Pediatric acute renal failure: outcome by modality and disease

Two hundred and twenty-six children who underwent renal replacement therapy (RRT) from 1992 to 1998 were retrospectively reviewed. The mean age, at the onset of RRT, was 74+/-11.7 months and weight was 25.3+/-9.7 kg. RRT therapies included hemofiltration (HF; n=106 children for an average of 8.7+/-2.3 days), hemodialysis (HD; n=61 children for an average of 9.5+/-1.7 days), and peritoneal dialysis (PD; n=59 children for an average of 9.6+/-2.1 days). Factors influencing patient survival included: (1) low blood pressure (BP) at onset of RRT (33% survival with low BP, vs. 61% with normal BP, vs 100% with high BP; P<0.05), (2) use of pressors anytime during RRT (35% survival in those on pressors vs. 89% survival in those not requiring pressors; P<0.01), (3) diagnosis (primary renal failure with a high likelihood of survival vs secondary renal failure; P<0.05), (4) RRT modality (40% survival with HF, vs. 49% survival with PD, vs. 81% survival with HD; P<0.01 HD vs PD or HF), and (5) pressor use was significantly higher in children on HF (74%) vs HD (33%) or PD (81%; P<0.05 HD vs HF or PD). In conclusion, pressor use has the greatest prediction of survival, rather than RRT modality. Patient survival in children with the need for RRT for ARF is similar to in adults and, as in adults, is best predicted by the underlying diagnosis and hemodynamic stability.