Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42007986›Full record

SynthesisIntensive care medicine2026

Implementation of a kidney protection strategy to prevent acute kidney injury after major surgery in high-risk patients identified by biomarkers: a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Thilo von Groote, Eike Bormann, Matteo Marcello, David J Tunnicliffe, Ivan Göcze, Mahan Sadjadi, Lui G Forni, Hernando Gómez, John A Kellum, Alexander Zarbock

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Intensive care medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Thilo von GrooteDepartment of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany.
Eike BormannInstitute of Biometry and Clinical Research, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
Matteo MarcelloDepartment of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany.
David J TunnicliffeSydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Ivan GöczeDepartment of Surgery and Surgical Intensive Care, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
Mahan SadjadiDepartment of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany.
Lui G ForniDepartment of Intensive Care Medicine, Royal Surrey Foundation Hospital Trust, Guildford, Surrey, UK.
Hernando GómezDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA.
John A KellumDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA.
Alexander ZarbockDepartment of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany. zarbock@uni-muenster.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2124-1714

Funding

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft 493624047Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft ZA 428/28-1Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft ZA 428/29-1Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft ZA 428/30-1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeAcute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication after major surgery and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Kidney protection strategies may help prevent moderate or severe AKI in high-risk patients. This study aims to assess the effect of the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) kidney protection strategy for the prevention of AKI in patients after major surgery.

methodsWe conducted a systematic review and individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the kidney protection strategy recommended by international guidelines consisting of hemodynamic and fluid status optimization, avoidance of nephrotoxins or radiocontrast agents, regular monitoring of kidney function, and glycemic control to standard care in high-risk patients after major surgery with an enrichment strategy based on renal biomarkers. The primary outcome was moderate or severe AKI (KDIGO stage ≥ 2) within 72 h after surgery. MEDLINE via PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched from January 1, 2000, to September 1, 2025. References of eligible trials and related reviews were hand-searched. Two reviewers independently assessed trial quality using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool version 2.0. Certainty of the evidence was assessed using GRADE. IPD were pooled. Odds ratios (ORs) and mean difference with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed with one-stage IPD meta-analysis. Heterogeneity was assessed by I

resultsWe identified four RCTs, two single-center trials and two multinational-multicenter trials. We pooled IPD from all four trials. The final cohort included 1,851 participants with 921 participants in the intervention group and 930 participants in the control group. Moderate or severe AKI occurred significantly less frequently in the intervention group (162/918 participants (17.7%)) compared to the control group (252/929 participants (27.1%)) (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.44-0.70; p < 0.0001). There was no evidence of heterogeneity across studies (p = 0.7309, I

conclusionThe implementation of a kidney protection strategy reduces the rates of moderate or severe AKI in biomarker-enriched high-risk patients after major surgery compared to standard of care, while the incremental clinical value of biomarker-guided selection itself remains uncertain. REGISTRATION: The study was registered at the international, prospective register of systematic reviews PROSPERO. Identifier: PROSPERO 2025 CRD420251138328.

Indexed as

Acute Kidney InjuryPostoperative ComplicationsBiomarkersHumansRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicRisk FactorsBiomarkersAcute kidney injuryBiomarkersCritical CareNephrology

Identifiers

PMID42007986
PMCPMC13246821

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.