• M Egi, T Naka, R Bellomo, L Cole, C French, C Trethewy, L Wan, C C Langenberg, N Fealy, and I Baldwin.
• Department of Intensive Care and Department of Medicine, Austin Hospital and Melbourne University, Melbourne - Australia.
• Int J Artif Organs. 2005 Dec 1; 28 (12): 1211-8.

AimsTo assess the safety and efficacy of two different commercial citrate containing pre-filter replacement fluids during continuous veno-venous hemofiltration (CVVH) in patients with frequent filter clotting.SettingFour intensive care units.PatientsSixty-three critically ill patients with acute renal failure (ARF).DesignProspective observational study.MethodsWe used a commercial citrate fluid (citrate: 11 mmol/L -fluid A) as predilution replacement for CVVH. We then changed to a new commercial citrate fluid (citrate: 14 mmol/L-fluid B) as replacement fluid and performed statistical comparisons. Replacement fluid rate was fixed at 2,000 ml/hour.ResultsFilter life was 12.2 hour with fluid A compared with 17.1 hour with fluid B on average (p=0.0001). Mean post filter ionized calcium concentration was 0.52 mmol/L with fluid A compared with 0.40 mmol/L with fluid B (p<0.0001). Citrate intolerance led to cessation of treatment in one patient with fluid A and one patient with fluid B. Overall ionized calcium levels were higher (A: 1.18 vs B: 1.13 mmol/L; p<0.0001) and bicarbonate was lower (A: 22.4 vs B: 24.5 mmol/L; p<0.0001) during treatment with fluid A. Alkalemia was seen in 10 patients treated with fluid A and 16 patients treated with fluid B (NS).ConclusionsWe have developed a simple approach to regional citrate anticoagulation for CVVH using a commercial citrate-containing fluid as replacement fluid. Increasing citrate concentration from 11 to 14 mmol/L increased filter life while maintaining relative safety and simplicity.

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