Renal replacement therapy in acute renal failure: solute removal mechanisms and dose quantification.

Based on numerous studies demonstrating a direct relationship between survival and delivered hemodialysis (HD) dose in end-stage renal disease (ESRD), quantification of delivered HD is now routinely performed in this setting. Recently, investigators have also begun applying kinetic modeling principles to quantify delivered dialysis dose in patients with acute renal failure (ARF). One purpose of this article is to review these ARF studies. However, a broader objective is to provide an overview of the solute removal capabilities of both intermittent and continuous therapies used in ARF. To achieve this goal, the dialytic removal mechanisms for solutes over a wide molecular weight spectrum are discussed.