title: Ultrafiltration for acute decompensated heart failure: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Current clinical guidelines recommend ultrafiltration (UF) for patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) who are unresponsive or resistant to diuretics. We systematically reviewed the latest randomized evidence on the efficacy and safety of UF in ADHF.
  
  
  METHODS
  MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane database were searched in January 2013 for eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating UF in patients with ADHF. A Mantel-Haenszel random-effects model was used to calculate mean differences (MDs) and odds ratios (ORs) for continuous and dichotomous data, respectively, with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data of 12 studies (n=659) were meta-analyzed; follow-up duration ranged from 36 h to 12 months. Compared to control, treatment of UF was associated with significant fluid removal (MD 1.28, 95% CI 0.43 to 2.12, P=0.003) and weight loss (MD 1.23, 95% CI 0.03 to 2.44, P=0.04), with no significant effects on all-cause mortality (OR 1.08, 95% CI 0.63 to 1.86, P=0.77) or all-cause rehospitalization (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.39 to 2.00, P=0.77). No significant differences were observed in the analyses of change in serum creatinine or unscheduled medical care; analysis of adverse effects was inconclusive since only one study provided usable data.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For patients with ADHF, UF is effective in reducing fluid retention and body weight, with no significant benefits in mortality or rehospitalization. The current limited randomized evidence highlights the need for further well-conducted randomized studies of adequate power to establish the role of UF in ADHF patients for whom conventional HF treatment is unsuccessful or contraindicated.
authors: Institute of Vascular Medicine, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, Division of Cardiology, Heart Education And Research Training (HEART) Centre, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong.
authors: Joey S W
authors: JS
authors: Kwong
authors: Institute of Vascular Medicine, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, Division of Cardiology, Heart Education And Research Training (HEART) Centre, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong. Electronic address: cmyu@cuhk.edu.hk.
authors: Cheuk-Man
authors: CM
authors: Yu
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D014462:Ultrafiltration / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Acute decompensated heart failure; Meta-analysis; Systematic review; Ultrafiltration