Outcome of patients with acute renal failure treated with intermittent or continuous renal replacement therapy depending on the initial diagnosis: a retrospective analysis

The mortality of patients with acute renal failure (ARF) remains high (50-60%). Predictive variables of outcome include, age, altered previous health status, severity of illness, multiorgan failure, oliguria, cause of ARF [1]. We retrospectively analyzed all patients without pre-existing renal insufficiency, admitted to the surgical ICU between 1993 and 2000, who developed ARF, that was treated with renal replacement therapy (RRT).