Application of Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy: What Should We Consider Based on Existing Evidence?

BACKGROUND: Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is performed mainly in patients with acute kidney injury, severe sepsis, or septic shock. Evidence has emerged about the indications for and therapeutic conditions of CRRT. In this review, we focus on the evidence for CRRT to date.

SUMMARY: CRRT employs diffusion, convection and adsorption to remove solutes from plasma. Indications can be divided into renal and non-renal indications. Concrete renal indications have not yet been determined, except for life-threatening absolute indications. Modality selection is a point of debate. Intermittent renal replacement therapy is reportedly equivalent to CRRT in terms of overall survival. However, the selection of modality must consider individual circumstances. The optimal dosage of CRRT has proven to be lower than that previously recommended, and the dosage is almost the same as the one employed in the 'real-world' setting. Patients treated by CRRT often have bleeding complications. In this situation, regional citrate anticoagulation can be used, but nafamostat is widely used in Japan. The right jugular vein is the most preferred vascular access site because it has the lowest likelihood of catheter malfunction. As for the complications of CRRT, hypophosphatemia and nutrient loss should be managed properly. When CRRT is no longer necessary, we should consider the appropriate timing of discontinuation.

KEY MESSAGES: Even though CRRT is an established technique, several points remain under debate. Individualization of therapy should be considered in light of the changes in patient characteristics.