Azotemia in Cancer Patients During Inpatient Rehabilitation

Abstract

This paper presents a study of the relationship between prerenal azotemia and rehabilitation outcomes of cancer patients. A retrospective chart review of 70 patients who underwent inpatient rehabilitation in a tertiary cancer center was undertaken. Eight patients with creatinine values >1.5 were excluded. The remaining 62 patients were divided into 2 groups according to the blood urea nitrogen/creatinine (BUN/Cr) ratio: 27 (44%) in the prerenal azotemia group (BUN/Cr ≥ 20) and 35 (56%) in the non-azotemic group (BUN/Cr < 20). Age, gender, <10 g/dL of hemoglobin, co-morbidity (diabetes mellitus and/or hypertension), discharge destiny and median rehabilitation length of stay were not significantly different in these 2 groups. Prerenal azotemia was present in a significant number of cancer patients, but it did not impact the length of rehabilitation stay or discharge destiny.