Regional citrate anticoagulation reduces polymorphonuclear cell degranulation in critically ill patients treated with continuous venovenous hemofiltration

Citrate which chelates ionized calcium can be used as regional anticoagulation in continuous venovenous hemofiltration (CVVH). This is the first study conducted to examine the potentially additive benefit effect of regional citrate anticoagulation (RCA) on polymorphonuclear (PMN) cell degranulation of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and cytokines production in patients with critically acute kidney injury (AKI) undergoing CVVH treatment. This prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted in 20 critically ill patients with AKI who underwent CVVH. The patients were randomized into regional citrate group (n=10) and heparin group (n=10). The pre-dilution CVVH with polyethersulfone dialyzers were utilized in both groups. The levels of pre-filter and post-filter MPO as well as inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines were measured at baseline, 6h, and 24 h after initiating CVVH. In the heparin group, the post-filter serum MPO levels were significantly higher than the pre-filter (median 49.0 vs. 60.5 ng/mL, P<0.05) at 6 h. There were no significant differences between pre- and post-dialyzer MPO levels in the citrate group. Citrate could significantly decrease systemic pre-filter serum MPO levels from baseline at 6 h (median 43.5 vs. 17.3 ng/mL, P<0.01) as well as IL-8 levels (P<0.05) whereas heparin provided only significant TNF-α reduction (P<0.05). The CVVH circuit survival in the citrate group was longer than the heparin group. In conclusion, citrate, utilized as a regional anticoagulant in CVVH, can reduce both membrane bioincompatibility-induced and systemic oxidative stress and inflammation, and can prolong CVVH circuit survival time.