Anticoagulation and Activation - Comparison in Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy

Actual clinical practice predominantly makes use of heparin (systemically) or citrate regionally as anticoagulation in the extracorporeal circulation for renal replacement therapy. We aim to find out if different anticoagulation strategies may lead to different levels of platelet activation and whole blood coagulation. Regarding coagulation activation, it remains uncertain if there is an advantage for one of these methods. However, it is of major interest to minimize the risk of any additional clotting activation via extracorporeal circulation in these usually critically ill patients.