Table 1.
Characteristics of the study population of the VERROU-REA study (N = 396)
| Characteristics | Citrate (N = 199) | Heparin (N = 197) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age, years, mean (± SD) | 69.4 | (± 13.4) | 69.5 | (± 12.9) |
| Male gender, n (%) | 127 | (64%) | 123 | (62%) |
| BMI, mean (± SD) | 30 | (± 8.7) | 29.8 | (± 8.6) |
| Main reason for ICU admission, n (%) | ||||
| Neurologic | 9 | (5%) | 6 | (3%) |
| Cardiac | 22 | (11%) | 30 | (15%) |
| Renal | 44 | (22%) | 29 | (15%) |
| Respiratory | 46 | (23%) | 41 | (21%) |
| Sepsis or septic shock | 63 | (32%) | 65 | (34%) |
| Other shock | 6 | (3%) | 11 | (6%) |
| Other reasons | 9 | (5%) | 14 | (7%) |
| Charlson comorbidities score, mean (± SD) | 6.1 | (± 3.4) | 5.9 | (± 2.7) |
| SAPS II at ICU admission, mean (± SD) | 62.5 | (± 17.3) | 63.0 | (± 18.6) |
| SOFA at randomization, mean (± SD) | 10.3 | (± 3.6) | 10.4 | (± 3.5) |
| First catheter insertion site, n (%) | ||||
| Left internal jugular | 16 | (8%) | 23 | (12%) |
| Right internal jugular | 61 | (31%) | 64 | (32%) |
| Left femoral | 43 | (21%) | 44 | (22%) |
| Right femoral | 79 | (40%) | 66 | (34%) |
| Type of RRT for the first non-tunneled catheter, n (%) | ||||
| Both continuous and intermittent | 36 | (18%) | 39 | (20%) |
| Intermittent only | 83 | (42%) | 82 | (42%) |
| Continuous only | 76 | (38%) | 67 | (34%) |
| RRT not initiateda | 4 | (2%) | 9 | (5%) |
| Systemic anticoagulation, n (%) | 119 | (68%) | 117 | (66%) |
| Systemic antimicrobials for the first non-tunneled hemodialysis catheter, n (%) | 160 | (81%) | 168 | (85%) |
SD, standard deviation; BMI, body mass index (kg/m2); ICU, intensive care unit; SAPS II, Simplified Acute Physiology Score II; SOFA, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment; Q1, Q3, first and third quartiles; RRT, renal replacement therapy; LMWH, low molecular weight heparin
aReasons are detailed in the Additional file 1