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Cost analysis of blood purification in intensive care units: continuous versus intermittent hemodiafiltration

Corrado Vitale1, Cristiana Bagnis, Martino Marangella

  • 1Nephrology and Dialysis Unit, Renal Stone Centre, Mauriziano Umberto I Hospital, Turin, Italy. covitale@libero.it

Journal of Nephrology
|December 31, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Implementing continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) in ICUs, involving collaboration between dialysis and ICU staff, resulted in a 12% higher cost than intermittent hemodiafiltration (IHDF) primarily due to device expenses.

Area of Science:

  • Nephrology
  • Intensive Care Medicine
  • Healthcare Management

Background:

  • Continuous renal replacement therapies (CRRT) require specialized programs within intensive care units (ICUs).
  • Effective implementation relies on cooperative efforts between dialysis and ICU personnel.
  • Comparing CRRT costs with intermittent hemodiafiltration (IHDF) is crucial for resource allocation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To detail the implementation of a CRRT program in ICUs.
  • To compare the costs of CRRT with IHDF.
  • To assess the impact of interdisciplinary collaboration on resource utilization.

Main Methods:

  • A study involving 181 ICU patients with renal failure.
  • CRRT was conducted as continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF) over 24 hours daily, with shared nursing surveillance.
  • Intermittent hemodiafiltration (IHDF) was performed by dialysis nurses for 4 hours daily.

Main Results:

  • The daily cost of CRRT was €276.70 (79% devices, 21% human resources).
  • The daily cost of IHDF was €247.83 (44% devices, 56% human resources).
  • CRRT expenditure was 12% higher than IHDF, mainly due to higher device costs.

Conclusions:

  • Cooperative dialysis and ICU programs enhance human resource utilization.
  • CRRT implementation enabled treatment for all critically ill patients with acute renal failure.
  • Despite higher costs, CRRT facilitated comprehensive care for acute renal failure in critically ill patients.
Abstract

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