Older age, acute MI, and hypotension are among the factors that predict ICU mortality among patients with acute renal failure (ARF), data show.
Even though ARF in critically ill patients often is associated with high morbidity and mortality, few studies have looked at the causes of mortality. Vhairi Wilson, MD, senior house officer at the Morriston Hospital in Swansea, Wales, and her colleagues examined the charts of 1,063 patients admitted to the hospital’s ICU in 2005. The study’s outcome measures were ICU mortality and mortality 90 days following ICU admission.
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The mean measures of the patients were age 66.6 years, APACHE II score 25.6, serum creatinine 395 µmol/L, hemoglobin 9.6 g/dL, and length of stay in the ICU 11.6 days.
While in the ICU, 97 patients required renal replacement for ARF and 45 of them died (45.9%). ICU mortality correlated with increased age, hypotension, acute MI, and ad-mission serum creatinine level greater than 140 µmol/L. The 90-day mortality rate was 58%, and it correlated with acute MI, hypotension, and age. Researchers are continuing to look at patients who died to see if they can replicate their findings.
