Tight heparin regimen for haemodialysis in children.

Various methods of anticoagulation have been described in patients with increased risk for haemorrhage. In this study we have tried to define the lowest dose that would allow the completion of dialysis in uraemic patients with bleeding risks. A total of 51 procedures were completed with a dose of 15 IU/kg body weight per hour in seven children. With this dose the PTT and Lee-White clotting time were kept in the desired range and no complications occurred. We suggest that low-dose continuous heparinization is a safe and cheap technique in these patients.