Incidence of Adverse Events during Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy

The incidence of adverse events (AEs) in adults who receive continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is unknown. We report the incidence of mechanical, metabolic, and hemodynamic CRRT AEs.

This is a retrospective study of all consecutive adult patients (≥18 years) who underwent CRRT from January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2009.

Out of 595 patients who underwent CRRT, 366 (62%) were male and 500 (84%) were Caucasian. Regional citrate anticoagulation was used in 98.6% of all patients. The most common clinically significant electrolyte derangements were ionized hypocalcemia (22%), ionized hypercalcemia (23%), and hyperphosphatemia (44%). Almost all (97%) patients had at least one additional AE including new onset hypotension (within the first hour after CRRT initiation) (43%), hypothermia (44%), new onset arrhythmias (29%), new onset anemia (31%) and thrombocytopenia (40%).

ICU patients who require CRRT have a high incidence of AEs. Although the extent to which these complications are attributable to CRRT is not known, clinicians need to be cautious and aware of their high prevalence in this patient population.