title: Heparin-coated dialyzer membranes: is non-inferiority good enough?
abstract: Evidence on the optimal anticoagulation regimen for hemodialysis in patients at high bleeding risk is scarce. The HepZero study is the first large multinational study comparing two different anticoagulation strategies to avoid systemic heparinization. The use of a heparin-coated dialysis membrane proved to be non-inferior to saline infusion. Superiority of either treatment, however, could not be demonstrated. These findings challenge current guidelines but equally raise questions on the choice of either strategy as compared with regional citrate anticoagulation.
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Nephrology, UZ Leuven, Leuven, Belgium [2] Department of Microbiology and Immunology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Björn K I
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Meijers
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Ruben
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Poesen
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Nephrology, UZ Leuven, Leuven, Belgium [2] Department of Microbiology and Immunology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Pieter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Evenepoel
mesh_terms: D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006493:Heparin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D006493:Heparin