title: Audit of safety and quality of the use of enoxaparin for anticoagulation in continuous renal replacement therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the safety and efficacy of enoxaparin for anticoagulation during continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Six-month prospective audit on filter life, anti-Xa activity and bleeding complications among patients undergoing continuous venovenous haemodiafiltration with 1.5mg/kg enoxaparin per 24 hours. The audit was conducted between June and December 2009.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirteen patients were included. The median overall filter survival time was 22 hours (range, 2-176 hours). Two patients experienced minor bleeding events, but there were no major bleeding events. Systemic activity of enoxaparin was demonstrated, with a significant rise in median anti-Xa activity between assays before and during filtration (0.00 [range, 0.00-0.13] v 0.31 [range, 0.07-1.26] anti-Xa U/mL; P = 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Enoxaparin at 1.5mg/kg/24 h appears to be effective for circuit anticoagulation in CRRT and provides significant systemic anticoagulation. Further research is required to evaluate its safety, particularly in the absence of routine anti-Xa monitoring.
authors.affiliation: Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. djtsang@gmail.com
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Tsang
authors.forename: Annabel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tuckfield
authors.forename: Christopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Macisaac
mesh_terms: D018806:APACHE; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017984:Enoxaparin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006440:Hemofiltration; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017582:Renal Replacement Therapy; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D017984:Enoxaparin