Hannover Dialysis Outcome Study

Mortality rates of patients with acute kidney injury in the intensive care unit have changed little over the past few decades despite significant advances in supportive care. Few interventions have been shown to result in an improvement of in-hospital mortality of these patients, with dose of renal replacement therapy (RRT) being one of the most important. Patients undergoing continuous veno-venous hemofiltration had better outcomes with ultrafiltration rates of 35 mL/kg/h or 45 mL/kg/h than those treated at a rate of 20 mL/kg/h. In a different trial, intermittent hemodialysis on a daily basis resulted in better control of uremia, fewer hypotensive episodes during dialysis, and more rapid resolution of acute renal failure than thrice weekly hemodialysis. In the present study we examine survival and renal recovery in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury that are treated with a currently recommended (standard) dose of RRT, and patients that receive intensified RRT.