Echocardiographic parameters of patients in the intensive care unit undergoing continuous renal replacement therapy

Echocardiographic parameters have been used to predict outcomes for specific intensive care unit (ICU) populations. We sought to define echocardiographic parameters for ICU patients receiving continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT).

This is a historical cohort study of consecutive ICU patients at Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minnesota) who received CRRT from December 9, 2006, through November 13, 2015. Only patients with an echocardiographic examination within 7 days of CRRT initiation were considered.

The study included 1,276 patients. Decreased left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF; ≤45%) was noted in 361/1,120 (32%) and increased right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP; ≥40 mm Hg) was noted in 529/798 (66%). Right ventricular systolic dysfunction was observed in 320/820 (39%). The most common valvular abnormality was tricuspid regurgitation (244/1,276 [19%]). Stratification of these parameters by ICU type (medical, surgical, cardiothoracic, cardiac) showed that most echocardiographic abnormalities were significantly more prevalent among cardiac ICU patients: LVEF ≤45% (67/105 [64%]), RVSP ≥40 mm Hg (63/79 [80%]) and tricuspid regurgitation (50/130 [38%]). We compared patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) vs end-stage renal disease and showed that decreased LVEF (284/921 [31%] vs 78/201 [39%]), was significantly less prevalent among patients with AKI, but increased RVSP was more prevalent (445/651 [68%] vs 84/147 [57%]) with AKI.

ICU patients who required CRRT had increased prevalence of pulmonary hypertension and right and left ventricular systolic dysfunction. Prediction of adverse outcomes with echocardiographic parameters in this patient population can lead to identification of modifiable risk factors.