Association of hypochloremia with mortality among patients requiring continuous renal replacement therapy

Background Serum chloride derangement is common in critically ill patients requiring continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). We aimed to assess the association between serum chloride levels before and during CRRT with mortality. Methods This is a retrospective cohort study of critically ill patients receiving CRRT for acute kidney injury from December 2006 through November 2015 in a tertiary referral hospital in the United States. We used logistic regression to assess serum chloride before and mean serum chloride during CRRT as predictors for 90 days mortality after CRRT initiation. The normal reference range for serum chloride was 99-108 mmol/L. Results Of 1282 eligible patients, 25%, 50%, and 25% had hypochloremia, normochloremia, and hyperchloremia, respectively. The adjusted odds ratio for 90 days mortality in patients with hypochloremia before CRRT was 1.82 (95% CI 1.29-2.55). During CRRT, 4%, 70%, 26% of patients had mean serum chloride in the hypochloremia, normochloremia, and hyperchloremia range, respectively. The adjusted odds ratio for 90 days mortality in patients with mean serum chloride during CRRT in the hypochloremia range was 2.96 (95% CI 1.43-6.12). Hyperchloremia before and during CRRT was not associated with mortality. The greater serum chloride range during CRRT was associated with increased mortality (OR 1.29; 95% CI 1.13-1.47 per 5 mmol/L increase). Conclusion Hypochloremia before and during CRRT is associated with higher mortality.