Renal replacement therapy in critically ill patients with COVID-19: A retrospective study investigating mortality, renal recovery and filter lifetime

PURPOSE: This study aims to investigate mortality and renal recovery in patients with Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) and Renal Replacement Therapy (RRT) due to COVID-19. A secondary aim is to investigate the filter life time in Continuous VenoVenous Hemofiltration (CVVH) and the effect of different methods of anticoagulation. METHODS: All patients with COVID-19 infection admitted to the ICU between March 16th 2020 to May 10th 2020 were retrospectively studied. Patients were categorized in a AKI-group and a non-AKI-group. RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients were included. Twenty-two (60%) patients developed AKI. Mortality in the AKI-group was 41% compared to 20% in the non-AKI group, p = 0.275. Comparable mortality was seen in the RRT (39%) and the non-RRT group (44%), p = 1.000. Renal function recovered to a KDIGO-stage 1 in 64% of the patients with AKI when discharged from the ICU. Life time for the CVVH filters (n = 53) was 27 h (14–63)[2–78]. No difference was found with various methods of anticoagulation. CONCLUSION: The need for RRT in critically ill patients with COVID-19 was reversible in our cohort and RRT was not associated with an increased mortality compared to AKI without the need for RRT. Higher levels of anticoagulation were not associated with prolonged filter life.