Therapy was discontinued when patients exhibited evidence of renal recovery with greater than 0.5 ml/kg/hour urine volume for more than 24 hours. The study group also received the other measures considered part of standard care in patients with renal dysfunction including: fluid resuscitation, and avoidance of nephrotoxic substances.Statistical analysisThe primary outcome measures of interest were 28-day mortality and in-hospital mortality. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Comparisons were made between the CVVH group and control group. Data are presented as mean �� standard deviation unless specified as median with interquartile range (IQR, Q1 to Q3). A multiple logistic regression analysis was performed for the total number of patients in both groups to determine the effect on the risk of death of the following variables: age, percentage TBSA, percentage full-thickness TBSA, inhalation injury, ISS, multiple organ dysfunction score (MODS), sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA), acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE II), AKIN stage, and treatment group. Continuous variables were compared via paired student t-test or Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Chi-square testing was used to compare categorical variables. All testing was two-tailed, with P < 0.05 considered significant. Kaplan-Meier estimate of survival was constructed to compare one-year survival between the CVVH group and the control group via stratified log-rank test.ResultsAfter the start of our CVVH program in November 2005, 361 patients were admitted to the BICU during a 22-month period. Of these, 38 consecutive patients were treated using CVVH with 29 meeting our original inclusion criteria. Nine patients, four who survived to discharge, were excluded for the following reasons: isolated inhalation injury (n = 1), preexisting chronic renal insufficiency (n = 4), percentage TBSA less than 40% (n = 1), and non-thermal injury (n = 3). Prior to the start of our program, 486 patients were admitted to the burn ICU during a 32-month period. Of these, 42 patients were identified by our multi-step query for renal failure. Fourteen patients, 10 who survived to discharge, were excluded for the following reasons: preexisting chronic renal insufficiency (n = 3), burn size of less than 40% TBSA (n = 6), non-thermal injury (n = 4), and nephrology consultation for lithium toxicity (n = 1).In all, 28 patients met our original inclusion criteria. Of these, 15 patients were evaluated by nephrology, with two being placed on IHD. Table Table11 lists patient demographics at the time of the diagnosis of AKI, nephrology consultation, or the initiation of CVVH (T0).