IDAI Finds 192 Cases of Mysterious Acute Kidney Injury, Most in Jakarta

According to a report by the Indonesian Pediatrician Association (Ikatan Dokter Anak Indonesia/IDAI), from the beginning of the year until October 18, 2022, there were 192 cases of acute kidney injury (AKI) in children with an unknown cause. This data was collected through IDAI members throughout Indonesia.

The Head of the IDAI Central Board, dr. Piprim Basarah Yanuarso, SpA(K), stated that the large number of sufferers of this mysterious acute kidney injury does not necessarily mean a surge in cases, but rather reflects data from IDAI branches in several provinces that were only recently received.

“(The data) we have collected totals 192 cases, from 20 provinces,” said Piprim in an online conference, as quoted by Kompas.com on Tuesday (18/10/2022).

Jakarta is recorded as the province with the most cases of this mysterious acute kidney injury in the country, with 50 cases or 26.04% of the national total.

Next are West Java with 24 cases, East Java with 24 cases, West Sumatra with 21 cases, Aceh with 18 cases, and Bali with 17 cases. The remaining 14 provinces each have between 1-2 cases, with a cumulative total of 38 cases.

IDAI, together with the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes), is still searching for the exact cause of this disease. Several suspected causes have emerged, such as other viral infections, ethylene glycol poisoning (intoxication), and Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) following COVID-19.

"For the usual MIS-C, we have experience in providing medication. But there are also patients who don't improve (after treatment). There is also suspicion of medications containing ethylene glycol; this is currently under investigation," said Piprim.

Clinical symptoms found in patients with this mysterious acute kidney injury generally include gastrointestinal infections, fever, upper respiratory tract infections (URTI), cough, cold, and vomiting. There are also patients who cannot urinate or have dried urine (anuria), and reduced urine output (oliguria).