title: Long-term survival and dialysis dependency following acute kidney injury in intensive care: extended follow-up of a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) is increasing globally and it is much more common than end-stage kidney disease. AKI is associated with high mortality and cost of hospitalisation. Studies of treatments to reduce this high mortality have used differing renal replacement therapy (RRT) modalities and have not shown improvement in the short term. The reported long-term outcomes of AKI are variable and the effect of differing RRT modalities upon them is not clear. We used the prolonged follow-up of a large clinical trial to prospectively examine the long-term outcomes and effect of RRT dosing in patients with AKI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We extended the follow-up of participants in the Randomised Evaluation of Normal vs. Augmented Levels of RRT (RENAL) study from 90 days to 4 years after randomization. Primary and secondary outcomes were mortality and requirement for maintenance dialysis, respectively, assessed in 1,464 (97%) patients at a median of 43.9 months (interquartile range [IQR] 30.0-48.6 months) post randomization. A total of 468/743 (63%) and 444/721 (62%) patients died in the lower and higher intensity groups, respectively (risk ratio [RR] 1.04, 95% CI 0.96-1.12, p = 0.49). Amongst survivors to day 90, 21 of 411 (5.1%) and 23 of 399 (5.8%) in the respective groups were treated with maintenance dialysis (RR 1.12, 95% CI 0.63-2.00, p = 0.69). The prevalence of albuminuria among survivors was 40% and 44%, respectively (p = 0.48). Quality of life was not different between the two treatment groups. The generalizability of these findings to other populations with AKI requires further exploration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with AKI requiring RRT in intensive care have high long-term mortality but few require maintenance dialysis. Long-term survivors have a heavy burden of proteinuria. Increased intensity of RRT does not reduce mortality or subsequent treatment with dialysis.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  www.ClinicalTrials.govNCT00221013.
authors: The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, Australia ; University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Gallagher
authors: The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, Australia ; Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, Australia.
authors: Alan
authors: A
authors: Cass
authors: Austin Hospital, Heidelberg, Australia.
authors: Rinaldo
authors: R
authors: Bellomo
authors: The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, Australia ; University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors: Simon
authors: S
authors: Finfer
authors: The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, Australia ; Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, Australia.
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Gattas
authors: The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, Australia.
authors: Joanne
authors: J
authors: Lee
authors: The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, Australia.
authors: Serigne
authors: S
authors: Lo
authors: Auckland City Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors: Shay
authors: S
authors: McGuinness
authors: The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, Australia ; St. George Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Myburgh
authors: Auckland City Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors: Rachael
authors: R
authors: Parke
authors: The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, Australia.
authors: Dorrilyn
authors: D
authors: Rajbhandari
mesh_terms: D058186:Acute Kidney Injury / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D000368:Aged; D000419:Albuminuria / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D001315:Australia; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009520:New Zealand; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D012307:Risk Factors; D017741:Survivors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome