Regional citrate versus heparin anticoagulation for continuous renal replacement therapy in critically ill patients: A meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials

Introduction This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of citrate and heparin in continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) for critically ill patients. Methods Searched in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases. Results Analyses showed that there no difference existed in mortality, metabolic alkalosis, circuit loss, and the number of transfused between the two groups (RR = 0.95, p = 0.40; RR = 1.73, p = 0.40; RR = 0.64, p = 0.09; RR = 1.05, p = 0.70). The filter life of the citrate group was longer than the heparin group (MD = 16.98, p