Uptrend in Acute Kidney Injury Mortality in Higher Socioeconomic Countries Projected to Continue

Acute kidney injury (AKI)-related mortality rates are increasing in countries with higher socioeconomic status and older populations, a trend projected to continue through 2050.1

These findings were presented at the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Kidney Week 2025, held November 5-9, 2025, in Houston, Texas, by Jeong-Yeun Lee, MD, Kyung Hee University Hospital, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, South Korea.

“AKI is a major global public health concern. However, a major challenge in addressing the AKI burden is the lack of global data on AKI-related mortality and its predictions, leaving significant limitations in understanding its trends over time,” Lee and colleagues wrote.1

Hwang and colleagues conducted a study using data from the World Health Organization Mortality Database from 43 countries, analyzing age-standardized mortality from1996-2021 and projecting future mortality through 2050. They visualized temporal trends using locally weighted scatter plot smoother curves and made projections incorporating attributable risk factors from the Global Burden of Disease Study. They also examined variations in AKI mortality by age, sex, income level (per World Bank country classification), and Human Development Index (HDI) and conducted a decomposition analysis to evaluate the relative contributions of population growth, aging, and epidemiological change to trends.

“Our study provides the first global long-term analysis and projections of AKI-related mortality, offering critical insights for policymakers and health systems,” study investigator Hyeon Seok Hwang, MD, PhD, said in a statement.2

The investigators found that age-standardized AKI-related mortality per 1,000,000 people remained stable from 1996 (10.47 [95% CI, 8.84–12.11]) to 2021 (9.94 [95% CI, 8.32–11.57]).

Mortality related to AKI was lower in high-income countries (HICs) compared to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs); however, rates increased in HICs from 5.83 (95% CI, 4.21–7.46) to 7.3 (95% CI, 5.66–8.95) while declining in LMICs from 19.66 (95% CI, 16.78–22.53) to 15.33 (95% CI, 12.37–18.29). Investigators found similar trends were seen across HDI categories. Mortality rose among older adults—particularly women, those in HICs, and countries with very high HDI—but decreased in younger populations.

“These findings underscore the need for tailored, region-, age-, and sex-specific strategies to mitigate the future burden of AKI,” investigator Soo-Young Yoon, MD, PhD, added.2

Overall mortality is projected to increase from 9.94 in 2021 to 11.36 in 2050, primarily due to population aging. These global data suggest AKI-related deaths are climbing in wealthier and aging nations, underscoring the need for targeted prevention to curb the worldwide AKI burden.

“Additional studies are needed to continue monitoring AKI- related mortality and the effectiveness of different strategies to prevent it,” Lee added.2

Other worldwide trends research presented at Kidney Week showed that patients with primary glomerular disease (GD) face similar risks for declines in kidney function regardless of the age at disease diagnosis, highlighting a higher risk of progression for younger patients.3

Investigator Margaret Helmuth, MS, Biostatistician, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and colleagues compared disease outcomes among 2915 patients from the Cure Glomerulonephropathy (CureGN) Research Consortium enrolled from centers in North America and Europe, including 647 participants with MCD, 738 with FSGS, 636 with MN, and 894 with IgAN. Participants had a median of 5.6 years of follow-up (IQR, 2.1-7.6).3

The investigators found that pediatric participants with MCD had steeper eGFR declines (range, -0.6 to -1.3 mL/min/1.73m2) compared to adults (range, -0.4 to 0.5 mL/min/1.73m2). Participants with MN aged 13-17 years and participants with FSGS and IgAN aged 18-44 years at the time of biopsy had the steepest declines in eGFR among their diagnosis cohorts.3

References

1. Lee JY, Yoon SY, Moon Y, et al. Temporal Trends in AKI-Related Mortality Across 43 Countries, 1996-2021, with Projections up to 2050: A Global Time Series Analysis and Modelling Study. Presented at: ASN Kidney Week. Houston, Texas. November 05-09, 2025. #SA-OR004

2. Study reports on global trends in acute kidney injury– related mortality. News release. ASN. November 8, 2025. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1104060

3. Helmuth M, Smith AR, Modi ZJ, et al. Glomerular Disease Outcomes Across the Lifespan: Report of the Cure Glomerulonephropathy (CureGN) Research Consortium. Presented at: ASN Kidney Week. Houston, Texas. November 05-09, 2025. #FR-OR030