Dialysis dose in acute kidney injury: no time for therapeutic nihilism--a critical appraisal of the Acute Renal Failure Trial Network study

Crit Care. 2008;12(5):308. doi: 10.1186/cc7016. Epub 2008 Oct 16.

Abstract

The optimal dialysis dose for acute kidney injury is a matter of great controversy. Clinical trials, predominantly single-center studies, have shown conflicting results. The Acute Renal Failure Trial Network (ATN) Study was designed to compare clinical outcomes between patients allocated to an intensive dose versus a less-intensive dose of renal replacement therapy. Recently, the results of this large randomized controlled multicenter study were published. The present article will discuss certain aspects of this trial: the overall design, the baseline patient characteristics, and comparison of the results with earlier studies. Finally, the article will address the implications of the ATN Study results for clinical practice.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Acute Kidney Injury / physiopathology
  • Acute Kidney Injury / therapy*
  • Humans
  • Multicenter Studies as Topic / methods*
  • Multicenter Studies as Topic / standards
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / methods*
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / standards
  • Renal Dialysis / methods*