• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.13-17
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• 2014

Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) has become the preferred dialysis modality to support critically ill children with acute kidney injury. As CRRT technology and clinical practice advances, experiences using CRRT on small infants and neonates have increased. In neonates with hyperammonemia or acute kidney injury during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy, CRRT can be a safe and effective technique. However, there are many limitations of CRRT in neonates, including vascular access, bleeding complications, and lack of neonatespecific devices. This review discusses the basic principles of CRRT and the special considerations when using this technique in neonates and infants.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.43-51
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• 2019

Purpose: The time lag between the decision to initiate continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) and its actual initiation remains a major barrier in our intensive care units. We developed a CRRT pop-up chart on EMR for managing CRRT machines. Methods: This study measured time interval between the decision to prepare the CRRT machine and the actual use of the machine before and after using a CRRT pop-up chart. This study conducted a questionnaire of the medical staff to assess the changes in the quality of CRRT preparation. Results: A total of 95 patients on CRRT is analyzed. The time to find an available CRRT machine is decreased by 24.6%. The time to move a CRRT machine to the patient's bedside is decreased by 55.8%. Medical surveys of 44 nurses gave the following results. 1) The time to apprehend machines for 1 to 3 minutes is improved from 29.5% to 81.8%, and the time to apprehend machines over 3 minutes is decreased from 70.5% to 18.2%. 2) The number (6-all) of known machine locations is improved from 22.7% to 63.4%. 3) Interruption of a nurse's work due to telephone calls asking for the possession of movable CRRT equipment also is improved. Scores of 1-4 are improved from 15.9% to 41%. Scores of 5-7 are reduced from 52% to 15.9%. Conclusions: CRRT pop-up chart is shortened the time lag of CRRT machine preparation, reduced the nurse's phone workload and helped to improve the quality of CRRT care.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.40-50
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• 2016

Purpose: Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) has become the preferred dialysis method to support critically ill children and neonates with acute kidney injury. Using CRRT on neonates has increased, but reports about experience are limited. The aim of this study is to describe the clinical application, outcomes, and complications of CRRT in children and neonates. Methods: A retrospective review was performed in 135 children and 36 neonates who underwent CRRT at a tertiary hospital from 2008 to 2015. Results: At the initiation of CRRT, the median age of children was 72 months and the corrected age of neonates was 37.1 weeks. Median body weight of neonates was 3.2 kg. In neonates, initial degree of fluid overload [FO%], blood flow rate [BFR] and ultrafiltration rate [UFR] rate during CRRT were higher than in children. Median real time of CRRT was 90.5 and 53.5 hours in children and neonates, respectively. Downtime of CRRT was 0.7 and 1.3 hours/day. Median mortality rates (44.4% vs.47.2%) and complication rates were similar between the groups. Conclusion: CRRT can be used for a wide range of critically ill children and neonates. Different application methods of CRRT can contribute to increased survival of neonates.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.58-68
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• 2009

Purpose: The treatment effects and operation status of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) for acute renal failure patients have been investigated. Method: Two expert nurses reviewed the records of 731 patients undergoing CRRT in an intensive care unit of a general hospital from Jan. 2002 to Dec. 2006 with the CRRT assessment sheet and situation sheet developed for this study. Results: The number of patients received CRRT increased from 90 in 2002 to 194 in 2006. The most common indication for CRRT was azotemia (40.0%). Before CRRT treatment, patients were 78.6 ($\pm55.5$) of BUN value and 5.0 ($\pm3.2$) of Cr. value. The standard values of BUN and Cr. were lowered. Compared the survival group with the death group, there were significant differences among the medical departments and the main diagnosis group. Their BUN and creatinine value, APACHE II score, mean blood pressure, and oliguria were significantly different (p<0.05). Conclusion: This survey demonstrates a trend that patients receiving CRRT has been increased. We suggest further studies are needed in some hospitals in order to generalize the results and to find how CRRT treatment affects patient’s survival and death rate.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.76-82
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• 2005

Purpose : Regional anticoagulation with trisodium citrate for continuous renal replacement therapy(CRRT) is an effective and safe method, with lower bleeding risk. However it is not widely used because of complex current protocols used to prevent anticipated metabolic derangements. We evaluated simplified regional anticoagulation protocols with ACD-A(R) solution and commercially available calcium-containing dialysis solution. Methods : The medical records of twenty-eight patients who underwent CRRT were reviewed. Hemofilter life span according to the anticoagulation method used was compared, and laboratory findings at Pre- and 48 hours post-CRRT initiation were compared in the citrate-based CRRT group. Results : Of the twenty-eight Patients, five patients underwent citrate-based CRRT Hemofilter life span was 1.60 $\pm$ 0.72 days, showing no significant differences with the hemofilter life span in the heparin based and LMWH based CRRT group. No patients experienced hemorrhagic complications. PT, aPTT, sodium, t$CO_{2}$, iCa levels showed no difference in pre- and post-CRRT. Total calcium levels were increased. At the recommended postfilter iCa level, j.e., 0.25-0.39 mmol/L, all five patients needed increased amount of citrate infusion, and Ca infusion requirement was decreased. Conclusion : Simplified regional citrate anticoagulation with calcium-containing dialysate is an effective and safe method, and is not associated with increased hemofilter clotting. However, increased postfilter iCa level is recommended.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.68-74
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• 2005

Purpose : There is growing use of continuous renal replacement therapy(CRRT) for pediatric patients, but reports about the use and outcome of CRRT in children is rare in Korea. We report our experiences of CRRT in critically ill pediatric patients. Methods : We reviewed the medical records of 23 pediatric patients who underwent CRRT at Asan Medical Center between May 2001 and May 2004. We evaluated underlying diseases, clinical features, treatment courses, CRRT modalities and outcomes. Results : Ages ranged from three days to 16 years with a median of five years. Patients weighed 2.4 to 63.9 kg(median 23.0 kg; 10 patients ${\leq}20kg$). The underlying diseases were malignancy(nine cases), multiple organ dysfunction syndrome(five cases), hyperammonemia(four cases), acute renal failure associated with liver failure(three cases), dilated cardiomyopathy(one case) and congenital nephrotic syndrome(one case). Pediatric Risk of Mortality(PRISM) III score was $17.6{\pm}7.6$ and the mean number of failing organs was $3.0{\pm}1.7$. Duration of CRRT was one to 27 days(median : nine days). Eleven patients(47.8%) survived. Chronic renal failure developed in two cases, intracranial hemorrhage in one case, and chylothorax in one case among the survivors. PRISM III score and the number of vasopressor before the start of CRRT was significantly lower in the survivors($12.7{\pm}4.2$ and $0.9{\pm}1.1$) compared with nonsurvivors($22.1{\pm}7.8$ and $2.4{\pm}1.4$)(P<0.05). Conclusion : CRRT driven in venovenous mode is an effective and safe method of renal support for critically-ill infants and children to control fluid balance and metabolic derangement. Survival is affected by PRISM III score and the number of vasopressors at the initiation of CRRT.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.55 no.8
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• pp.286-292
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• 2012

Purpose: Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is becoming the treatment of choice for supporting critically ill pediatric patients. However, a few studies present have reported CRRT use and outcome in neonates weighing less than 3 kg. The aim of this study is to describe the clinical application, outcome, and complications of CRRT in small neonates. Methods: A retrospective review was performed in 8 neonatal patients who underwent at least 24 hours of pumped venovenous CRRT at the Samsung Medical Center in Seoul, Korea, between March 2007 and July 2010. Data, including demographic characteristics, diagnosis, vital signs, medications, laboratory, and CRRT parameters were recorded. Results: The data of 8 patients were analyzed. At the initiation of CRRT, the median age was 5 days (corrected age, $38^{+2}$ weeks to 23 days), and the median body weight was 2.73 kg (range, 2.60 to 2.98 kg). Sixty-two patient-days of therapy were reviewed; the median time for CRRT in each patient was 7.8 days (range, 1 to 37 days). Adverse events included electrolyte disturbances, catheter-related complications, and CRRT-related hypotension. The mean circuit functional survival was $13.9{\pm}8.6$ hours. Overall, 4 patients (50%) survived; the other 4 patients, who developed multiorgan dysfunction syndrome, died. Conclusion: The complications of CRRT in newborns are relatively high. However, the results of this study suggest that venovenous CRRT is feasible and effective in neonates weighing less than 3 kg under elaborate supportive care. Furthermore, for using potential benefit of CRRT in neonates, efforts are required for prolonging filter survival.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.65-77
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to analyze the nursing activities related to continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) in the intensive care units (ICU). Methods: We developed a list of 31 CRRT related nursing activities based on literature review and reviewed by expert group. A total of 109 direct time measurement records by 43 ICU nurses were collected and analyzed in terms of total time per shift, frequency, standard time, difficulty and performance levels of each CRRT nursing activity. Results: The mean time for CRRT nursing activity was 85.60 minutes per 8 hour shift. Nurses have spent average $9.46{\pm}6.98$ minutes in a shift for "waste fluid bag change" activity. In addition, "check catheter location" was the most time consuming single activity. The most difficult activity was "counseling-answer" and the most competent one was "dialysis solutions change". Conclusion: The CRRT nursing activities accounted for a significant portion of total nursing workload. Practical allocation of nursing staff for CRRT patient along with development of a new nursing cost system need to be considered. Continuous nursing educational and training programs on CRRT should be developed.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.150-155
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• 2009

Purpose: Extracorporeal elimination of drugs is a critical part of managing poisonings, although the indications and optimal method remain a matter of debate. The aim of this study is to report our clinical experiences with continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), as performed by emergency room physicians, as method of extracorporeal drug elimination in patients with poisoning. Methods: This study was a retrospective study of the consecutive patients who underwent CRRT, as performed by an emergency room physician, for acute poisoning. The patient characteristics, the kinds of drugs and the method of extracorporeal elimination were analyzed by reviewing the patients' charts. Results: During eleven months, 26 patients with acute poisoning underwent extracorporeal elimination (2 patients; intermittent hemodialysis, 24 patients; CRRT). The mean time from the decision to performing extracorporeal elimination was $206.0{\pm}36.8$ minutes for intermittent hemodialysis, $62.9{\pm}8.5$ minutes for continuous venoveno-hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF) and $56.6{\pm}6.8$ minutes for charcoal hemoperfusion. For the patients with CRRT, CVVHDF was conducted in 10 patients (3 patients; valproic acid, 2 patients; Lithium, 1 patient; salicylates, 1 patient; methanol) and charcoal hemoperfusion by using CRRT was done in 14 patients (13 patients; paraquat, 1 patient; dapsone). For the 12 patients who required hemodialysis due to severe poisoning, 7 patients underwent CRRT because of their unstable vital signs. Conclusion: CRRT was an effective method of extracorporeal drug elimination in patients with acute poisoning, and especially for the cases with unstable vital sign and for those patients who required an early start of extracorporeal elimination according to the characteristics of the drug. (ED note: the writing of the abstract was not clear. Check it carefully.)

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.247-254
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• 2007

Purpose : Continuous renal replacement therapy(CRRT) has been the first choice for the treatment of acute renal failure in critically ill children not only in western countries but also in Korea. However, there are very few studies that have analyzed the outcome and prognosis of this modality in Korean children. We performed this study to evaluate the factors associated with the outcome and prognosis of patients treated with CRRT. Methods : We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 32 children who had received CRRT at Severance hospital from 2003 to 2006. The mean age was 7.5 years(range 4 days-16 years) and the mean body weight was 25.8 kg (range 3.2-63 kg). Results : Eleven(34.4%) of the 32 patients survived. Bone marrow transplantation and malignancy were the most common causes of death and underlying disease leading to the need for CRRT Mean patient weight, age, duration of CRRT, number of organ failures, urine output, estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR), C-reactive protein, and blood urea level did not differ significantly between survivors and nonsurvivors. (1) Pediatric risk of mortality(PRISM) III score at CRRT initiation($9.8{\pm}5.3$ vs. $26.7{\pm}7.6$, P<0.0001), (2) maximum pressor number ($2.1{\pm}1.2$ vs. $3.0{\pm}1.0$, P=0.038), and (3) the degree of fluid overload($5.2{\pm}6.0$ vs. $15.0{\pm}8.9$, P=0.002) were significantly lower in survivers than in nonsurvivors. Multivariate analysis revealed that fluid overload was the only independent factor reducing survival rate. Conclusion : CRRT was successfully applied to the treatment of acute renal failure in a wide range of critically ill children. To improve survival, we suggest the early initiation of CRRT to prevent the systemic worsening and progression of fluid overload in critically ill children with acute renal failure. (J Korean Soc Pediatr Nephrol 2007;11:247-254)