Interventions and procedures
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The PMMA and AN69ST groups were defined based on the PMMA and AN69ST membranes. CRRT was initiated immediately after ICU admission. The patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to the AN69ST or PMMA groups. Random numbers were generated using the Excel random function (Microsoft Japan Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan), and patients were then randomly assigned to groups according to the hemofilter used.All patients were randomized immediately following ICU admission, and CRRT was initiated in the ICU. CRRT was performed using ACH-10® or ACH-Σ® (Asahi Kasei Medical Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan). The hemofilters used were an AN69ST (sepXiris150; Baxter Co. Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) or a PMMA membrane (Hemofeel CH1.5N; Toray Medical Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan). All CRRT modes were continuous hemodiafiltration. The operating conditions were as follows: quantity of blood flow (QB), 80–100 mL/min; dialysate flow rate, 500 mL/h; and filtration flow rate (QF), 300 mL/h. Sublood-BS (Fuso Pharmaceutical Industries, Osaka, Japan) was used as both the dialysate and replacement fluid. Nafamostat mesylate (NM) (Asahi Kasei Pharma Corp., Tokyo, Japan) was administered as an anticoagulant, and the dose was maintained in the range of 0–30 mg/h. The activated clotting time after hemofiltration was maintained at > 180 s, and it was measured using the Hemochron Response (Heiwa Bussan, Co. Ltd., Tokyo, Japan). NM is a protease inhibitor that strongly inhibits the activity of various coagulation enzymes [