title: Hypercoagulability, a serious problem in patients with ESRD on maintenance hemodialysis, and its correction after kidney transplantation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recurrent vascular access thrombosis (VAT) resulting in failure to continue maintenance hemodialysis (HD) therapy is not an uncommon event. The cause of VAT in these circumstances remains uncertain. We describe results of our studies to identify changes in hemostatic balance in patients on maintenance HD therapy that probably contributed to a hypercoagulable state.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 82 patients with end-stage renal disease on maintenance HD therapy who underwent HD for 11 to 52 months (39.3 +/- 27.4 months). Forty-nine episodes of VAT occurred in 22 patients; a single episode occurred in 12 patients; and 2 or more episodes, in 10 patients. Blood coagulation studies, including assays of inhibitors and activated protein C (PC) resistance (APCR), were performed using standard techniques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Investigations showed the presence of lupus anticoagulant (LA) in 5.6%, anticardiolipin antibody immunoglobulin G (IgG) in 3.9% and IgM in 5.3%, APCR in 20.5%, and deficiencies in protein S (PS), PC, and antithrombin III (ATIII) in 32.1%, 24.4%, and 19.2%, respectively. When parameters were compared between patients with and without VAT episodes, LA, PC, PS, and APCR levels were significantly abnormal in those who experienced VAT. Sixteen subjects with hypercoagulable states on HD therapy underwent renal transplantation and were evaluated 9.3 +/- 4.2 months posttransplantation. Deficiencies in PC (P = 0.014), PS (P = 0.001), ATIII (P = 0.017), and APCR (P = 0.0001) were completely corrected in all subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hypercoagulability is a risk factor for recurrent VAT in HD patients, and renal transplantation successfully corrects these abnormalities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Kuwait University, Hamad Al Essa Organ Transplant Center, and Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital, Ministry of Health, Kuwait.
authors.forename: Mangalathillam R N
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Nampoory
authors.forename: Kshitish C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: Kaivilayil V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Johny
authors.forename: Nabieh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Al-Hilali
authors.forename: Mini
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abraham
authors.forename: Sicy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Easow
authors.forename: Tarek
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saed
authors.forename: Ibrahim A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Al-Muzeirei
authors.forename: Thattaruparampil N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Sugathan
authors.forename: Musthafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al Mousawi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006487:Hemostasis; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000601:surgery*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D019851:Thrombophilia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*