Continuous Veno‐Venous Hemofiltration Improves Survival of Patients With Congestive Heart Failure and Cardiorenal Syndrome Compared to Slow Continuous Ultrafiltration

Abstract Continuous veno‐venous hemofiltration (CVVH) could modulate the inflammatory response by removal of circulating cytokines and therefore improve cardiac function in patients with heart failure (HF). We hypothesized that patients with developed cardiorenal syndrome and treated with CVVH have lower risk for mortality than other patients treated with slow continuous ultrafiltration (SCUF). This was a prospective, longitudinal follow‐up study for 24 months duration. In total, 120 patients were recruited from the intensive care units. Only patients with cardiorenal syndrome type 1 and 2 were enrolled. 54 CVVH and 23 SCUF patients survived. Mean survival time was longer in CVVH group with cardiomyopathy than in the SCUF group. When we compared patients with cardiomyopathy and hourly urine output <10 mL/h, mean survival time was significantly longer in patients treated with CVVH. This is the first study to analyze the impact of different CRRT modalities (CVVH vs. SCUF) on survival of patients with HF and who developed cardiorenal syndrome. Better survival in patients treated with CVVH, which is mostly pronounced in patients with cardiomyopathy, is a consequence of a better preserved hourly urine output. Longer survival in patients with cardiomyopathy is most probably related to cytokine removal by CVVH with smaller UF rates and longer duration of each treatment. Slow continuous ultrafiltration remains the method of choice in patients with HF and preserved renal function but in cases of developed cardiorenal syndrome is much inferior to CVVH.