New anticoagulation strategy tested for dialysis circuits in ECMO patients
NCT ID NCT05148026
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tested whether adding regional citrate anticoagulation (RCA) to standard heparin can reduce clotting in continuous kidney dialysis circuits for patients on ECMO. Eighteen ICU adults with ARDS and acute kidney injury were enrolled. Each patient received alternating periods with and without citrate to compare circuit clotting rates.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Regional citrate anticoagulation (RCA) plus unfractionated heparin
- What this could lead to
- If adding citrate works, it could reduce clotting in dialysis circuits during ECMO, making treatment safer and more efficient for critically ill patients.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small, early-stage study (18 patients) testing a technique already used in other settings. Results may not apply broadly, and adding citrate could increase bleeding or metabolic risks.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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18 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Nov 2021
- Finished
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Jul 2025
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients admitted in ICU * V-V ECMO support for acute respiratory failure * CRRT therapy for acute kidney injury Exclusion Criteria: * Pregnancy * Pre-existing coagulation disorders * Contraindication to heparin or citrate anticoagulation * Moribund patients
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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ASST MONZA-Rianimazione Generale
Monza, Italy, 20900, Italy
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