Kidney Week

Abstract: FR-PO0137

Evaluating AKI Knowledge at Hospital Discharge

Session Information

• AKI: Epidemiology and Clinical Trials
  November 07, 2025 | Location: Exhibit Hall, Convention Center
  Abstract Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Category: Acute Kidney Injury

• 102 AKI: Clinical, Outcomes, and Trials

Authors

• Gurumurthy, Rohin, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Rohin Gurumurthy

• Srialluri, Nityasree, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Nityasree Srialluri, MD, MS

• Corona Villalobos, Celia Pamela, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Celia Pamela Corona Villalobos, MD, MS

• Yabes, Jonathan Guerrero, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Jonathan Guerrero Yabes, PhD

• Abebe, Kaleab, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Kaleab Abebe, PhD

• Parikh, Chirag R., Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Chirag R. Parikh, MD, PhD, FASN

• Menez, Steven, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Steven Menez, MD

Group or Team Name

• COPE-AKI Consortium.

Background

Acute kidney injury (AKI) survivors face ongoing risks after hospitalization, including progression to chronic kidney disease, rehospitalization, and death. Despite the clinical importance of patient education in preventing these outcomes, few studies have assessed AKI knowledge. We evaluated perceived and objective AKI knowledge at hospital discharge among patients with at least KDIGO Stage 2 AKI.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 478 patients (aged ≥ 18), enrolled between August 2023 and May 2025 in the Caring for OutPatiEnts After Acute Kidney Injury (COPE-AKI) clinical trial. Objective AKI knowledge was assessed using a 15-item adapted Kidney Knowledge Survey and graded as a percentage, and perceived knowledge was assessed using a 5-item adapted Perceived Kidney Knowledge Survey and scored on a Likert Scale (1 = Strongly Disagree and 5 = Strongly Agree). Higher scores indicated greater knowledge. Demographic, socioeconomic, and knowledge variables were compared between Stage 2 and 3 AKI patients using t-tests, Wilcoxon tests, Chi-square, or Fisher’s exact tests. Two-sided p-values <0.05 were considered significant.

Results

The median age of participants was 59.0 years [49.0–70.0] and 51.4% were female. Among those who completed the objective knowledge assessment (n = 476), the median score was 40.0% [13.3–60.0], with no difference between those with Stage 2 (n = 134; 40.0% [20.0–53.3]) and Stage 3 AKI (n = 342; 40.0% [13.3–60.0]) (p = 0.740). Perceived knowledge scores (n = 433) were also low (median of 2.6 [1.8–3.2]), with no significant difference by AKI stage (p = 0.608). There were also no significant differences in knowledge scores across age or biological sex.

Conclusion

AKI knowledge—both objective and perceived—at hospital discharge was suboptimal. No significant differences were observed between Stage 2 and 3 patients, reinforcing that low knowledge was consistent regardless of AKI severity. Our findings highlight the need for stronger education interventions to improve kidney health literacy.

Objective and Perceived AKI Knowledge by AKI Stage

Funding

• NIDDK Support

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

• doi: 10.1681/ASN.20258k34wqbk