A clinical score to predict mortality in septic acute kidney injury patients requiring continuous renal replacement therapy: the HELENICC score

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to identify predictors of early (7-day) mortality in patients with septic acute kidney injury (AKI) who required continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). METHODS: Prospective cohort of 186 septic AKI patients undergoing CRRT at a tertiary hospital, from October 2005 to November 2010. RESULTS: After multivariate adjustment, five variables were associated to early mortality: norepinephrine utilization, liver failure, medical condition, lactate level, and pre-dialysis creatinine level. These variables were combined in a score, which demonstrated good discrimination, with a C-statistic of 0.82 (95% CI = 0.76–0.88), and good calibration (χ (2) = 4.3; p = 0.83). SAPS 3, APACHE II and SOFA scores demonstrated poor performance in this population. CONCLUSIONS: The HEpatic failure, LactatE, NorepInephrine, medical Condition, and Creatinine (HELENICC) score outperformed tested generic models. Future studies should further validate this score in different cohorts.