Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) in hemodialysis patients experienced in our hospital

Abstract

 We experienced 5 cases of HIT among hemodialysis patients (HIT during dialysis) from 1 July, 2008, to 31 Aug, 2012. We show the clinical characteristics of these cases compared with those of 74 patients starting dialysis (emergency dialysis in 32 patients) during the same period in our hospital. All of these 5 cases experienced HIT during the period of introduction of emergency dialysis using intravascular catheters. Given that the incidence of HIT during the hemodialysis introduction period was 6.8% (5/74 cases), the incidence in patients starting emergency dialysis using intravascular catheters was considered to be high at 15.6% (5/32 cases). Six out of 74 cases experienced intravascular catheter blockage at least twice, and 4 cases among them developed HIT. The HIT antibody did not become negative in 1 patient, who died of another disease. All 4 cases negative for HIT antibody received heparin administration again, and their clinical courses have been uneventful without recurrence to date.