ObjectiveTo investigate the prognostic value of acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients with severe pneumonia complicated with sepsis.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the demographic data, vital signs, laboratory examination and other data of 462 patients with severe pneumonia complicated with sepsis in the Department of Emergency West China hospital, Sichuan University from July 2015 to June 2016, as well as the 7-day and 28-day mortality, 28-day mechanical ventilation rate and 28-day intensive care unit (ICU) hospitalization rate. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the correlation between AKI and 28-day mortality in patients with severe pneumonia complicated with sepsis at admission.ResultsA total of 462 patients with severe pneumonia complicated with sepsis were retrospectively enrolled in this study. AKI patients at admission had a higher proportion of 7-day (24.6% vs. 9.7%, P<0.001) and 28-day mortality (44.3% vs. 21.2%, P<0.001), 28-day mechanical ventilation rate (63.9% vs. 45.9%, P=0.009) and 28-day ICU admission rate (65.6% vs. 39.4%, P<0.001) than non-AKI patients. There was a significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). The scores of systemic infection-related organ failure assessment and acute physiology and chronic health evaluationⅡof AKI patients at admission were significantly higher than those of non-AKI patients at admission (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that AKI at admission was an independent risk factor for 28-day mortality in patients with severe pneumonia complicated with sepsis [odds ratio: 2.266, 95% confidence interval (1.058, 4.854), P=0.035].ConclusionAKI at admission is helpful for identifying high-risk pneumonia patients complicated with sepsis, and thus may guide the clinical managements of precise medicine.