Heparin‐grafted dialysis membrane allows minimal systemic anticoagulation in regular hemodialysis patients: A prospective proof‐of‐concept study

Abstract This prospective, multicenter, proof‐of‐concept study aimed to evaluate the possibility to reduce the ordinary heparin dose and the systemic anti‐ X a activity during hemodialysis ( HD ) sessions using a new heparin‐grafted HD membrane. In 45 stable HD patients, the use of a heparin‐grafted membrane with the ordinary heparin dose was followed by a stepwise weekly reduction of dose. Reduction was stopped when early signs of clotting (venous pressure, quality of rinse‐back) occurred during two out of three weekly HD sessions. Heparin dose was decreased for 67% of patients resulting in the lowering of these patients' anti‐ X a activity by 50%. Dose reductions were achieved with both types of heparin (low‐molecular‐weight heparin: 64 ± 14 to 35 ± 12 IU /kg, P < 0.0001; unfractionated heparin: 82 ± 18 to 46 ± 13 IU /kg, P < 0.0001) resulting in a decrease of anti‐ X a activity at dialysis session end (low‐molecular‐weight heparin: 0.51 ± 0.25 to 0.25 ± 0.11 IU /m L , P < 0.0001; unfractionated heparin: 0.28 ± 0.23 to 0.13 ± 0.07 IU /m L , P < 0.0001). Failure to further decrease heparin dose was related to signs of clotting in blood lines (57% of sessions), in dialyzer (9%), or both (34%). Significant reduction of heparin dose and anti‐ X a activity at the end of HD sessions was possible in stable HD patients using heparin‐grafted membrane. HD patients who require low anti‐ X a activity at the end of HD sessions might benefit from a heparin‐grafted membrane to reduce bleeding risk and other heparin adverse events.