Delayed Umbilical Cord Clamping is Not Associated with Acute Kidney Injury in Very Low Birth Weight Neonates.

Objective: This study aimed to determine if delayed cord clamping (DCC) is associated with a reduction in neonatal acute kidney injury (AKI).

Study Design: A retrospective single-center cohort study of 278 very low birth weight (VLBW) neonates was performed to compare the incidence of AKI in the following groups: immediate cord clamping (ICC), DCC, and umbilical cord milking. AKI was diagnosed by the modified neonatal Kidney Diseases and Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) definition.

Results: The incidence of AKI in the first week was 20.1% with no difference between groups ( = 0.78). After adjustment for potential confounders, the odds of developing AKI, following DCC, compared with ICC was 0.93 (confidence interval [CI]: 0.46-1.86) with no reduction in the stage of AKI between groups.

Conclusion: In this study, DCC was not associated with a reduced rate of AKI in VLBW neonates. However, the data suggest that DCC is also not harmful to the kidneys, further supporting the safety of DCC in VLBW neonates.