Journal of Clinical Medicine
The Safety of Pre-Filter Heparin for Circuit Clotting Prevention in Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy: A Retrospective Evaluation
Background: Circuit clotting is a common complication of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). Pre-filter unfractionated heparin (UFH) is widely used to maintain circuit patency, but real-world data describing its safety and efficacy are limited. Methods: This retrospective, single-health-system study evaluated critically ill adults receiving pre-filter UFH for CRRT clotting prevention between 2021 and 2025. The primary outcome was clinically relevant major bleeding, adapted from International Society on Thr …