[Continuous hemodialysis in the treatment of acute kidney failure].

INTRODUCTION: Continuous replacement therapy of renal function has gained acceptance over the last decade for the treatment of acute renal failure. In the present study we present our experience using continuous hemodialysis (CHD) in our institution.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a prospective analysis of the CHD treated patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) of our institution over an 24-month period. CHD was performed through a double-lumen catheter such as Mahurkar. We have performed 28 CHD procedures in 28 patients, from which four were excluded from the analysis. Three patients were excluded as CHD lasted less than 12 hours and one patient because he had chronic renal failure. The studied variables were: heart and respiratory rate, mean arterial pressure, body temperature, APACHE II classification status, arterial gasometry, cell blood count, BUN, creatinine, serum electrolytes, and hepatic enzymes. We also registered urine output, diuretic use, and the mean dose of inotropic drugs employed per day. These variables were obtained at the admittance to the ICU, before the initiation of CHD and after 24 and 48 hours. We also registered age, gender, and final evolution.

RESULTS: We evaluated 24 patients with mean age of 58.1 +/- 17.5 years in which CHD was use for a mean time of 4.6 +/- 2.8 days. Total ultrafiltrate was 19.5 +/- 8.4 liters, for a mean of 4.2 liters per day. CHD resulted in improvement of heart and respiratory rate, mean arterial pressure and laboratory variables such as arterial pH, bicarbonate concentration, BUN and potassium. It also decreased significant by the use of inotropic drugs. Five out of twenty-four patients survived (20.8%). The survived patients had significant lower age than the died patients (39.2 +/- 20 years vs. 63 +/- 13.3; p < 0.001), lower time between the admittance to ICU and the beginning of CHD (1.4 +/- 0.5 days vs. 3.5 +/- 2.6; p < 0.01) and lower APACHE II classification at admittance to ICU (7.4 +/- 1.6 vs. 19.0 +/- 2.7; p < 0.001) and at the start of CHD (13.6 +/- 3.2 vs. 24.7 +/- 3.7; p < 0.001). However, multivariate analysis revealed that the only variable associated with a better survival was a lower time between the admittance to intensive care and the beginning of CHD.

DISCUSSION: CHD is a safe technique that can be used for acute renal failure patients who have contraindications for intermittent HD. This technique can be used in hospitals offering intermittent hemodialysis and intensive care. CHD use is associated with improvement of hemodynamic and metabolic alterations in patients with shock. Our data support the concept that the earlier the initiation of CHD the better the prognosis.