Outcomes of continuous renal replacement therapy versus peritoneal dialysis as a renal replacement therapy modality in patients undergoing Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation

Introduction: The optimal modality for renal replacement therapy (RRT) in patients venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) remains unclear. This study aimed to compare outcomes between continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) in VA-ECMO patients. Methods: This single-center retrospective study included VA-ECMO patients who developed AKI and subsequently required CRRT or PD. Data on patient demographics, comorbidities, clinical characteristics, RRT modality, and outcomes were collected. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality, with secondary outcomes including length of stays, RRT durations, and complications associated with RRT. Results: A total of 43 patients were included (72.1% male, mean age 58.2 +/- 15.7 years). Of these, 21 received CRRT and 22 received PD during ECMO therapy. In-hospital mortality rates did not significantly differ between CRRT and PD groups (80.9% vs 90.9%, p = 0.35). However, PD was associated with a higher incidence of catheter-related complications, including malposition (31.8% vs 4.7%, p = 0.046), infection (22.7% vs 4.7%, p = 0.19), and bleeding (18.2% vs 9.5%, p = 0.66), respectively. Conclusion: Among patients receiving VA-ECMO-supported RRT, our study revealed comparable in-hospital mortality rates between CRRT and PD, although PD was associated with a higher incidence of catheter-related complications.