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Debate: Intermittent Hemodialysis versus Continuous Kidney Replacement Therapy in the Critically Ill Patient:
1Kidney Medicine Section, Medical Service, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Renal-Electrolyte Division, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Insights
The best kidney replacement therapy (KRT) for acute kidney injury (AKI) remains debated. More data is needed to guide a patient-focused approach for critically ill patients requiring KRT.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Critical Care Medicine
Background:
- The optimal modality for kidney replacement therapy (KRT) in acute kidney injury (AKI) is a long-standing debate.
- Current guidelines suggest intermittent hemodialysis and continuous KRT (CKRT) are complementary, favoring CKRT for unstable patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a virtual debate on the use of intermittent hemodialysis versus continuous KRT (CKRT) for critically ill patients with AKI.
- To explore arguments for and against intermittent hemodialysis in AKI management.
Main Methods:
- Virtual debate format featuring advocates for and against intermittent hemodialysis.
- Review of observational data and clinical practice guidelines regarding KRT modalities in AKI.
Main Results:
- Arguments for and against intermittent hemodialysis in AKI were presented.
- Observational data suggesting impaired kidney function recovery with intermittent hemodialysis was discussed.
Conclusions:
- The debate highlights the need for more data to inform KRT selection in AKI.
- A pragmatic, patient-focused approach to KRT delivery for critically ill AKI patients is advocated.
Abstract:
The selection of modality of kidney replacement therapy (KRT) has been debated for decades. Although the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Clinical Practice Guideline for Acute Kidney Injury considers intermittent hemodialysis and continuous KRT (CKRT) to be complementary therapies, with a recommendation to preferably use CKRT in hemodynamically unstable patients, there is a vocal cadre of practitioners and investigators who argue that CKRT is the only modality that should be used to support critically ill patients with AKI, relying on observational data to argue that intermittent hemodialysis is associated with impaired recovery of kidney function. In this issue of CJASN , we have provided a virtual debate allowing advocates for and against the use of intermittent hemodialysis to make their best cases. In the end, their arguments converge, with a call for more data and a pragmatic, patient-focused approach to the delivery of KRT to critically ill patients with AKI.
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