Platelet distribution width as a cost-effective marker for sepsis-associated acute kidney injury: A retrospective cross-section study

Background: Sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (S-AKI) is a critical complication with high morbidity and mortality. The potential predictive role of platelet distribution width (PDW) in S-AKI remains to be elucidated, and its clinical implications in S-AKI are still not well understood. Objective: This study aims to determine whether platelet distribution width within 24 hours of admission could serve as a predictor of S-AKI in septic patients. Method: A retrospective analysis of platelet indices in patients with sepsis at the Affiliated Tongren Hospital of Capital Medical University, a tertiary medical center, was conducted from 2015 to 2022. Patients with sepsis were divided into two groups: an S-AKI group and a non-AKI group based on the presence of S-AKI during hospital. Clinical characteristics and laboratory parameters at admission were compared between two groups. A Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify risk factors for S-AKI in septic patients. Additionally, receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve was employed to evaluate the predictive value of these indices for S-AKI in septic patients. Result: A total of 410 patients with sepsis were included in the study, including 57 in S-AKI group and 353 in non-AKI group. The levels of PDW and average platelet volume were significantly higher in the S-AKI group compared to those in the non-AKI group. Furthermore, PDW exhibited a positive correlation with SOFA score, APACHE II score, and LDH levels (r = 0.273, r = 0.153, r = 0.233), yielding P-values