Global study finds stable acute kidney injury mortality with shifting age patterns

A five-year study has revealed a stability in global acute kidney injury (AKI)–related mortality rates with differing patterns that indicate a rising concentration of mortality in older populations and higher socioeconomic countries. The findings will be presented at ASN Kidney Week 2025 held in Houston from November 5 to 9. The study is titled “Temporal trends in AKI-related mortality across 43 countries, 1996–2021, with projections up to 2050: A global time series analysis and modeling study.”

When investigators at the Kyung Hee University Hospital in Seoul assessed AKI-related mortality trends in 43 countries from 1996 to 2021 using the WHO Mortality Database, they found that high-income countries showed an upward trend, while low- and middle-income countries experienced a decline. Older adults, especially females, in high socioeconomic settings demonstrated increasing mortality trends, and future projections indicated a gradual rise in global AKI-related mortality through 2050.

More detailed analyses revealed that although high-income countries have lower AKI-related mortality rates, they have experienced gradual increases largely attributable to population aging and higher comorbidity burden, while in low- and middle-income countries, declining mortality has been associated with younger populations and improvements in infection control and health care access.

“Our study provides the first global long-term analysis and projections of AKI-related mortality, offering critical insights for policymakers and health systems,” said lead author Hyeon Seok Hwang, MD, Ph.D.

“These findings underscore the need for tailored, region-, age-, and sex-specific strategies to mitigate the future burden of AKI,” added co-author Soo-Young Yoon, MD, Ph.D.

“Additional studies are needed to continue monitoring AKI-related mortality and the effectiveness of different strategies to prevent it,” said co-author Jeong-Yeun Lee, MD.