Anti-heparin-platelet factor 4 antibody is a risk factor for vascular access obstruction in patients undergoing hemodialysis

Since heparin is an anticoagulant commonly used in hemodialysis and the patients on hemodialysis are repeatedly exposed to heparin, heparin may be the cause of the development of heparin-dependent antibodies and thrombotic complications in patients on hemodialysis. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and the clinical significance of the antibodies against heparin-platelet factor 4 complexes as determined by enzyme immunoassay in patients on maintenance hemodialysis. The prevalence of anti-heparin-platelet factor 4 antibodies was higher in hemodialysis patients than in normal subjects (8.8 vs 0.0%, p