This study aimed to characterize patients submitted to dialytic treatment with CVVHD in ICUs; monitor procedure time duration; estimate nurses' labor wages and; estimate the direct procedures mean costs. The study was developed in a public teaching hospital located in São Paulo, Brazil. A total of 93 procedures performed in 50 patients composed the sample. The results showed the predominance of male patients (62%); mean age was 60.8 years old; ICU hospitalization time was 19.2 days; 86% of the patients died; 76% of the patients presented acute renal insufficiency and, mean procedure time per patient was 1.9. The mean procedure duration was 26.6 hours. The mean cost of nurses' wages were R$ 592.04 which represented 28.7% of the total cost. The mean total expenditure was R$ 2,065.36 ranging from R$ 733.65 to R$ 6,994.18.
intensive care units; renal dialysis; costs and cost analysis
