Nafamostat Mesilate for Anticoagulation in Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy

Purpose During continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), anticoagulation of the extracorporeal circuit is required. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of nafamostat mesilate, a serine protease inhibitor, compared with heparin. Methods We retrospectively studied 222 patients treated with CRRT in the intensive care unit (ICU). Clinical and filter-related data were extracted. Results We reviewed the medical records of the patients treated with CRRT. Initial anticoagulation methods were 56 heparin and 25 nafamostat mesilate; 10 patients received infused heparin systemically, and 131 patients were treated without anticoagulation. Total number of filters used was 1,236. Median filter lifespan with nafamostat mesilate was significantly greater than heparin (24.3 vs. 17.5 hours, p