Abstract

Background: Melioidosis is a severe infectious disease caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, with high mortality rates, particularly in severe cases complicated by acute kidney injury (AKI). Objective: The objective of this study was to systematically review and quantitatively synthesize the impact of AKI on mortality and other clinical outcomes—including ICU admission and the need for renal replacement therapy (RRT)—in patients with melioidosis. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Embase up to 16 May 2025. Studies reporting mortality, ICU admission, or RRT use in patients with AKI were included. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed to estimate the odds ratio (OR) for mortality associated with AKI. Results: Twenty-nine studies (380 patients) were included. AKI occurred in 123 patients (32.4%). The pooled analysis revealed that AKI patients had a significantly higher mortality risk than non-AKI patients (OR = 23.37; 95% CI: 13.97–39.10; p = 0.0082), with no significant heterogeneity (I² = 0%). Sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of this association. ICU admission and RRT data were frequently reported but were not suitable for meta-analysis due to insufficient data. Conclusions: AKI is a serious complication in melioidosis, significantly increasing the risk of mortality. Early recognition and aggressive management of AKI in melioidosis may be critical to improving clinical outcomes.