Management Of Bleeding In Patients Research Articles

Anti-fibrinolytics for mucosal bleeding in adults with life-limiting illnesses: a systematic review

IntroductionPatients with life-limiting illnesses are at increased risk of mucosal bleeding. Usual management includes anticipatory planning and sedation, alongside anti-fibrinolytics, despite a lack of evidence for their use. Anti-fibrinolytic agents...

Plasma-derived human factor X concentrate for the treatment of patients with hereditary factor X deficiency.

Hereditary factor X (FX) deficiency (HFXD) is an autosomal recessive rare bleeding disorder that leads to defects in the FX protein. Depending on the degree of deficiency, patients may be at risk of life-threatening bleeding episodes. Historical treatments for FX deficiency include prothrombin complex concentrates, which can increase the risk of thrombosis, and fresh frozen plasma, which can cause volume overload and transfusion reactions. Plasma-derived FX (pdFX), a single-factor, high-purity, high-potency human FX treatment, was approved in 2015 in the United States and in 2016 in Europe for on-demand treatment and prophylaxis of bleeding episodes and perioperative management of patients with HFXD. Five studies that examined the use of pdFX in patients with mild (plasma FX activity [FX:C] ≥5IU/dL), moderate (FX:C ≥1 and<5IU/dL), or severe (FX:C<1IU/dL) HFXD were reviewed: TEN01, TEN02 and TEN03 were prospective, open-label, multicentre, nonrandomised studies, and TEN05 and TEN06 were multicentre retrospective studies. When used as an on-demand treatment, pdFX was judged by investigators to be successful in treating 41/42 (97.6%), 2/3 (66.6%) and 79/79 (100%) bleeds in TEN01, TEN02 and TEN05, respectively. When used prophylactically, pdFX was judged 'excellent' for the prevention of bleeds in nine (100%) and eight (100%) patients in TEN02 and TEN05, respectively. Perioperative treatment and pharmacokinetics were also assessed. pdFX was safe and well tolerated. Together, these studies support the use of pdFX for on-demand treatment of bleeding, routine prophylaxis, and perioperative management of bleeding in patients with HFXD.

PB1349 Clinical Relevance and Management of Bleeding in Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndromes and Severe Thrombotytopenia: A Retrospective Analysis

PB1349 Clinical Relevance and Management of Bleeding in Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndromes and Severe Thrombotytopenia: A Retrospective Analysis

Recommendations for the use of andexanet alfa in the management of bleeding in patients on oral factor Xa inhibitors in Switzerland: Guideline from the Working Party Hemostasis of the Swiss Society of Hematology

Anticoagulants are essential in preventing and treating thrombosis. Unfortunately, their use is accompanied by an enhanced risk of bleeding. Since the introduction of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), the risk of major bleeding has been reduced but not eliminated. Major bleeding events related to the use of factor Xa inhibitors can be challenging to manage. In recent years, four-factor prothrombin complex concentrates have been used in patients with severe bleeding taking oral direct factor Xa inhibitors (apixaban, edoxaban and rivaroxaban). Andexanet alfa (OndexxyaTM, AstraZeneca AG) is a specially designed recombinant version of human factor Xa that acts as a decoy receptor to reverse the effects of factor Xa inhibitors. Since 2 December 2020, andexanet alfa has been used in Switzerland for adult patients receiving apixaban or rivaroxaban when reversal of anticoagulation is required because of life-threatening or uncontrolled bleeding. However, the use of andexanet alfa remains a challenge owing to its cost, the reported thrombotic complications and the fact that its efficacy mainly relates to intracranial haemorrhage. Moreover, the use of nonspecific reversal agents together with andexanet alfa is controversial. The present recommendations on the use of andexanet alfa in the management of bleeding in patients on factor Xa inhibitors in Switzerland were developed by a group of Swiss experts from the Working Party Hemostasis of the Swiss Society of Hematology. These recommendations aim to provide support to clinicians in their decision-making in the management of patients with major bleeding receiving factor Xa inhibitors.

Management of bleeding in patients on direct oral anticoagulants in emergency department: where we are and where we are going.

Many patients who access in the emergency department for acute bleeding are on anticoagulants; before specific reversal agents were developed, bleeding on anticoagulants was burdened with a substantial increase in morbidity and mortality. Clinical trials demonstrated favourable risk-benefit profiles of direct-acting oral anticoagulants compared with vitamin K antagonists in patients with atrial fibrillation and compared with low molecular weight heparin in patients treated and prevented from venous thromboembolism. Even if they drastically reduced some types of bleeding, particularly intracranial haemorrhage, they have not completely eliminated this risk. The arrival of a patient with active bleeding in the emergency department is always a critical scenario that involves resources and costs. In critical setting, the diagnosis and treatment of bleeding should occurred simultaneously. Understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms that occur during bleeding is essential for establish the most appropriate therapies and improve the standard of care of the haemorrhagic patients.

Bleeding management in patients with direct oral anticoagulants.

Bleeding events in patients under direct oral anticoagulation (DOAC) can be life-threating but are commonly not related to drug overdose. However, a relevant DOAC plasma concentration impairs the hemostasis and should therefore be ruled out immediately after hospital admission. The effect of DOAC is typically not visible in standard coagulation tests such as activated partial thrombin time or thromboplastin time. Specific anti-Xa or anti-IIa assays allow a specific drug monitoring, but they are too time-consuming in critical bleeding events and typically not available 24 h/7 d in routine care. Recent advantages in point-of-care (POC) testing might improve patient care by early exclusion of relevant DOAC levels, but sufficient validation is still lacking. POC urine analysis help to exclude DOAC in emergency patients, but does not provide a quantitative information about plasma concentration. POC viscoelastic testing (VET) can determine the DOAC effect on clotting time and helps further to reveal other concomitant bleeding disorders in emergency, e.g., factor deficiency or hyperfibrinolysis. If a relevant plasma concentration of the DOAC is assumed or was proven by either laboratory assays or POC testing, restoration of factor IIa or factor IIa activity is key for effective hemostasis. Limited evidence suggests that specific reversals for DOAC, e.g., idarucizumab for dabigatran and andexanet alfa for apixaban or rivaroxaban, might be superior to increasing thrombin generation by administration of prothrombin complex concentrates. To determinate, if DOAC reversal is indicated or not, time from last intake, anti-Xa/dTT values or results from POC tests can be considered. This experts' opinion provides a feasible decision algorithm for clinical practice.

Protocolized management of bleeding in hospitals in The Netherlands in patients treated with direct oral anticoagulants

Objective To investigate and describe the protocolized treatment of DOAC-related bleeds in all Dutch hospitals. Methods From August to December 2020 a nationwide survey among all 70 hospitals in the Netherlands was conducted on their protocols for management of bleeding in patients treated with direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs, i.e. apixaban, edoxaban, rivaroxaban and dabigatran). The protocols were assessed the following characteristics: bleeding definitions (mild, moderate and severe bleed), diagnostic parameters (hemoglobin [Hb], loss of blood, surgical procedure needed, etc), first and second choice of treatment, effectiveness criteria and the level of evidence/references upon which protocols were based. Results All 70 hospitals responded (100%). We received 69 protocols in total, 6 of which were identical because hospitals worked together. In 35 (50%) of the protocols a definition of minor, moderate or severe bleeds was described. Diagnostic parameters for bleeds were present in 2%, 41% and 47% of protocols for a mild, moderate and severe bleed. While the first choice treatment for severe bleeding under dabigatran was idarucizumab in 96% of protocols, considerably more therapeutic options (mostly different prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC) doses) are described for Xa inhibitors. When considering criteria for effectiveness more than 90% of protocols did not have a clear description. Conclusion This study provides an overview of the current state of protocols for management of DOAC-related bleeding in The Netherlands. Protocols vary in the content of information provided and often do not include information, especially for diagnostic criteria and criteria for establishing the effectiveness of the intervention. The results of this study can assist in improving and harmonizing the protocols.

Laboratory coagulation tests and recombinant porcine factor VIII: A United Kingdom Haemophilia Centre Doctors' Organisation guideline.

Acquired haemophilia A (AHA) is a rare bleeding disorder caused by development of auto-antibodies to endogenous coagulation factor VIII (FVIII). Recombinant porcine factor VIII (rpFVIII) is currently licensed only for the management of bleeding in patients with AHA. Regular monitoring of rpFVIII is recommended to assess treatment effectiveness. This guideline from the United Kingdom Haemophilia Centre Doctors' Organisation (UKHCDO) examines the current publications in the area and aims to offer advice for the laboratory monitoring of rpFVIII in patients with AHA. A review of the current literature was undertaken followed by critical review by the authors. A validated one-stage clotting FVIII assay is recommended for the measurement and regular monitoring of rpFVIII. Assessment of cross-reacting rpFVIII inhibitors by one-stage porcine Bethesda assay should be performed as part of the initial diagnosis of AHA or prior to treatment with rpFVIII. Available data show that chromogenic FVIII assays underestimate rpFVIII and this should be considered if measurement of rpFVIII is required in patients receiving Emicizumab.

Real-World Data of the Hemostatic Efficacy of Recombinant Human Factor VIIa Eptacog Beta for Acute Bleeding Events in Patients with Hemophilia a and B with Inhibitors

Introduction: Activated prothrombin complex concentrate (FEIBA, Takeda) and recombinant factor VIIa (rFVIIa, Novoseven, NovoNordisk) remain the primary bypassing agents (BPA) available for bleeding management in patients with hemophilia and inhibitors. Eptacog beta [rFVIIa-B, Coagulation factor VIIa (recombinant)-jncw, Sevenfact, HEMA Biologics & LFB] is a recombinant human FVIIa approved by the FDA in 2020 for the treatment of acute bleeding events in adult and adolescent patients ≥12 years old with hemophilia A or B with inhibitors. rFVIIa-B demonstrated hemostatic efficacy of 86% in a phase 3, randomized cross-over study of 465 mild/moderate bleeding events in 27 patients with hemophilia A and B with inhibitors. The purpose of this study is to report real-world data on the hemostatic efficacy of rFVIIa-B for acute bleeding management in patients with hemophilia A and B with inhibitors.Methods: This is a retrospective chart-review of individuals ≥12 years of age with severe hemophilia A (factor VIII <1%) or hemophilia B (factor IX <1%) with an active inhibitor from 3 U.S. hemophilia treatment centers who utilized rFVIIa-B for acute bleed management.Results: Seven bleeds were treated among the 3 patients identified. Patient characteristics and bleeding events are summarized in Table 1. The 3 patients were 12, 13, and 31 years of age. Two patients had hemophilia A and 1 patient had hemophilia B. The 2 patients with hemophilia A were on emicizumab prophylaxis per standard dosing regimens for bleeding prevention. The individual patient with hemophilia B had a history of anaphylaxis at inhibitor development and received on-demand BPA for acute bleeding events. All 7 bleeds consisted of hemarthroses with the knee being the primary site in 57% of the bleeds. Five of the 7 bleeds (71%) received a severe bleeding dose of 210-225 microgram per kilogram (mcg/kg) for the initial rFVIIa-B dose followed by 70-75 mcg/kg for subsequent doses. Final dosing regimens were dependent on available vial sizes. rFVIIa-B resulted in complete resolution of all bleeds (100%) at a median of 4 doses (range 1-8 doses) and a median of 24 hours (range 3-48 hours). There were no failures in bleeding resolution following treatment. No adverse events with infusions were reported including infusion-related reactions, hypersensitivity reactions, thrombosis, or thrombotic microangiopathy.Conclusions: Administration of rFVIIa-B in the real-world setting appears to demonstrate hemostatic efficacy in a cohort of pediatric and adult patients with hemophilia A and B with inhibitors and may serve as an alternative human rFVIIa therapy for the management of acute bleeds in this population. Further post-marketing studies are warranted to expand the indication to younger children (<12 years of age) and to continue to monitor drug efficacy and adverse events in a larger population of patients over time including individuals on non-factor therapies such as emicizumab. [Display omitted] DisclosuresBatsuli: Bio Product Laboratory: Honoraria; Kedrion: Honoraria. Tran: HEMA Biologics: Honoraria. Young: Apcintex, BioMarin, Genentech/Roche, Grifols, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Rani, Sanofi Genzyme, Spark, Takeda, and UniQure: Consultancy; Genentech/Roche, Grifols, and Takeda: Research Funding. Sidonio: Guardian Therapeutics: Consultancy; Octapharma: Consultancy, Research Funding; Catalyst: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy; Takeda: Consultancy, Research Funding; Biomarin: Consultancy; Novo Nordisk: Consultancy; Bayer: Consultancy; Genentech: Consultancy, Research Funding.

Incidence, risk factors, and management of bleeding in patients receiving anticoagulants for the treatment of cancer-associated thrombosis.

Updated clinical practice guidelines recommend the long-term use of low-molecular-weight heparins or direct oral anticoagulants as the preferred option for the treatment of cancer-associated thrombosis (CAT), using a personalized approach matching the right drug to the right patient. In most cases, the benefit of anticoagulant therapy outweighs the risk. However, the long-term use of anticoagulants is associated with a non-negligible risk of bleeding, which constitutes a rare but serious adverse effect. Bleeding complications have been reported to be overall 2 to 3 times more frequent in cancer patients with CAT receiving anticoagulation than in non-cancer patients, with a reported incidence of major bleeding ranging from 2.4 to 16.0% in randomized controlled trials (RCT). In the absence of validated risk assessment model to predict the risk of bleeding in these patients, a careful evaluation of each individual profile, with adequate selection of the most appropriate anticoagulant for each individual patient, is warranted for overcoming management challenges, taking in account the numerous factors which may potentiate the overall bleeding risk in these complex patients, such as advanced or metastatic disease, older age, anemia, thrombocytopenia, renal impairment, liver dysfunction, and concomitant anticancer therapies. The purpose of this review is to call for awareness on bleeding complications as a major safety issue of CAT treatment and to summarize data from recent RCT and real-world studies on the incidence and risk factors for bleeding in this unique and challenging population to further help clinicians in decision-making.

Comparative Studies on a Branded Recombinant Factor VIIa and Its Generic Version to Demonstrate Bioequivalence

Background: Recombinant factor VIIa (NovoSeven® Copenhagen, Denmark) is used in the management of bleeding in patients with hemophilia. A generic biosimilar version of NovoSeven® is also developed for the same indication (AryoSeven™, AryoGen, Tehran-Iran). These generic versions of rFVIIa are claimed to be biosimilar to the Novoseven. The purpose of this study is to compare several batches of generic versions of rFVIIa namely, Aryoseven with multiple commercially available batches of branded Novoseven to determine bioavailability.Methods: Four commercially available random lots of Novoseven were obtained through US and European sources and compared to 5 clinical batches of Aryoseven obtained from Aryogen (Tehran, Iran). These drugs were diluted with saline to make a stock solution of 1mg/ml. Further dilutions were made to obtain working concentrations of 100, 10, 1 and 0.1 µg/ml. Molecular profile using surface enhanced laser desorption ionization (SELDI), gel electrophoretic profile (GEP), immunoblotting studies, and procoagulant activity as measured by clot based method were carried out. Thrombin generation studies were carried out after supplementing with NHP at 0-1.0 ug/ml. The pharmacokinetic profile of one representative batch of Novoseven and Aryoseven was studied in primates after a 50 ug/ml bolus IV in terms of factor VIIa levels.Results: The SELDI mass spectrometric profile of all rFVIIa preparations were comparable. The GEP and immunoblotting studies of the two groups of agents showed a comparable profile with distinct peaks at 50 KDa and 29 KDa. In the clot based functional assays performed in the citrated whole blood and retrieved plasma the two batches of FVIIa produced comparable procoagulant effects in the PT and aPTT assays. In the 0.25 - 1.0 µg/ml range in comparison to the control with saline supplementation, the aPTT did not exhibit any significant shortening whereas there was a sharpening of PT values in the whole blood which was identical in both the AryoSeven™ and NovoSeven® preparations. In the retrieved plasma both products produced comparable effect on the PT and aPTT assays. In platelet rich plasma (PRP) and platelet poor plasma (PPP) AryoSeven and NovoSeven at graded concentration of 0.125 to 1 µg/ml did not produce any measurable change in both PT and aPTT assays. The correction studies carried out in the FVII deficient plasma at a concentration range of 1 to 0.01 µg/ml did not reveal any differences between 2 groups of drugs. The relative correction was comparable in all concentrations for the 2 tissue factor reagents namely Innovin and Recomboplastin 2G. The results were indistinguishable for the 2 groups of drugs. The effect of NovoSeven® and AryoSeven™ on the reversal of anticoagulation in orally anticoagulated patients' were similar in relative correction of the plasma INR for the 2 groups of FVIIa preparations in the range of 0.03 to 1 µg/ml. In the thrombin generation studies both the Novoseven and Aryoseven produced similar effects as measured by increased thrombin generation. In the primate pharmacokinetic studies both groups exhibited similar pharmacokinetic profile.Conclusions: These results demonstrate that four batches of Novoseven and 5 individual clinical batches of Aryoseven were found to be biosimilar. The pharmacokinetic profile of the Novoseven and Aryoseven were studied in primates measuring the factor VIIa level for 6 hours and were found to be comparable. Thus, the generic Aryoseven is biosimilar to branded Novoseven and warrants further validation studies. DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Management of Life-Threatening Bleeding in Patients With Mechanical Heart Valves.

Valvular heart disease is common in the United States, with a number of patients undergoing valve replacement procedures every year. The two types of valve prostheses include mechanical and bioprosthetic valves. Mechanical heart valves require lifelong anticoagulation with vitamin K antagonists like warfarin. The clinicians are often faced with the dilemma of major bleeding episodes such as intracranial hemorrhage or gastrointestinal bleeding in these patients. The management includes reversing warfarin-induced coagulopathy with vitamin K supplementation, fresh frozen plasma, or prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC), with PCC being the treatment of choice. With regard to the safe resumption of anticoagulation, guidelines are silent, and data is limited to case reports/series. This article reviews the present literature for the management of bleeding in patients with mechanical heart valves and the safe duration for holding off anticoagulation with minimal risk of valve thrombosis/thromboembolism.

Postoperative tonsil/adenoidectomy bleeding management in patients with diagnosed bleeding disorders.

ObjectiveTonsil/adenoidectomy (T/A) is a commonly performed procedure with an average post‐tonsillectomy bleed (PTB) rate between 3 and 5%. Patients with bleeding disorders (BDs) are believed to have an increased risk of PTB. We hypothesize that our medical management of BD patients using a combination of DDAVP/antifibrinolytic agents has a similar PTB rate to control patients. This study suggests a standardized protocol for patients with BDs to avoid PTB.MethodsA retrospective cohort study was completed for patients with BD who underwent tonsillectomy or T/A at Promedica Toledo or Flower Hospital between 2013 and 2020. Exclusion criteria included incomplete records, diagnosis of BD after surgery, and inability to find age and sex matched control. We defined the control group as patients who underwent T/A without BD. The following variables were collected: age, sex, medical history, BD severity, medications, type of surgery, indication for surgery, estimated blood loss (EBL), pre/postoperative medications, PTB status, and post‐PTB intervention.ResultsA total of 164 patient charts were reviewed. There were 82 patients in both cohorts. The BDs represented were platelet function disorder (80.5%), von Willebrand disease (14.6%), and others such as Factor VII and IX deficiency (4.9%). Of the BD patients included, 13.4% had severe disease. There was no significant difference between the age, sex, EBL, and PTB rates. Of the 8 BD patients with PTB, 62% bled 9‐10 days postoperatively and none had severe disease.ConclusionOur protocol to prevent PTB in patients with BDs produced similar bleed rates to control patients in this study. Further studies are required to assess postoperative length of antifibrinolytic treatment in BD patients.Level of EvidenceIII.

Acquired hemophilia A that required surgical hemostasis of hematomas occupying oral cavity: a case report

BackgroundAcquired hemophilia A is a rare coagulopathy caused by inhibitors of blood coagulation factor VIII. Patients with acquired hemophilia A have a higher mortality risk (5–10%) than those with congenital hemophilia. Moreover, there is no established evidence of management recommended for patients with acquired hemophilia A. Previous studies have reported the presence of hematomas in the oral cavities of patients with acquired hemophilia A, which were treated conservatively. Here, we describe the case of a patient with acquired hemophilia A, where emergency surgical hemostasis was required for large intraoral hematomas.Case presentationA 65-year-old Japanese man was referred to our hospital with a chief complaint of bleeding from large intraoral hematomas. On examination, he could not close his mouth because of the hematomas, which were bleeding spontaneously. Computed tomography angiography revealed no evidence of arteriovenous malformation, and blood test results showed that the activated partial thromboplastin time was elevated beyond the normal limit. To avoid a life-threatening hemorrhage from hematomas, emergency surgical hemostasis was performed with nasotracheal intubation using fiberoptic bronchoscopy. Hemostasis was successfully performed, as the hematomas were carefully removed. Moreover, the clinical course was successfully completed using intravenously administered activated prothrombin complex concentrate for hemostasis after operation.ConclusionsAcquired hemophilia A can cause a life-threatening hemorrhage without predictive factors. Intraoral hematoma may cause airway obstruction. There is no consensus regarding the management of hemorrhage in patients with acquired hemophilia A. As shown here, exophytic hematomas in the oral cavity can be safely removed and nasotracheal intubation with fiberoptic bronchoscopy may be useful in patients with coagulopathy disease.

Multicenter retrospective study of transcatheter arterial embolisation for life-threatening haemorrhage in patients with uncorrected bleeding diathesis

BackgroundWe retrospectively investigated outcomes of emergency TAE for the management of life-threatening haemorrhage in patients with uncorrected bleeding diathesis.Materials and methodsThis multicenter, retrospective, study, was designed to investigate the safety and efficacy of percutaneous TAE for the management of life-threatening haemorrhage in patients with uncorrected bleeding disorder at the time of embolization. All consecutive patients with uncorrected coagulation who underwent TAE for the treatment of haemorrhage, between January 1st and December 31th 2019 in three European centers were included. Inclusion criteria were thrombocytopenia (platelet count < 50,000/mL) and/or International Normalized Ratio (INR) ≥2.0, and/or activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) > 45 s, and/or a pre-existing underlying blood-clotting disorder such as factor VIII, Von Willebrand disease, hepatic cirrhosis with abnormal liver function tests. Primary outcome measures were technical success, rebleeding rate and clinical success. Secondary outcome measures included patients’ 30-day survival rate, and procedure-related complications.ResultsIn total, 134 patients underwent TAE for bleeding control. A subgroup of 17 patients with 18 procedures [11 female, mean age 70.5 ± 15 years] which represent 12.7% of the total number of patients, presented with pathological coagulation parameters at the time of TAE (haemophilia n = 3, thrombocytopenia n = 1, cirrhosis n = 5, anticoagulants n = 7, secondary to bleeding n = 1) and were analyzed. Technical success was 100%, as in all procedures the bleeding site was detected and successfully embolised. Clinical success was 100%, as none of the patients died of bleeding during hospitalization, nor was surgically treated for bleeding relapse. Only one rebleeding case was noted (5.9%) that was successfully treated with a second TAE. No procedure-related complications were noted. According to Kaplan-Meier analysis the estimated 30-day survival rate was 84.2%.ConclusionTAE in selected patients with uncorrected bleeding diathesis should be considered as a suitable individualized management approach. Emergency TAE for life threatening haemorrhage in patients with coagulation cascade disorders should be used as an aid in realistic clinical decision making.

Nurses’ Knowledge Concerning the Management of Bleeding in Patients with Leukemia

To achieve the objectives of the study, a non –probability (purposive) sample of (50) nurses were selected&#x0D; those were working at the oncology wards at the above listed hospitals. The data selected according to the&#x0D; criteria of the study sample. The validity of the questionnaire was determined through an expert panel consists&#x0D; of (11) specialist expert and its reliability was determined through a pilot study by test – retest which was&#x0D; estimated as averages (R=0.89). Data was collected by direct interview technique using the questionnaire&#x0D; formal and data was analyzed by application of descriptive &amp; inferential statistical methods (frequency,&#x0D; percentage, mean of score and Chi-Square). The results of the study indicated that most of the study sample&#x0D; were male (60%), (78%) within age group (20-29 years), (70%) were nursing college graduates and (62 %)&#x0D; has 1-3 years of experience at oncology wards. The results of the study indicated that the majority of the&#x0D; study sample had a low significance in items concerning nurses’ knowledge about managements taken by&#x0D; nurse to avoid bleeding, and the majority of them had a moderate significant relationship between nurses’&#x0D; knowledge and the years of experience and training sessions inside and outside Iraq.

Endoscopic management of postoperative anastomotic bleeding in patients with colorectal cancer.

Postoperative anastomotic bleeding is considered a rare but life-threatening complication. There is no standard treatment strategy for this emergency condition. The aim of this study was to report our experiences in the management of postoperative anastomotic bleeding in patients with colorectal cancer. We analyzed the general characteristics, treatments, and outcomes of patients with anastomotic bleeding after surgery for colorectal carcinoma at the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University between July 2013 and September 2019 retrospectively. A univariate and multivariate analysis was performed to find protective factors for endoscopic hemostasis. Risk factors for anastomotic leakage after colonoscopy were also analyzed. A total of 9870 patients underwent surgeries for colorectal carcinoma between July 2013 and September 2019. Colonoscopies were performed in 78 cases with postoperative anastomotic bleeding. The effective rate of initial endoscopic hemostasis was 81% (63/78). In univariate and multivariate analysis, hemoclip therapy (odds ratio = 4.572; 95%CI 1.305-16.017; P = 0.017) and postoperative anastomotic bleeding within 5days (odds ratio = 3.639; 95%CI 1.045-12.675; P = 0.042) are protective factors for endoscopic hemostasis. Comorbidity was associated with an increased risk for anastomotic leakage. Colonoscopy seems to be an effective way to achieve hemostasis for patients with anastomotic bleeding after surgery for colorectal carcinoma. It may be more effective in the early postoperative period, and hemoclip appears to be the first choice to control postoperative anastomotic bleeding.

HEMATURIA AND OTHER KINDS OF BLEEDINGS ON NON-VITAMIN K ANTAGONIST ORAL ANTICOAGULANTS IN PATIENTS WITH ATRIAL FIBRILLATION: AN UPDATED OVERVIEW ON OCCURRENCE, PATHOMECHANISMS AND MANAGEMENT

Non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) are currently recommended for oral anticoagulation in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation. In the setting, NOACs effectively prevent from stroke and systemic embolic events. In spite of the favorable safety profile of NOACs when compared with vitamin K antagonists, the use of any kind of anticoagulation is associated with an increased risk of bleeding. However, there is still a lack of direct comparisons of effectiveness and safety among NOACs. The results of indirect comparisons and meta-analyses suggest that the risk of various types of hemorrhagic complications differ among the particular NOACs. Management of bleeding in patients under NOAC therapy can be challenging because of limited availability of antidotes and the lack of routine laboratory test monitoring the NOAC anticoagulant effect. In case of life-threatening or critical site bleeding, reversal of NOAC anticoagulant activity is essential together with immediate implementation of causative treatment. Moreover, some patients on chronic NOAC therapy may require urgent surgery or invasive procedures. Specific reversal agents for NOACs have been developed, i.e. more widely available idarucizumab for the factor IIa inhibitor (dabigatran) and andexanet alfa for the factor Xa inhibitors (rivaroxaban, apixaban, edoxaban) with limited availability. This review summarizes the occurrence and management of NOAC-related bleeding complications with a particular emphasis on hematuria.

Management of bleeding in patients on direct oral anticoagulants in Sri Lanka

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are being used increasingly in Sri Lanka. However, the specific antidotes for the reversal of DOACs are not currently available in Sri Lanka. Although DOACs have a predictable dose response they may cause bleeding, including major bleeds such as intra cranial and gastrointestinal bleeds. Most of the available algorithms providing guidance for management of bleeding in patients on DOACs contain laboratory tests and therapeutic agents that are not available in Sri Lanka. Therefore, it is timely to have an evidence-based guide for managing patients who develop bleeding while on a DOAC in Sri Lanka.

Management of bleeding in patients hospitalized in the intensive cardiac care unit: expert opinion of the Association of Intensive Cardiac Care and Section of Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy of the Polish Cardiac Society in cooperation with specialists in other fields of medicine.

Nowadays, the intensive cardiac care unit (ICCU) provides care for patients with acute coronary syndrome, acute and exacerbated chronic heart failure, cardiogenic shock, sudden cardiac arrest, electrical storm, as well as with indications for urgent cardiac surgical treatment. Most of these patients require the use of 1, 2, or frequently even 3 drugs that act on the blood coagulation pathway. While antithrombotic drugs prevent thromboembolic events, they are associated with a higher risk of bleeding. In this population of patients, bleeding may often have a worse impact on prognosis than the primary disease. In this expert opinion of the Association of Intensive Cardiac Care, we presented practical guidelines on the management of bleeding in patients hospitalized at the ICCU, including bleeding risk reduction and treatment recommendations. Because of multiple comorbidities and diverse organs that may be the source of bleeding, we provided also recommendations from specialists in other fields of medicine. We hope that this document will facilitate the management of one of the most challenging populations at the ICCU.