Intervention measures to improve the filter life of continuous renal replacement therapy in critically ill patients—A systematic review
Authors: Yanting Zhang , Pu Zhang , Gui Hou , Anlong Zheng , Meng Xiao , Jin Li , Jing Ma , Xinbo Ding , Zhaoyang Li 
Published: December 2024

Background

Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is a method of blood purification, which is widely used in the treatment of critical diseases as a means of multiple organ function protection and life support therapy. However, because of the serious condition of ICU (intensive care unit) patients, CRRT needs to be carried out continuously, but the treatment is interrupted ahead of time as a result of various conditions, which not only affects the treatment effect but also increases the patient cost.

Aims

To evaluate intervention measures to improve the filter life of CRRT in critically ill patients, and also to identify which interventions are considered ‘promising interventions’.

Study Design

This is a systematic review. Seven databases were searched using terms related to the concepts of ‘continuous renal replacement therapy’ and ‘filter life’, from the establishment of the database to 31 December 2023. The quality of the methodology included in the study was assessed using standard evaluation tools developed by the Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP), and pre‐established criteria were used to identify ‘promising interventions’.

Results

A total of 28 studies were included, of which 7 were rated ‘strong’ in terms of design and methodological quality, and the others were ‘medium’. The most commonly identified interventions to extend the life of CRRT filters include the use of sodium citrate anticoagulation, the choice of CVVHD or CVVHDF or pre‐diluted CVVH for CRRT and the use of personalized sodium citrate anticoagulant regimens to reduce the incidence of filter clotting. The intervention measures of 14 studies were statistically significant, while the other 14 studies were not statistically significant. Interventions in nine studies were identified as ‘promising interventions’ because they were published within 10 years, with a medium or strong methodological quality rating, significant positive results and a strong evidence base.

Conclusion

In the promising interventions study, citrate anticoagulation and CVVHD or CVVHDF models were recommended to significantly prolong filter life. However, more high‐quality studies are needed to identify interventions that can prolong the life of CRRT filters in critically ill patients, thereby supplementing the literature in this field. The existing studies lack blinding and have limited quality. Future studies should be carried out with the goal of ‘best evidence’, and the interventions should be more universal and clinically practical.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

This study uses the method of systematic review to scientifically and rigorously provide some suggestions for extending the life of CRRT filters in critically ill patients, such as ‘By implementing personalized citrate anticoagulation protocols, the incidence of CRRT filter life shortening due to coagulation can be reduced’, which can reduce the cost of patients and improve the quality of treatment to a certain extent in clinical practice.