Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40238058›Full record

SynthesisAdvances in therapy2025

Regional Citrate Anticoagulation Versus Systemic Heparin in Continuous Kidney Replacement Therapy: Examining the Role of Evidence in Health Technology Assessment.

Carla Rognoni, Robert Pohlmeier, Rosanna Tarricone

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-AnalysisComparative Study
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Advances in therapy, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Carla RognoniCentre for Research on Health and Social Care Management (CERGAS), SDA Bocconi School of Management, Bocconi University, Via Sarfatti 10, 20136, Milan, Italy. carla.rognoni@unibocconi.it.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6330-0591
Robert PohlmeierFresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH, Bad Homburg, Germany.
Rosanna TarriconeCentre for Research on Health and Social Care Management (CERGAS), SDA Bocconi School of Management, Bocconi University, Via Sarfatti 10, 20136, Milan, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionContinuous kidney replacement therapy (CKRT) is an established treatment supporting kidney function in patients with severe acute kidney disease. Systemic heparin and regional citrate anticoagulation (RCA) are the main anticoagulation strategies to prevent dialysis filter loss due to clotting, a complication of all KRT, including CKRT. The present study aims to comprehensively compare two anticoagulation strategies by collecting available clinical and economic evidence for an adult population under CKRT through a systematic literature review and meta-analysis.

methodsRandomized controlled trials, prospective/retrospective observational studies and economic analyses, involving systemic heparin or RCA, were searched through PubMed and Web of Science databases. Extracted data focused on clinical parameters, adverse events and cost items. Meta-analyses were conducted on data points with numeric outcomes to compare the two anticoagulation techniques. An evaluation of the quality of the evidence was also conducted using the GRADE system.

resultsSeventy-two studies were eligible for this meta-analysis. Statistically significant differences between heparin and RCA were observed in ionized calcium levels (mmol/l; heparin 1.19, RCA 1.13), bleeding events (heparin 12.6%, RCA 2.4%), filter lifespan (hours; heparin 16.43, RCA 36.69), clotting issues (heparin 50.7%, RCA 21.3%), filter failure rate (heparin 67.7%, RCA 13.5%), hypocalcemia (heparin 0.1%, RCA 4.4%) and alkalosis (heparin 0.4%, RCA 6.6%) rates. Limitations include heterogeneity across studies, particularly for RCA, and potential biases, although the overall methodological quality ranged from moderate to low.

conclusionsBased on the evidence presented, despite higher rates of hypocalcemia and alkalosis, RCA demonstrates advantages over heparin, including a reduction in bleeding events, prevention of filter clotting and improvement in filter lifespan. Additionally, the cost outcome demonstrated comparable statistics depending on the RCA protocol considered, which supports the potential cost-effectiveness of RCA. RCA provides clear clinical and potential organizational benefits and comparable cost statistics with a reasonable level of confidence in the evidence for the economic data.

Indexed as

Acute Kidney InjuryAnticoagulantsCitric AcidContinuous Renal Replacement TherapyHeparinCost-Benefit AnalysisHumansRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicTechnology Assessment, BiomedicalAnticoagulantsCitric AcidHeparinAnticoagulationClinical parametersCostsEconomic evaluationMeta-analysesRegional citrateSystematic literature reviewSystemic heparin

Identifiers

PMID40238058
PMCPMC12085351

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.