Randomised Evaluation of Normal vs Augmented Level of renal replacement therapy in ICU (RENAL) study

Previous work in Italy suggested that increasing the amount of dialysis for kidney failure patient in the intensive care unit (ICU) can improve the patient’s chances of survival. The RENAL study compared patients in the ICU in Australian and New Zealand hospitals to find out if increasing the dose of dialysis would in fact prevent these patients from dying. Following patients over 90 days found no difference in mortality between normal treatment and intense treatment. The results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine in October 2009. A follow-up study, POST-RENAL, will increase patient follow-up time from 90 days to an average of 3.5 years.

Publications

  • Renal replacement therapy for acute kidney injury in Australian and New Zealand intensive care units: a practice survey. Crit Care Resusc 2008; 10: 225-230.
  • Design and Challenges of the Randomized Evaluation of Normal versus Augmented Level Replacement Therapy (RENAL) Trial: High-Dose versus Standard-Dose Hemofiltration in Acute Renal Failure. Blood Purif 2008;26:407-416
  • Screening and Study Enrolment in the Randomized Evaluation of Normal vs Augmented Level (RENAL) Replacement Therapy Trial. Blood Purif 2009;27:199-205
  • The Randomized Evaluation of Normal vs. Augmented Level Replacement Therapy (RENAL) Trial: A statistical analysis plan. Crit care Resusc 2009; 11: 58-66

Further reading