COVID-19 Resources for CRRT Treatment

Treatment Guidelines

"Acute kidney injury (AKI) requiring acute renal replacement therapy (RRT) occurs in approximately 15% of all ICU admissions, but this rate is often increased greatly in the setting of severe respiratory failure and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)."

- American Society of Nephrology

Recommendations on the care of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and kidney failure requiring renal replacement therapy

"Now, more than ever, Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy is a critical therapy to be used for patients with AKI requiring renal replacement therapy and especially for those patients who are hemodynamically unstable. It has been reported in various countries that a subset of patients with COVID-19 will become severely ill, with a sepsis like syndrome and multiorgan failure, including acute kidney injury. In these critical cases, CRRT may be a life sustaining and life saving therapy."

- Mary Gellens, MD

Senior Medical Director Baxter Healthcare Corporation

In times of uncertainty, the ability to learn and be proactive makes a huge difference. Our understanding of SARS-CoV-2 prevention and treatment evolves day by day. The clinical characteristics of acute kidney injury (AKI) are heterogeneous and its incidence is reported in up to 25% of patients, some of them requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT). Therefore, preparedness is of utmost importance to maximize our capacity for the provision of RRT. Timely initiation, optimal fluid management and protocolized care with consideration for minimizing healthcare provider exposure should be carefully evaluated.

– Javier A. Neyra, MD, MSCS, FASN

Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine/Nephrology/Bone and Mineral Metabolism Director, Acute Care Nephrology & CRRT Program University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington, Kentucky

The current treatment of COVID-19 with AKI includes general and supportive management and kidney replacement therapy. There is no effective antiviral therapy available at present.

- The Novel Coronavirus 2019 epidemic and kidneys.

Kidney International (2020) Article in press.

The consensus report of the 25th Acute Disease Quality Initiative (ADQI) Workgroup has been published. The report consists of five work groups addressing: pathophysiology and effects of treatments on the kidney; epidemiology and diagnosis; prevention and management; RRT, particularly under conditions of increased demand (surge); and the use of other forms of extracorporeal blood purification (EBP) for patients with COVID-19 with or without AKI.

-COVID-19-associated acute kidney injury: consensus report of the 25th Acute Disease Quality Initiative (ADQI) Workgroup  

Read the report