title: Low dose of argatroban saline flushes anticoagulation in hemodialysis patients with high risk of bleeding.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anticoagulation in hemodialysis (HD) patients with high risk of bleeding is still an intractable problem.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 80 HD sessions with high risk of bleeding were completed with either heparin-free (HF) or low dose of argatroban saline flushes (LASF) anticoagulation. Clinical clot formation in the pipeline and dialyzer was inspected to evaluate the local anticoagulation efficiency; prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), and D-dimer were tested to investigate the influence on the whole body coagulation system; urea reduction ratio (URR) and Kt/V were used to evaluate the efficiency of dialysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comparing with HF, LASF showed a satisfactory efficiency in reducing the clot formation and the URR and Kt/V of it were also higher.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low dose of argatroban saline flushes is a feasible and safe alternative anticoagulation protocol in HD patients with high risk of bleeding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Xiang Ya Hospital of Central South University, Chang Sha, Hu Nan Province, China.
authors.forename: Zhang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yixiong
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jianping
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yanchao
authors.forename: Dai
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Siyuan
mesh_terms: D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010875:Pipecolic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013449:Sulfonamides
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D010875:Pipecolic Acids; D013449:Sulfonamides; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D001120:Arginine; C031942:argatroban