Prevalence and Factors Associated with Acute Kidney Injury in Sub-Saharan African Adults: A Review of the Current Literature

• Published in: International journal of nephrology Vol. 2022; pp. 5621665 - 12
• Main Authors: Kahindo, Charles Kangitsi, Mukuku, Olivier, Wembonyama, Stanis Okitotsho, Tsongo, Zacharie Kibendelwa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Hindawi 15-03-2022; John Wiley & Sons, Inc; Hindawi Limited
• Subjects: Adults; Africa; Classification; Congo (Kinshasa); Creatinine; Epidemiology; Health aspects; Health care access; Hospital patients; Hospitals; Intensive care; Kidney diseases; Literature reviews; Malawi; Mortality; Patients; Pediatrics; Population; Renal replacement therapy; Review; South Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa; Congo (Kinshasa); South Africa; Malawi; Sub-Saharan Africa; Africa
• ISSN: 2090-214X; 2090-2158; 2090-2158
• DOI: 10.1155/2022/5621665

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a complex condition that can occur in both community and hospital settings and has many aetiologies. These aetiologies may be infectious, toxic, surgical, or related to the different management methods. Although it is a major public health problem worldwide, it must be emphasised that both its incidence and mortality rate appear to be very high in sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries compared to developed countries. The profile of AKI is very different from that of more developed countries. There are no reliable statistics on the incidence of AKI in SSA. Infections (malaria, HIV, diarrhoeal, and other diseases), nephrotoxins, and obstetric and surgical complications are the main aetiologies in Africa. The management of AKI is costly and associated with high rates of prolonged hospitalisation and in-hospital mortality.