[Continuous hemofiltration in the treatment of acute kidney failure in multiple organ failure]

Twenty-nine patients with acute renal failure and multiple organ failure were treated with continuous arterio-venous or veno-venous haemofiltration for a period of 6 +/- 5 days. Sixteen of these patients were improved and haemofiltration was withdrawn, but secondary worsening occurred in 8 cases. The method is well tolerated by the cardiovascular system and provides a satisfactory metabolic control. The low patient's survival rate (27 percent) is due to the severity of the disease. In the absence of controlled studies, it is difficult to assert that continuous haemofiltration is better than conventional haemodialysis.