All issues > Volume 48(1); 2005

Original Article

Korean J Pediatr. 2005;48(1):68-74. Published online January 15, 2005.

Outcome of Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy in Children

Yeon Jung YJ Lim¹, Hyun-seung HS Jin¹, Hyewon HW Hahn¹, Sei Ho SH Oh², Seong Jong SJ Park¹, Young Seo YS Park¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, University of Ulsan, College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
²Department of Pediatrics, Handong University, Sunlin Hospital, Pohang, Korea

Correspondence Young Seo YS Park ,Email: yspark@amc.seoul.kr

Abstract

Purpose
: There is growing use of continuous renal replacement therapy(CRRT) for pediatric patients, but reports about the use and outcome of CRRT in children is rare in Korea. We report our experiences of CRRT in critically ill pediatric patients.
Methods
: We reviewed the medical records of 23 pediatric patients who underwent CRRT at Asan Medical Center between May 2001 and May 2004. We evaluated underlying diseases, clinical features, treatment courses, CRRT modalities and outcomes.
Results
: Ages ranged from three days to 16 years with a median of five years. Patients weighed 2.4 to 63.9 kg(median 23.0 kg; 10 patients ≤20 kg). The underlying diseases were malignancy(nine cases), multiple organ dysfunction syndrome(five cases), hyperammonemia(four cases), acute renal failure associated with liver failure(three cases), dilated cardiomyopathy(one case) and congenital nephrotic syndrome(one case). Pediatric Risk of Mortality(PRISM) III score was 17.6±7.6 and the mean number of failing organs was 3.0±1.7. Duration of CRRT was one to 27 days(median : nine days). Eleven patients(47.8%) survived. Chronic renal failure developed in two cases, intracranial hemorrhage in one case, and chylothorax in one case among the survivors. PRISM III score and the number of vasopressor before the start of CRRT was significantly lower in the survivors(12.7±4.2 and 0.9±1.1) compared with nonsurvivors(22.1±7.8 and 2.4±1.4)(P<0.05).
Conclusion
: CRRT driven in venovenous mode is an effective and safe method of renal support for critically-ill infants and children to control fluid balance and metabolic derangement. Survival is affected by PRISM III score and the number of vasopressors at the initiation of CRRT.

Keywords :Acute renal failure, Continuous renal replacement therapy, Children