ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine the optimal timing of treating acute renal failure (ARF) patients in intensive care unit (ICU) with RIFLE (risk of renal failure, injury to the kidney, failure of kidney function, loss of kidney function and end-stage renal failure) classification using continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). And to evaluate the association between mortality and RIFLE classification in the same patients. METHODS: Clinical data were collected from 103 ARF patients in ICU from 2000 to 2007. RESULTS: The 30-days hospital mortality rate was 45.6%. The 30 days' hospital mortality rates of RIFLE-R, RIFLE-I and RIFLE-F were 25.0%, 20.0% and 57.3% respectively. CONCLUSION: Survival rate of ARF patients can be manifestly elevated if CRRT is performed before RIFLE-F. The patients in RIFLE-F category have a significantly higher mortality than RIFLE-R and -I patients. The RIFLE criteria is fit for ARF classification system.
