J Korean Med Sci.  2003 Feb;18(1):69-72. 10.3346/jkms.2003.18.1.69.

Anti-Heparin-Platelet Factor 4 Antibody is a Risk Factor for Vascular Access Obstruction in Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis

• Lee EY
• Hwang KY
• Yang JO
• Hong SY

• KMID: 1099796
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2003.18.1.69

Abstract

Since heparin is an anticoagulant commonly used in hemodialysis and the patients on hemodialysis are repeatedly exposed to heparin, heparin may be the cause of the development of heparin-dependent antibodies and thrombotic complications in patients on hemodialysis. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and the clinical significance of the antibodies against heparin-platelet factor 4 complexes as determined by enzyme immunoassay in patients on maintenance hemodialysis. The prevalence of anti-heparin-platelet factor 4 antibodies was higher in hemodialysis patients than in normal subjects (8.8 vs 0.0%, p<0.05). The number of past episodes of vascular access obstruction per year was significantly higher in the anti-heparin-platelet factor 4 antibody positive group than antibody negative group. Anti-heparin-platelet factor 4 antibody positive patients experienced more frequent vascular access obstructions than control subjects. In conclusion, anti-heparin-platelet factor 4 antibody might be a risk factor for vascular access obstructions in patients with end-stage renal disease on maintenance hemodialysis.

Keyword

Anti-Heparin-Platelet Factor 4 Antibody; Renal Dialysis; Vascular Access Obstruction; Kidney Failure; Chronic

MeSH Terms

Adult
Autoantibodies/immunology*
Autoimmune Diseases/immunology*
Catheters, Indwelling*
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Female
Heparin/immunology*
Human
Kidney Failure, Chronic/blood
Kidney Failure, Chronic/immunology
Kidney Failure, Chronic/therapy*
Male
Middle Aged
Platelet Factor 4/immunology*
Recurrence
Renal Dialysis*
Risk Factors
Thrombophilia/immunology*
Thrombosis/epidemiology*
Thrombosis/immunology
Thrombosis/prevention & control