

On multivariable adjustment for established risk factors, circulating PENK remained associated with in-hospital AKI [per log2 increase: adjusted odds ratio 1.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.13-2.09, P = .007] and 30-day mortality (adjusted hazard ratio 2.73, 95% CI 1.85-4.02, P < .001). The KID-ACS score integrates PENK and showed an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of .72 (95% CI .68-.76) for in-hospital AKI and .91 (95% CI .87-.95) for 30-day mortality in the derivation cohort. Upon external validation, KID-ACS achieved similarly high performance for in-hospital AKI (Zurich: AUC .73, 95% CI .70-.77; Czechia: AUC .75, 95% CI .68-.81; Germany: AUC .71, 95% CI .55-.87) and 30-day mortality (UK: AUC .87, 95% CI .83-.91; Czechia: AUC .91, 95% CI .87-.94; Germany: AUC .96, 95% CI .92-1.00), outperforming the contrast-associated AKI score and the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events 2.0 score, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Circulating PENK offers incremental value for predicting in-hospital AKI and mortality in ACS. The simple six-item KID-ACS risk score integrates PENK and provides a novel tool for simultaneous assessment of renal and mortality risk in patients with ACS.

Management Considerations for Acute Coronary Syndromes in Chronic Kidney Disease

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Propensity of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) to adverse outcomes of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) derives, in part, from imperfection in management. Dearth of data resulting from underrepresentation of patients with CKD in ACS trials and underuse of evidence-based testing and therapy compound biological risks inherent to CKD. We sought in this narrative review to critically appraise contemporary evidence and offer suggested approaches to practicing clinicians for the optimization of ACS management in patients with CKD.

RECENT FINDINGS

Updated multisociety chest pain guidelines emphasize the diversity of clinical presentations of ACS, pertinent to recognition of ACS in patients with CKD. Evolving tools to predict and prevent acute kidney injury complicating invasive management of ACS serve to support improved access to and safety of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in CKD patients, who remain at elevated risk. Growth in use of radial access, advances in PCI quality, incorporation of intravascular imaging, and new options and insights in pharmacotherapy contribute to an evolving calculus of ischemic and bleeding risk in ACS with bearing on management in CKD patients. Key opportunities to improve outcomes of ACS for patients with CKD center on avoiding underuse of beneficial medical and invasive therapies; enhancing safety of therapies by leveraging evidence-based strategies to prevent acute kidney injury; and devoting specific effort to investigation of ACS management in the context of CKD.