Continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration in the elderly patients

The outcome of continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration (CAVH) treatment was evaluated in fifty one critically ill elderly with acute renal failure (ARF). They were admitted into our University Hospital's intensive-care units (ICU) during January 1987 and December 1990. Mean age (± SD) was 70.7 ± 5 (range 65–84) years. Elderly patients (>65 years old) comprised 44% of the ICU-ARF patients. The causes of ARF were cardiac surgery (41%), medical (31%), aneurysm of the resection of abdominal aorta (20%), and general surgery (8%). In the majority of the patients ARF was complicated by multiple organ failure. A survival of 60% was obtained with CAVH treatment. The highest survival rate (69%) was noted among cardiac surgery ARF patients, while the lowest survival (25%) was seen among patients with ARF following aneurysm of the resection of abdominal aorta. From the results of this study we conclude that CAVH serves a benificial role if it is considered in the management of ARF in the elderly intensive care patients with multiple organ failure.