Regional Anticoagulation of Dialysis Circuits With a Calcium-free Citrate-containing Dialysate

Critically ill patients have a high risk of bleeding but also require prolonged intermittent dialysis. Thus, a heparin-free easy-to-use alternative type of anticoagulation within the dialysis circuit is required. In a non-comparative study, heparin-free regional citrate anticoagulation of the dialysis circuit using a calcium-free citrate-containing dialysate, with calcium reinjected according to ionic dialysance, was considered as safe and efficient. The aim of this study is to confirm the superiority of this approach compared to a anticoagulation based on heparin-grafted membrane.