Early Versus Late Sustained Low Efficiency Dialysis in Critically Ill Cirrhotics With Septic Shock and Acute Kidney Injury

Consecutive patients with cirrhosis and septic shock with AKI who give written informed consent will be included in this prospective trial. At baseline NT-Pro BNP, urine N-GAL will be done for all patients. A baseline serum blood sample (10 ml) and urine sample will be stored. Septic shock will be defined by the presence of two or more diagnostic criteria for the systemic inflammatory response syndrome, proven or suspected infection with hypotension non-responsive to adequate fluid resuscitation assessed by no evidence of stroke volume variation on flow track and need of a vasopressor to achieve a target mean arterial pressure (MAP) of ≥ 65 mm Hg. A record of CVP, IVC diameter and B-lines on ultrasound lung would also be done. Patients with age less than 18 years, severe known cardiopulmonary disease (structural or valvular heart disease, coronary artery disease, COPD) pregnancy, chronic kidney disease on hemodialysis, patients already meeting emergency criteria for immediate hemodialysis at the time of randomization as specified in the late group, patients transferred from other hospitals who have already been on hemodialysis before their arrival in the intensive care unit, extremely moribund patients with an expected life expectancy of less than 24 hours, failure to give informed consent from family members.