Early fluid management affects short-term mortality in patients with end-stage kidney disease undergoing chronic hemodialysis and requiring continuous renal replacement therapy

Early fluid management is considered a key element affecting mortality in critically ill patients requiring continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). Most studies have primarily focused on patients with intrinsic acute kidney injury requiring CRRT, although end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients generally exhibit greater vulnerability. We investigated the association between fluid balance and short-term mortality outcomes in ESKD patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis and requiring CRRT.

This retrospective study included 110 chronic hemodialysis patients who received CRRT between 2017 and 2019 at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital. The amounts of daily input and output, and cumulative 3-day and 7-day input and output, were assessed from the initiation of CRRT. The participants were classified into two groups based on 7-day and 14-day mortalities. Cox regression analyses were carried out on the basis of the amounts of daily input and output, cumulative input and output, and cumulative fluid balance.

During follow-up, 7-day and 14-day mortalities were observed in 24 (21.8%) and 34 (30.9%) patients. The patients were stratified into two groups (14-day survivors vs. non-survivors), and there were no significant differences in demographic characteristics between the two groups. However, diabetes mellitus was more common among survivors than among non-survivors. Univariate analyses showed that the amounts of daily output at 48, and 72 h, and 3-day cumulative input and output, were significantly associated with 7-day mortality risk regardless of the cumulative fluid balance (HR: 0.28, 95% CI: 0.12–0.70, p = 0.01 for daily output at 48 h; HR: 0.34, 95% CI: 0.13–0.85, p = 0.02 for daily output at 72 h.; HR: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.61–0.86, p = 0.01 for 3-day cumulative input; HR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.41–0.90, p = 0.01 for 3-day cumulative output). Adjusted multivariate analyses showed that the lower 3-day cumulative output is an independent risk factor for 7-day and 14-day mortality.

In our study, increased cumulative output were significantly associated with reduced short-term mortality risk in chronic hemodialysis patients undergoing CRRT regardless of cumulative fluid balance. Further prospective studies to investigate the association between fluid balance and mortality in ESRD patients requiring CRRT are warranted.