Adverse Events Common During Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy

Intensive care unit patients who require continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) experience a high incidence of adverse events (AEs), according to a new study.

In a study of 595 patients who underwent CRRT, a team at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., led by Kianoush Kashani, MD, found that the most common clinically significant electrolyte derangements were ionized hyperphosphatemia (44% of patients) hypocalcemia (22%), and ionized hypercalcemia (23%). Additionally, 97% of patients had at least 1 additional AE, including new-onset hypotension in 43% of patients, hypothermia (44%), new-onset arrhythmias (29%), new-onset anemia (31%), and thrombocytopenia (40%), the researchers reported in Blood Purification (2015;39:333-339).

“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,” the authors concluded.

From the June 01, 2015 Issue of Renal and Urology News