Abstract:Objective To investigate the predictive value of platelet-monocyte aggregate (PMA) levels and early variability in serum sodium concentration for prognosis in patients with sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (AKI).Methods One hundred and fifty-four patients with sepsis-associated AKI admitted to the Department of Critical Care Medicine, Jiangsu University Affiliated People's Hospital between January 2022 and May 2025 were enrolled. Based on 28-day survival outcomes, patients were divided into a survivor group (n = 92) and a non-survivor group (n = 62). Clinical data were collected, and baseline PMA levels and early variability in serum sodium concentration were measured. Comparisons were made between groups for PMA levels and early variability in serum sodium concentration. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified prognostic risk factors for sepsis-associated AKI. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves assessed the predictive efficacy of PMA levels, early variability in serum sodium concentration, and their combination for prognosis.Results The non-survivor group exhibited higher APACHE Ⅱ scores, SOFA scores, and levels of serum creatinine, cystatin C, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), and kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) than the survivor group (P < 0.05). The survivor group demonstrated lower PMA levels and reduced early variability in serum sodium concentration compared with the non-survivor group (P < 0.05). Multivariable logistic regression analysis indicated that high APACHE Ⅱ scores [O^R = 1.048 (95% CI: 1.003, 1.095) ], high SOFA scores [O^R = 1.128 (95% CI: 1.024, 1.243) ], elevated KIM-1 levels [O^R = 1.191 (95% CI: 1.069, 1.327) ], elevated PMA levels [O^R = 1.033 (95% CI: 1.006, 1.059) ] and high early variability in serum sodium concentration [O^R = 1.253 (95% CI: 1.010, 1.554) ] were all risk factors for death within 28 days in patients with sepsis-associated AKI (P < 0.05). The ROC curve analysis revealed that the combination of PMA levels and early variability in serum sodium concentration for predicting the prognosis yielded an area under the curve of 0.983 (95% CI: 0.964, 1.000), with a sensitivity of 95.2% (95% CI: 0.892, 0.990) and specificity of 95.7% (95% CI: 0.892, 0.988).Conclusion APACHE Ⅱ scores, SOFA scores, KIM-1 levels, PMA levels, and early variability in serum sodium concentration are all risk factors for 28-day mortality in patients with sepsis-associated AKI. The combined assessment of PMA levels and early variability in serum sodium concentration demonstrates superior predictive value for the prognosis of patients with sepsis-associated AKI.