Ultrafiltration during intermittent hemodialysis in dogs with acute kidney injury

Abstract

Background: Ultrafiltration is performed to alleviate fluid overload in dogs with acute kidney injury (AKI) undergoing intermittent hemodialysis (IHD). Objectives: To describe prescription patterns for ultrafiltration in dogs receiving IHD for AKI and risk factors for ultrafiltration-related complications. Animals: Seventy-seven dogs undergoing 144 IHD treatments between 2009 and 2019. Methods: Medical records of dogs receiving IHD for AKI were reviewed. The initial 3 IHD treatments in which ultrafiltration was prescribed were included. Ultrafiltration-related complications were defined as those requiring an intervention such as transient or permanent discontinuation of ultrafiltration. Results: Mean fluid removal rate per treatment was 8.1 ± 4.5 mL/kg/h. Ultrafiltration-related complications occurred in 37/144 (25.7%) of treatments. Hypotension was rare (6/144, 4.2% of treatments). No ultrafiltration-related complications resulted in deaths. The mean prescribed fluid removal rate per treatment was higher in dogs with ultrafiltration-related complications than without (10.8 ± 4.9 mL/kg/h vs 8.8 ± 5.1 mL/kg/h, respectively; P =.03). The mean delivered fluid removal rate per treatment was significantly lower in dogs with UF-related complications compared to those without complications (6.8 ± 4.0 mL/kg/h vs 8.6 ± 4.6 mL/kg/h, respectively; P =.04). Variables associated with ultrafiltration-related complications (P