Journal of Clinical Medicine Research, ISSN 1918-3003 print, 1918-3011 online, Open Access
Article copyright, the authors; Journal compilation copyright, J Clin Med Res and Elmer Press Inc
Journal website https://jocmr.elmerjournals.com

Review Article

Volume 18, Number 8, August 2026, pages 528-541


Blood Count-Based Inflammatory Indices Do Not Improve Prediction of Acute Kidney Injury in Cardiogenic Shock

Figures

↓  Figure 1. Flowchart of selection of participants. ESRD: end-stage renal disease.
Figure 1.
↓  Figure 2. Receiver operating characteristic curve comparing base model with the combined inflammatory-index model.
Figure 2.
↓  Figure 3. Calibration plot for AKI risk estimation, comparing estimated AKI risk with observed AKI proportion using pooled estimated probabilities across 20 MICE-imputed datasets. The dashed diagonal line indicates perfect calibration. AKI: acute kidney injury.
Figure 3.
↓  Figure 4. Decision-curve analysis for AKI risk estimation, comparing the net benefit of the AKI risk model with treat-all and treat-none strategies across threshold probabilities. AKI: acute kidney injury.
Figure 4.

Tables

↓  Table 1. Baseline Clinical Characteristics, Laboratory Parameters, and Univariate Comparisons Between Patients With and Without Acute Kidney Injury in Cardiogenic Shock
 
VariableWithout AKI (N = 146)With AKI (N = 273)P
Age (years)69 (57, 80)67 (58, 76)0.32
BMI (kg/m2)26.8 (23.5, 30.8)28.4 (24.3, 33.4)0.06
Initial ALT (U/L)66 (30, 115)139 (45, 622)< 0.001
Bicarbonate (mmol/L)20 (17, 23)18 (14, 22)0.02
Initial AST (U/L)88 (45, 331)231 (57, 913)0.003
Initial lactate (mmol/L)2.3 (1.5, 4.9)3.6 (1.9, 7.5)0.02
Initial INR1.4 (1.2, 2.1)1.7 (1.3, 2.9)0.003
Total bilirubin (mg/dL)0.8 (0.6, 1.4)1.0 (0.6, 1.8)0.08
Creatinine (mg/dL)1.2 (0.9, 1.8)1.8 (1.3, 2.9)< 0.001
Potassium (mmol/L)4.3 (3.9, 4.9)4.3 (3.8, 4.9)0.79
Sodium (mmol/L)137 (134, 140)137 (133, 139)0.16
Platelet count (× 103 cells/µL)220 (161, 281)203 (156, 260)0.16
Monocytes (× 103 cells/µL)7.0 (5.0, 8.9)7.0 (5.0, 10.0)0.87
Hemoglobin (g/dL)12.1 (10.5, 14.2)12.3 (10.3, 14.0)0.68
Albumin(g/dL)3.4 (3.0, 3.8)3.3 (2.9, 3.7)0.16
Lymphocyte count (× 103 cells/µL)1.5 (0.9, 2.9)1.4 (0.8, 2.5)0.25
SII940 (466, 2,279)1,200 (491, 2,447)0.37
AISI (× 109/L)6,520 (2,970, 14,171)8,631 (3,272, 15,327)0.38
NLR4.6 (2.2, 10.5)6.1 (3.0, 11.6)0.13
PLR135 (76, 233)143 (79, 241)0.66
MLR4.7 (2.5, 7.9)5.4 (2.4, 8.8)0.44
SIRI34.2 (14.8, 66.6)43.5 (20.9, 76.5)0.22
Chloride (mmol/L)102 (96, 105)101 (96, 104)0.75
Lactate/albumin ratio0.78 (0.44, 1.53)1.0 (0.6, 1.8)0.03
SOFA on admission9 (6, 12)10 (7, 13)0.04
Without AKIWith AKIOdds ratio95% CI for odds ratioP
ACEi: angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor; AISI: aggregate index of systemic inflammation; AKI: acute kidney injury; ALT: alanine transaminase; ARB: angiotensin receptor blocker; AST: aspartate transaminase; BMI: body mass index; BUN: blood urea nitrogen; CABG: coronary artery bypass graft; CI: confidence interval; CKD: chronic kidney disease; COPD: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; CVA: cerebrovascular accident; HD: hemodialysis; IABP: intra-aortic balloon pump; INR: international normalized ratio; MI: myocardial infarction; MLR: monocyte to lymphocyte ratio; NLR: neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio; NPAR: neutrophil percentage to albumin ratio; PCI: percutaneous coronary intervention; PLR: platelet to lymphocyte ratio; RRT: renal replacement therapy; SII: systemic immune-inflammation index; SIRI: systemic inflammation response index; SOFA: sequential organ failure assessment.
Diabetes5 (3.4%)8 (2.9%)0.860.272.660.79
Cardiomyopathy2 (1.4%)9 (3.3%)2.460.5311.560.24
CVA2 (1.4%)5 (1.8%)1.350.267.040.72
CKD22 (15.1%)69 (25.4%)1.921.133.250.01
COPD15 (10.3%)23 (8.5%)0.810.411.600.54
Heart failure52 (35.6%)99 (36.4%)1.030.681.570.87
Hypertension16 (11.0%)29 (10.7%)0.970.511.850.93
Hyperlipidemia12 (8.2%)10 (3.7%)0.430.181.010.04
Malignancy5 (3.4%)8 (2.9%)0.860.272.660.79
ARB2 (1.4%)11 (4.0%)3.030.6613.880.13
ACEi20 (13.7%)27 (9.9%)0.690.381.290.24
Diuretics33 (22.6%)88 (32.4%)1.641.032.600.04
IABP17 (11.6%)42 (15.4%)1.380.762.520.294
Vasopressors110 (75.3%)230 (84.2%)1.751.062.880.03
Primary CABG1 (0.7%)1 (0.4%)0.520.038.590.652
Emergent CABG1 (0.7%)2 (0.7%)1.070.1011.900.96
Ethnicity
  Caucasian113 (77.4%)208 (76.2%)0.27
  African Americans15 (10.3%)28 (10.3%)
  Asians3 (2.1%)8 (2.9%)
  Hispanics11 (7.5%)11 (4.0%)
  Other4 (2.7%)18 (16.6%)
Acute MI40 (27.4%)91 (33.3%)1.330.852.060.21
PCI14 (9.6%)25 (9.2%)0.950.481.890.89
Male sex85 (58.2%)167 (61.2%)1.120.751.700.56
Mechanical ventilation92 (63.0%)190 (69.9%)1.360.892.080.16

 

↓  Table 2. Primary Multivariable Logistic Regression Evaluating Variables Associated With Acute Kidney Injury
 
VariablesORCIP value
Covariates in this model were specified a priori and comprised baseline serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, alanine transaminase, SOFA score on admission, age, sex, and a history of chronic kidney disease. Creatinine and blood urea nitrogen were included as direct measures of baseline renal function, alanine transaminase as a marker of hepatic congestion or ischemic hepatic injury reflecting hemodynamic compromise, SOFA score as a measure of global illness severity, age and sex as demographic confounders, and chronic kidney disease as an indicator of preexisting renal vulnerability. Estimates are pooled across 20 MICE-imputed datasets. OR for ALT are rounded off to 1.00 as the estimated effect size was extremely small per 1-unit increase. ALT: alanine transaminase; BUN: blood urea nitrogen; CI: confidence interval; CKD: chronic kidney disease; OR: odds ratio; SOFA: sequential organ failure assessment.
Intercept0.720.222.350.59
Creatinine1.631.162.30.01
BUN1.010.991.020.21
ALT1.001.001.000.18
SOFA score1.000.951.060.93
Age0.990.981.010.43
Sex (male)0.970.631.510.90
CKD0.940.51.770.85

 

↓  Table 3. Sensitivity Analysis: Multivariable Logistic Regression Model for Acute Kidney Injury Excluding Baseline Renal Function Variables
 
VariablesORCIP value
This model was adjusted for the same a priori covariates as the primary model with the exception of baseline serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen, which were deliberately omitted; adjustment therefore comprised alanine transaminase, SOFA score on admission, age, sex, and chronic kidney disease. Renal laboratory values were removed because they are already abnormal, at the time of early risk assessment, which allows the independent contribution of preexisting chronic kidney disease to be estimated. Estimates are pooled across 20 MICE-imputed datasets. ALT: alanine transaminase; CI: confidence interval; CKD: chronic kidney disease; OR: odds ratio; SOFA: sequential organ failure assessment.
Intercept1.230.393.850.72
ALT1.001.001.000.14
SOFA score1.030.981.090.27
Age1.000.991.010.68
Sex (male)1.110.731.700.62
CKD1.951.143.340.02

 

↓  Table 4. Association Between Inflammatory Indices and Acute Kidney Injury Using Multivariable Logistic Regression Models With False Discovery Rate (FDR) Adjustment
 
IndexORCIP value
Model A was adjusted for the a priori clinical covariates age, sex, chronic kidney disease, and SOFA score on admission. Model B was additionally adjusted for baseline serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen, in order to test whether any association was independent of conventional measures of renal function. Each index was entered separately, and odds ratios are expressed per 1-SD increase in the standardized index. q-values were derived using the Benjamini-Hochberg false discovery rate procedure across the indices tested. AISI: aggregate index of systemic inflammation; CI: confidence interval; MLR: monocyte to lymphocyte ratio; NLR: neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio; OR: odds ratio; PLR: platelet to lymphocyte ratio; NPAR: neutrophil percentage to albumin ratio; SII: systemic immune-inflammation index; SIRI: systemic inflammation response index.
Model A: adjusted for clinical covariate
  AISI1.000.821.230.98
  MLR1.150.911.450.26
  NLR1.010.821.250.89
  NPAR1.060.861.320.56
  PLR1.090.871.380.45
  SII0.980.801.210.88
  SIRI1.060.851.310.6
  Lactate/albumin ratio1.210.821.790.32
Model B: adjusted for clinical and renal function
  AISI0.960.771.190.68
  MLR1.040.821.320.72
  NLR0.950.761.180.64
  NPAR0.930.741.180.56
  PLR1.070.851.340.56
  SII0.970.791.200.78
  SIRI0.950.751.190.63
  Lactate/albumin ratio1.110.751.630.6

 

↓  Table 5. Incremental Discrimination of Individual Inflammatory Indices for AKI During ICU Hospitalization (AUC Analysis)
 
Inflammatory indexBase AUC (mean SD)Base + index AUC (mean SD)ΔAUC (mean SD)Base + renal AUC (mean SD)Base + renal + index AUC (mean SD)ΔAUC (mean SD)
The base model was adjusted for the a priori clinical covariates age, sex, chronic kidney disease, and SOFA score on admission, chosen because they are routinely available at the time of early risk assessment and represent demographic risk, preexisting renal vulnerability, and global illness severity. The base plus renal model additionally included baseline serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen, so that incremental discrimination could be judged against conventional renal function testing. Each inflammatory index was added individually to both models, because several indices share common blood-count components and entering them simultaneously would introduce collinearity. All AUC values are means with standard deviations across 20 MICE-imputed datasets. AISI: aggregate index of systemic inflammation; AKI: acute kidney injury; AUC: area under the curve; ICU: intensive care unit; MLR: monocyte to lymphocyte ratio; NLR: neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio; OR: odds ratio; PLR: platelet to lymphocyte ratio; NPAR: neutrophil percentage to albumin ratio; SD: standard deviation; SII: systemic immune-inflammation index; SIRI: systemic inflammation response index.
SIRI0.594 (0.001)0.598 (0.002)0.0040 (0.0006)0.704 (0.009)0.704 (0.009)0.0002 (0.0006)
MLR0.594 (0.001)0.603 (0.002)0.0088 (0.0005)0.704 (0.009)0.703 (0.009)−0.0004 (0.0004)
NLR0.594 (0.001)0.595 (0.002)0.0008 (0.0003)0.704 (0.009)0.703 (0.009)−0.0007 (0.0006)
PLR0.594 (0.001)0.598 (0.002)0.0040 (0.0008)0.704 (0.009)0.703 (0.009)−0.0008 (0.0006)
AISI0.594 (0.001)0.594 (0.002)0.0001 (0.0003)0.704 (0.009)0.703 (0.009)−0.0009 (0.0006)
NPAR0.594 (0.001)0.598 (0.002)0.0039 (0.0006)0.704 (0.009)0.703 (0.009)−0.0009 (0.0007)
SII0.594 (0.001)0.594 (0.002)−0.0002 (0.0002)0.704 (0.009)0.702 (0.009)−0.0011 (0.0006)