Comparison of prognosis between emergency and scheduled hemodialysis

BACKGROUND: The survival rate of patients undergoing hemodialysis and other renal replacement therapies has been extensively studied, but comparative studies of emergency and scheduled hemodialysis are limited. METHODS: This study included 312 patients who underwent emergency hemodialysis and 274 who received scheduled hemodialysis. We investigated the prognostic differences between these two groups of patients, including the short-term and long-term survival rates. RESULTS: The overall survival rate was significantly better among the patients in the scheduled hemodialysis group than emergency hemodialysis group. The mortality rate within 3 months of emergency hemodialysis was 4.8%, while that within 3 months of scheduled hemodialysis was 1.1%. CONCLUSIONS: Significant differences were present between emergency and scheduled hemodialysis, especially the levels of serum creatinine and hemoglobin.