Regional Citrate Anticoagulation for RRT During V-V ECMO

Summary

Anticoagulation is an essential component of all extracorporeal therapies. Currently locoregional citrate anticoagulation is the recommended technique for continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). However, low clearance of citrate restricts its use to blood flow up to 150 mL/min, preventing its use in ECMO. Renal replacement therapy (RRT) is commonly provided to ECMO patients with AKI. In presence of systemic heparinization for ECMO, additional anticoagulation for the CRRT circuit (i.e. RCA) is usually not employed. Nevertheless, thrombosis occurs more frequently in the CRRT circuit than the oxygenator because of the slower blood flow. The aim of this prospective, cross-over study is to assess, in patients undergoing CRRT during veno-venous ECMO (vv-ECMO), the efficacy and safety of adding regional citrate anticoagulation (RCA) for CRRT circuit anticoagulation.

Timeline

Start

2021-11-14

Primary completion

2025-07-30

Completion

2025-07-31

Publications

• Results Zarbock A, Kullmar M, Kindgen-Milles D, Wempe C, Gerss J, Brandenburger T, Dimski T, Tyczynski B, Jahn M, Mulling N, Mehrlander M, Rosenberger P, Marx G, Simon TP, Jaschinski U, Deetjen P, Putensen C, Schewe JC, Kluge S, Jarczak D, Slowinski T, Bodenstein M, Meybohm P, Wirtz S, Moerer O, Kortgen A, Simon P, Bagshaw SM, Kellum JA, Meersch M; RICH Investigators and the Sepnet Trial Group. Effect of Regional Citrate Anticoagulation vs Systemic Heparin Anticoagulation During Continuous Kidney Replacement Therapy on Dialysis Filter Life Span and Mortality Among Critically Ill Patients With Acute Kidney Injury: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2020 Oct 27;324(16):1629-1639. doi: 10.1001/jama.2020.18618.
• Results Giani M, Scaravilli V, Stefanini F, Valsecchi G, Rona R, Grasselli G, Bellani G, Pesenti AM, Foti G. Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy in Venovenous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: A Retrospective Study on Regional Citrate Anticoagulation. ASAIO J. 2020 Mar;66(3):332-338. doi: 10.1097/MAT.0000000000001003.
• Results Shum HP, Kwan AM, Chan KC, Yan WW. The use of regional citrate anticoagulation continuous venovenous hemofiltration in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. ASAIO J. 2014 Jul-Aug;60(4):413-8. doi: 10.1097/MAT.0000000000000085.
• Results Schilder L, Nurmohamed SA, Bosch FH, Purmer IM, den Boer SS, Kleppe CG, Vervloet MG, Beishuizen A, Girbes AR, Ter Wee PM, Groeneveld AB; CASH study group. Citrate anticoagulation versus systemic heparinisation in continuous venovenous hemofiltration in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury: a multi-center randomized clinical trial. Crit Care. 2014 Aug 16;18(4):472. doi: 10.1186/s13054-014-0472-6.
• Results Stucker F, Ponte B, Tataw J, Martin PY, Wozniak H, Pugin J, Saudan P. Efficacy and safety of citrate-based anticoagulation compared to heparin in patients with acute kidney injury requiring continuous renal replacement therapy: a randomized controlled trial. Crit Care. 2015 Mar 18;19(1):91. doi: 10.1186/s13054-015-0822-z.
• Giani M, Frazzei M, Rona R, Langer T, Pozzi M, Foti G, Rezoagli E; CRRT ECMO Study Group. Regional citrate anticoagulation for renal replacement therapy during venovenous ECMO: A randomized crossover pilot study. Ann Intensive Care. 2026 Apr 27;16:100072. doi: 10.1016/j.aicoj.2026.100072. eCollection 2026.

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