ABSTRACT
Fistula thrombosis in patients on maintenance hemodialysis is an important morbidity factor. Arterial or venous thrombotic events have been described as complications in patients on regular hemodialysis. This study was designed to evaluate the risk factors for arteriovenous fistula thrombosis. One hundred and seventy-one patients with arteriovenous fistula on maintenance hemodialysis were studied prospectively during a period of 14 months for any episode of arteriovenous fistula thrombosis, after anticardiolipin antibodies were assayed by ELISA. Other risk factors for thrombosis such as the presence of diabetes or hypertension, the use of erythropoietin [rhEPO], fistula site, gender, age, ultrafiltration, hypotension during dialysis, and the number of dialysis visits in a week were assessed. Fifty-six percent of patients had IgG-anticardiolipin antibodies =/> 10GPL, which was significantly correlated with dialysis duration [23.18 +/- 24.56 months in patients with anticardiolipin antibodies