Heparin free hemodialysis does not cause fibrin consumptive coagulopathy and maintains alternate pathway complement activation

Heparin-free hemodialysis allows demonstration of the intradialytic coagulation status not previously possible during standard heparin anticoagulant hemodialysis protocols in patients with end-stage renal disease. No evidence for consumptive coagulopathy was noted in the absence of heparin during hemodialysis with cuprophane hollow fiber dialyzers. Fibrinogen levels, euglobulin lysis time, and platelet counts remained stable throughout 3 hours of heparin-free hemodialysis. Serial thrombin times and platelet aggregation improved during heparin-free hemodialysis. Hemodialyzer volumes and the ultrafiltration coefficient decreased only minimally. The alternate pathway of complement activation associated with hemodialysis blood-membrane interaction is not prevented by heparin-free hemodialysis.