Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: Regional Citrate Versus Systemic Heparin Anticoagulation for Super High-flux Continuous Hemodialysis in Septic Shock: Effect on Middle Molecular Weight Molecules Clearances
Brief Summary: Sepsis is responsible for 50% of all acute kidney injury (AKI) in intensive care units (ICUs), contributing greatly to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). Special types of continuous renal replacement therapies (CRRT) have been proposed as adjuvant therapies for septic shock due to their ability to remove middle molecular weight molecules such as inflammatory mediators involved in MODS pathophysiology. These therapies are called extracorporeal " blood purification " therapies.

When CRRT is used, an anticoagulation is required to prevent clotting of the extracorporeal circuit, possibly causing bleeding in selected patients. Many anticoagulation strategies have been proposed and the most commonly used in 2013 is still unfractionated heparin. Regional citrate anticoagulation (RCA) is an interesting alternative as it dramatically decreases the bleeding risk.

The investigators hypothesize that the use of citrate with Super High Flux Continuous Veno-Venus Hemodialysis (SHF-CVVHD) would be highly beneficial over time by preserving the filter effectiveness via limiting protein adhesion (which subsequently reduces filter pore sizes (protein cake)), as compared to heparin. Consequently, higher clearances of the inflammatory mediators could be maintained over time with citrate as compared to heparin anticoagulation. In other words, for the same duration of filter use, middle molecular weight molecules and cytokines clearances would be greater with citrate as compared to heparin. To test this hypothesis, the investigators will perform a clinical randomized controlled trial which aim would be to compare middle molecular weight molecules and cytokines clearances in SHF-CVVHD using RCA versus systemic heparin anticoagulation in septic patients with AKI.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

* Male or female critically ill patients over the age of 18 years old
* Acute Kidney Injury requiring CRRT defined using the Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss, End-stage renal disease (RIFLE) classification with criterion I or worse.
* Septic shock as defined by the American College of Chest Physicians/Society of Critical Care Medicine Consensus Conference.
* Written informed consent obtained from the patient or a patient's legal representative
* Patient patient's legal representative able to agree to patient's enrollment in the study with informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Pregnancy
* Participation in another research study protocol
* Known heparin induced thrombopenia or contraindication to heparin
* Pre-existing chronic renal failure on chronic dialysis
* Therapeutic anticoagulation with heparin for another reason (e.g. chonic arrhythmia)
* Severe liver failure (15% prothrombin time)
B: Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients with acute kidney injury requiring renal replacement therapy (RIFLE criteria)
* Patients (males or females) \> 18 yrs old
* Consent form signed (or in emergency investigator's statement form)

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patients with active bleeding disorders
* Patients with past history of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT)
* Patients with very severe liver disease ( patients awaiting liver transplant or factor V \< 20% or MELD score \> 25)
* Pregnancy (negative pregnancy test required in child-bearing age women prior to inclusion)
* Enrollment in another concurrent therapeutic trial
C: Inclusion Criteria:

* Age greater than 18 years
* Renal failure, electrolyte disturbance, or volume overload requiring continuous venovenous hemodialysis (CVVHD) as determined by the Nephrology consult service

Exclusion Criteria:

* Age less than 18 years
* Active bleeding
* Coagulopathy as defined by baseline INR \> 1.8, aPTT \> 45 seconds, or platelet count \< 50 thousand/μL
* Active administration of systemic anticoagulation (such as warfarin, therapeutic unfractionated heparin, or therapeutic enoxaparin)
* Contraindication to heparin (allergy, thrombocytopenia with platelet count \< 50, known or suspected heparin induced thrombocytopenia \[HIT\])
* Contraindication to systemic anticoagulation (recent surgical or other invasive procedure, significant bleeding disorder, concern for intracranial bleeding, or other contraindication as determined by treating physician)
* Administration of drotrecogin (Xigris™)
* Anticipated surgical or other invasive procedure that would necessitate withdrawal of anticoagulation within 72 hours
* Expected termination of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) or death in \< 24 hours
* The need for more than 500 cc an hour of IV fluids delivered proximal to the filter for the purpose of performing continuous venovenous hemofiltration (CVVH) or continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF)
D: Inclusion Criteria:

1. The treating clinician believes that the patient requires CRRT for acute renal failure.
2. The clinician is uncertain about the balance of benefits and risks likely to be conferred by treatment with higher intensity or lower intensity CRRT.
3. The treating clinicians anticipate treating the patient with CRRT for at least 72 hours.
4. Informed consent has been obtained
5. The patient fulfils ONE of the following clinical criteria for initiating CRRT:

   * Oliguria (urine output \< 100ml/6hr) that has been unresponsive to fluid resuscitation measures.
   * Hyperkalemia (\[K+\] \> 6.5 mmol/L).
   * Severe acidemia (pH \< 7.2).
   * Urea \> 25 mmol/liter.
   * Creatinine \>300 micromol/L in the setting of ARF.
   * Clinically significant organ oedema in the setting of ARF (eg: lung).

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Patient age is \<18 years.
2. Death is imminent (\<24 hours).
3. There is a strong likelihood that the study treatment would not be continued in accordance with the study protocol.
4. The patient has been treated with CRRT or other dialysis previously during the same hospital admission.
5. The patient was on maintenance dialysis prior to the current hospitalisation.
6. The patient's body weight is \<60 kg or \>100kg.
7. Any other major illness that, in the investigator's judgment, will substantially increase the risk associated with the subject's participation in this study.

Answer: A