Abstract
BACKGROUND: Elderly patients are frequently considered poor candidates for continuous renal replacement therapy in intensive care units, but with little evidence base. METHODS: We gathered data regarding patients requiring continuous renal replacement therapy at our institution's intensive care unit during 2012-2014, and compared outcomes between patients of 75 years or older, and younger patients. RESULTS: Older patients had similar intensive care unit mortality to younger patients (41.5% vs. 36.1%, p = 0.21), but higher hospital mortality (54.2% vs. 44.0%, p = 0.02), and one-year mortality (63.6% vs. 50.6%, p = 0.005). There were no significant differences in dialysis-dependence rates between older and younger patients at intensive care unit discharge (31.9% vs. 35.8%, p = 0.50), and hospital discharge (18.5% vs. 24.2%, 0.32). Rates of new dialysis-dependence between older and younger patients at time of hospital discharge were similar (10.2% vs. 6.0%, p = 0.20). CONCLUSIONS: Intensivists should not withhold continuous renal replacement therapy based on age alone. Other factors should be considered in triage of patients for intensive care unit and continuous renal replacement therapy.