Incidence Of Hemorrhagic Complications Research Articles

Clinical Characteristics and Incidence of Hemorrhagic Complications in Patients Taking Factor Xa Inhibitors in Spain: A Long-Term Observational Study.

Objective. To analyze the clinical characteristics of patients taking Factor Xa inhibitors (FXai), either direct FXai or enoxaparin (only in active cancer patients), and to estimate the incidence of and risk factors for major bleeding during FXai use. Methods. A retrospective cohort study, which included secondary data from computerized health records of primary care centers and hospitals in seven Spanish Autonomous Communities. Results. 9374 patients were analyzed, with 8972 taking direct FXai and 402 enoxaparin. At baseline, the mean age (SD) was 71.8 (9.4) years, 56.0% were women, 76.3% had hypertension, 33.6% had type 2 diabetes, and 25.5% had heart failure. The most common indication for FXai use was atrial fibrillation (72.3%), followed by venous thromboembolism (22.2%) and non-mechanical cardiac-valve replacement (5.6%). At the end of the follow-up period, the incidence rates of major bleeding overall, gastrointestinal, and intracranial were 10.2, 9.0, and 0.8 per 100 person-years, respectively. The total incidence of fatal major bleeding was 0.5 per 100 person-years. Incidence rates of all bleedings progressively decreased over time, with 62.5% of the first events occurring in the initial three months and reaching 76.8% within six months following initiation of treatment. Only 4.8% of the 1st major bleedings led to death, 2.3% in the case of major gastrointestinal bleeding, and 30.8% after an intracranial bleeding. 65.9% of patients discontinued anticoagulation after experiencing major bleeding. Conclusions. In Spain, patients taking FXai were old and had many comorbidities. Despite incidence rates of major bleeding were high, incidence rates of intracranial and fatal bleedings were low, but more efforts are required due to their relevant clinical impact.

Flow diversion of ruptured intracranial aneurysms: a single-center study with a standardized antithrombotic treatment protocol

BackgroundThe use of antithrombotic medication following acute flow diversion for a ruptured intracranial aneurysm (IA) is challenging with no current guidelines. We investigated the incidence of treatment-related complications and patient outcomes after flow diversion for a ruptured IA before and after the implementation of a standardized antithrombotic medication protocol.MethodsWe conducted a single-center retrospective study including consecutive patients treated for acutely ruptured IAs with flow diversion during 2015–2023. We divided the patients into two groups: those treated before the implementation of the protocol (pre-protocol) and those treated after the implementation of the protocol (post-protocol). The primary outcomes were hemorrhagic and ischemic complications. A secondary outcome was clinical outcome using the modified Ranking Scale (mRS).ResultsTotally 39 patients with 40 ruptured IAs were treated with flow diversion (69% pre-protocol, 31% post-protocol). The patient mean age was 55 years, 62% were female, 63% of aneurysms were in the posterior circulation, 92% of aneurysms were non-saccular, and 44% were in poor grade on admission. Treatment differences included the use of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors (pre-group 48% vs. post-group 100%), and the use of early dual antiplatelets (pre-group 44% vs. 92% post-group). The incidence of ischemic complications was 37% and 42% and the incidence of hemorrhagic complications was 30% and 33% in the pre- and post-groups, respectively, with no between-group differences. There were three (11%) aneurysm re-ruptures in the pre-group and none in the post-group. There were no differences in mortality or mRS 0–2 between the groups at 6 months.ConclusionWe found no major differences in the incidence of ischemic or hemorrhagic complications after the implementation of a standardized antithrombotic protocol for acute flow diversion for ruptured IAs. There is an urgent need for more evidence-based guidelines to optimize antithrombotic treatment after flow diversion in the setting of subarachnoid hemorrhage.

NCOG-17. RETROSPECTIVE REVIEW OF THE TREATMENT OF VENOUS THROMBOEMBOLISM IN GLIOBLASTOMA PATIENTS RECEIVING BEVACIZUMAB

Abstract Patients with malignant gliomas have an inherently high risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE).1 Bevacizumab is an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) monoclonal antibody commonly used in the treatment of recurrent high-grade gliomas and is known to increase the risk of VTE as well as intracranial hemorrhage.2 Anticoagulation (AC) for VTE also increases the risk intracranial hemorrhage in patients with malignant brain tumors.3 This makes the treatment of VTE in patients with GBM receiving bevacizumab therapy particularly challenging. Here we completed a single center retrospective chart review of patients with glioblastoma (GBM) treated concurrently with anticoagulation for VTE and bevacizumab therapy. The purpose of this review was to assess the safety of concurrent use of these therapies and to note any statistically significant difference in the incidence of hemorrhagic complications between patients treated with anticoagulation at therapeutic versus prophylactic dosing. METHODS: 144 patients with a diagnosis of high-grade glioma and were treated at UCI from 1/1/2019 through 1/1/2022 were screened for the study. 13 GBM patients on treatment with bevacizumab and concurrent anticoagulation were included. Clinical records of these patients were reviewed for the incidence of intracranial hemorrhage or any clinically significant bleeding. RESULTS: The incidence of ICH in GBM patients on concurrent therapy with bevacizumab and anticoagulation was 7.7% and the incidence of other minor bleeding complications was 7.7%. ICH and other minor bleeding was exclusively seen in patients on therapeutic anticoagulant dosing. No bleeding complications were noted in patients on prophylactic AC dosing. CONCLUSION: There is a risk of ICH in patients receiving both bevacizumab and anticoagulation, however compared to historical data, the incidence reported in our study is less than the incidence of ICH in GBM patients on anticoagulation alone. Our study suggests that it is relatively safe to treat patients with these therapies simultaneously.

#6698 THROMBOPROPHYLAXIS IN PEDIATRIC KIDNEY TRANSPLANTATION: A META-ANALYSIS

Abstract Background and Aims Kidney transplant patients are at higher risk for developing renal graft thrombosis, especially in pediatric patients. Renal graft thrombosis mainly causes graft failure leading to high morbidity, mortality, and a significant impact on quality of life. To minimize the risk of renal graft thrombosis, antithrombotic prophylaxis is widely used. However, the effect of antithrombotic prophylaxis for kidney transplantation is still a matter of discussion. Therefore, we carried out a meta-analytic synthesis to determine the effect of antithrombotic prophylaxis in pediatric kidney transplantation patients. Method We systematically searched MEDLINE, CENTRAL (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials), and Web of Science. The eligible studies were identifying the incidence of renal graft thrombosis, hemorrhagic complication (bleeding and bleeding severity), and adverse outcomes related to antithrombotic prophylaxis compared with control group (placebo, active treatment, and no antithrombotic prophylaxis). Meta-analysis was carried out using Review Manager 5.3. The random-effects model was used to compute the pooled estimates of risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results A total of seven studies with 10,51 patients were included in the meta-analytic synthesis. Heparin was used across all the studies as the preferred antithrombotic prophylaxis. Results from the pooled meta-analysis reported that the overall risk for developing renal graft thrombosis was significantly lower in the antithrombotic prophylaxis group compared with the control group (RR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.06-0.56, p = 0.003). There is no significant difference was found in incidence of hemorrhagic complications between antithrombotic prophylaxis and control group (RR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.43-1.54). Similarly, there were no significant deaths were found in antithrombotic prophylaxis group compared with the control group (RR = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.01-22.45) Conclusion The results showed that antithrombotic prophylaxis significantly reduced the risk of renal graft thrombosis in pediatric kidney transplantation. However, due to limited outcomes, further real-world studies with long-term follow-up are required to generate sufficient data on the use of antithrombotic prophylaxis in pediatric kidney transplantation patients.

Heparin Loading Dose in Patients Undergoing Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

To study the differences in hemorrhagic and embolic complications among extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) patients who received and did not receive a loading dose of heparin. This study is a controlled before-after monocentric retrospective study. The emergency department of the Aerospace Center Hospital (ASCH). The authors studied a total of 28 patients who, after a cardiac arrest, underwent ECPR in the emergency department of the ASCH from January 2018 to May 2022. The authors compared the hemorrhagic and embolic complications and prognosis of the 2 groups based on whether they received a loading dose of heparin anticoagulation therapy before catheterization (a loading-dose group and a non-loading dose- group). There were 12 patients in the loading-dose group and 16 in the nonloading-dose group. There was no statistically significant difference in age, sex, underlying diseases, causes of cardiac arrest, and hypoperfusion time between the 2 groups. The incidence of hemorrhagic complications was 75% in the loading-dose group and 67.5% in the nonloading-dose group. The difference between the 2 groups was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The incidence of life-threatening massive hemorrhage in the loading-dose group was 50%, and in the nonloading-dose group, it was 12.5%. The difference between the 2 groups was statistically significant (p=0.03). The incidence of embolic complications in the loading-dose group and nonloading-dose group was 8.3% and 12.5%, respectively, and the difference between the 2 groups was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The survival rates of the 2 groups were 8.3% v 18.8%, respectively, and the difference between the 2 groups was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). In conclusion, in the authors' study of patients undergoing ECPR, administering a loading dose of heparin was associated with an increased risk of early fatal hemorrhage. However, stopping this loading dose did not raise the risk of embolic complications. It also did not lower the risk of total hemorrhage and transfusion.

Incidentally Diagnosed With Pulmonary Embolism in Lung Cancer Patients: Comparison of Clinical Characteristics and Mortality With Symptomatic Pulmonary Embolism.

The purpose of this work was to compare the clinical characteristics, rate of recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE), bleeding complications and mortality of incidental and symptomatic pulmonary embolism (PE) detected on computed tomography in patients with lung cancer. Clinical data of lung cancer patients with PE were obtained from the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine of Ningbo First affiliated hospital of Ningbo University during January 2016 and June 2021 and were reviewed retrospectively. We compared clinical and radiological characteristics in lung cancer patients with incidental PE (IPE) and symptomatic PE (SPE) and identified variables associated with the 1-year survival on multivariate Cox analysis. All patients were followed up for 1 year to compare the risks of recurrent VTE, bleeding complications, and mortality. Survival analysis was performed by use of Kaplan-Meier. A total of 223 lung cancer patients with PE were enrolled over the period. Of these, 117 (52%) patients had symptomatic whereas 106 (48%) patients had incidental PE. Those with IPE were more likely to have adenocarcinoma, VTE history, chronic respiratory disease and chemotherapy within 30 days prior to PE, while SPE was more frequently observed in patients with squamous cancer, concomitant VTE, performance status 0-1, chronic heart disease and major surgery within 30 days prior to PE. During 1 year of follow-up, recurrent VTE was diagnosed in 10 patients (9.3%) in lung cancer patients with IPE and 13 patients (11.2%) with SPE. The 12-month cumulative recurrent VTE incidence was 9.6% for patients with incidental and 11.4% for patients with symptomatic PE (P = .61). The 12-month cumulative incidences of major bleeding complications were also comparable in the 2 groups (8.1% for incidental patients and 9.8% for symptomatic patients; P = .62). However, the respective 12-month mortality risks were 34.6% and 30.2% in lung cancer patients with IPE and SPE respectively (P = .03). On multivariate Cox analysis, we found that IPE occurrence was an independent risk factor associated with 1-year mortality in lung cancer patients complicated with PE after adjusting for age and sex (HR 1.517; 95% CI: 1.366-1.684; P = .027). Our findings suggest that lung cancer patients diagnosed with and treated for incidental PE had a similar rate of recurrent VTE, and incidence of hemorrhagic complications, but a significantly higher 1-year cumulative mortality rate after PE compared to those with symptomatic PE. IPE may be a marker of poor prognosis.

MO160: Prolonged Closure Times in the Absence of Anti-Platelet Therapy and the Incidence of Haemorrhagic Complications After Native Kidney Biopsy

Abstract BACKGROUND AND AIMS The closure times [CTs; i.e. collagen/epinephrine (COL Epi) and collagen/adenosine 5-diphosphate (COL ADP)] are frequently used to evaluate primary haemostasis before kidney biopsy, although their usefulness to predict hemorrhagic events remains elusive [1]. CTs can be prolonged not only by antiplatelet agents but also by e.g. the presence of anaemia, thrombocytopaenia, uremic conditions in patients with advanced stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and even the circadian rhythm among others, which limits their dependability/usefulness [2–4]. We aimed to investigate the assumed association between prolonged CTs and the occurrence of hemorrhagic complications after kidney biopsy [5] in patients with CKD and to explore possible factors influencing their values. METHOD We retrospectively analysed following data collected during medically indicated ultrasound (US)-guided kidney biopsies in patients without antiplatelet/anticoagulant therapy or after its discontinuation for at least 1 week before the procedure: demographic and clinical data, kidney size and resistance index (RI) measured by ultrasound (US) on the biopsied kidney, serum creatinine (μmol/L), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR; mL/min/1.73 m2; using CKD-EPI equation), basic haemostasis tests [prothrombin time/international normalized ratio (PT/INR), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT)] and CTs (COL Epi and COL ADP; seconds) to assess platelet function. We also collected data on haemoglobin concentration (g/L) and platelet counts (109/L) before and no longer than 24 h after the biopsy, the development of haematoma (HMT) up to 24 h after the procedure, macrohematuria, need for transfusion, percutaneous or surgical intervention. The analysis was performed with the statistical program R, using Student's t test, Mann–Whitney test and Fisher's exact test for categorical variables. P values < .05 were considered significant. RESULTS In 2016, our centre performed 144 biopsies of native kidneys, 141 kidney biopsies were included in the analysis. None of the patients had post-procedural macrohematuria or HMT requiring percutaneous or surgical intervention. None of the patients required a transfusion. Independently of CTs, haemoglobin decreased by ≥10 g/L in 25 (18%) patients. HMT was described in 39 (28%) patients. A total of 27 (20%) patients had to discontinue antiplatelet therapy (APT) prior to biopsy. There was no statistically significant difference in HMT occurrence in comparison to patients without APT (P = .346). Patients with APT had higher renal RI (0.77 versus 0.72, P = .049) and even after discontinuation of APT prolonged COL ADP (115 versus 97, P = .02), compared to patients without APT. Differences in PT/INR and aPTT values between groups were insignificant. Table 1 compares patients with prolonged and normal CTs. COL Epi was above the normal range in 20 (16%), COL ADP in 25 (20%) and either or both in 31 (25%) patients, respectively. Blood haemoglobin before biopsy trends to be slightly lower in patients with prolonged CTs (P = .066). CONCLUSION In our cohort of patients without or after timely discontinued APT, there were no serious adverse outcomes of kidney biopsy whether the CTs were prolonged or not. The persistently prolonged CT is nevertheless an important information that should not be omitted, especially in combination with other patient characteristics (e.g. anaemia, depth of the kidneys, blood pressure immediately before the procedure, etc.), that are influencing the individual biopsy provider's choice of needle gauge, the number of punctures that provide the additional safety of invasive procedure and its complications.

Outcomes and survival of tracheostomised patients during the COVID-19 pandemic in a third level hospital.

PurposeAnalyse the evolution and outcomes of COVID-19 tracheostomised patients. Clarify if this cohort presents an increased risk of haemorrhagic complications and verify the correlation between some risk factors with increased mortality.MethodsA retrospective single-centre observational study of a prospective cohort of all COVID-19 patients admitted to our centre between March and April 2020. A control group was obtained from a historical cohort of patients who required tracheostomy due to prolonged invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) before 2020.ResultsA total of 1768 patients were included: 67 tracheostomised non-COVID-19 patients (historic cohort), 1371 COVID-19 patients that did not require ICU admission, 266 non-tracheostomised COVID-19 patients and 64 tracheostomised COVID-19 patients. Comparing the obesity prevalence, 54.69% of the tracheostomised COVID-19 patients were obese and 10.53% of the non-tracheostomised COVID-19 patients (p < 0.001). The median of ICU admission days was lower (p < 0.001) in the non-tracheostomised cohort (12.5 days) compared with the COVID-19 tracheostomised cohort (34 days). The incidence of haemorrhagic complications was significantly higher in tracheostomised COVID-19 patients (20.31%) compared with tracheostomised non-COVID-19 patients (5.97%) and presented a higher percentage of obesity, hypertension, diabetes and smoking, significantly different from the historic cohort (p < 0.001). A Cox model showed that tracheostomy had no statistically significant effect on mortality in COVID-19 patients.ConclusionObesity and smoking may be risk factors for tracheostomy in COVID-19 patients, tracheostomised COVID-19 patients present a higher risk of bleeding complications than those admitted for other reasons and an elevated LDH and INR on ICU admission may be associated with increased mortality.

Results of Register in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome and Atrial Fibrillation Receiving Rivaroxaban.

Aim To evaluate outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndrome and atrial fibrillation who receive rivaroxaban and the patients' compliance with the antithrombotic therapy.Material and methods The study was performed from October 2017 through December 2019 and included 129 patients. Events between the discharge from the hospital and 12 months of follow-up were recorded. The primary endpoint was development of major, minor or requiring medical attention bleeding according to the TIMI scale. The secondary endpoint was a combination of recurrent myocardial infarction, nonfatal acute ischemic cerebrovascular disease, nonfatal systemic embolism, stent thrombosis, and cardiovascular mortality.Results 32 (24.8%) patients early terminated the antiplatelet treatment and 22 (17.1%) patients terminated the rivaroxaban treatment. 26 (20.2 %) patients had hemorrhagic complications. The highest incidence of hemorrhage was observed within the first 2 months after the discharge. None of the bleedings was fatal. Composite endpoint events were observed in 24 (18.6 %) patients, including 14 (10.9 %) who died from cardiovascular causes.Conclusion The compliance with the antiplatelet therapy was insufficient. The incidence of hemorrhagic complications was relatively high; minor and requiring medical attention hemorrhages mostly contributed to the structure of these complications. The observed incidence of recurrent ischemic events associated with a high mortality presents a more serious problem compared to hemorrhagic complications of the combination antiplatelet therapy and warrants a more aggressive tactics of the antiplatelet treatment in high-risk patients.

Aortic valve replacement with biological prosthesis in patients aged 50-69 years.

There is no consensus regarding the use of biological or mechanical prostheses in patients 50-69 years of age. Previous studies have reported a survival advantage with mechanical valves. Our goal was to compare the long-term survival of patients in the intermediate age groups of 50-59 and 60-69 years receiving mechanical or biological aortic valve prostheses. We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients in the age groups 50-59 years (n = 329) and 60-69 years (n = 648) who had a first-time isolated aortic valve replacement between 2000 and 2019. Kaplan-Meier and competing risk analyses were performed to compare survival, incidence of aortic valve reoperation, haemorrhagic complications and thromboembolic events for mechanical versus biological prostheses. Patients aged 50-59 years with a biological prosthesis had a higher probability of aortic valve reintervention (26.3%, biological vs 2.6% mechanical; P < 0.001 at 15 years). The incidence of haemorrhagic complications or thromboembolic events was similar in the 2 groups. Patients aged 60-69 years with a mechanical prosthesis had a higher risk of haemorrhagic complications (6.9%, biological vs 16.2%, mechanical; P = 0.001 at 15 years). Biological prostheses had a higher overall probability of reintervention for valve dysfunction (20.9%, biological vs 4.8%, mechanical; P = 0.024). In both age groups, there was no difference in long-term survival between patients receiving a biological or a mechanical prosthesis. There was no difference in long-term survival between mechanical and biological prostheses for both age groups. Mechanical prostheses had a higher risk of bleeding in the 60-69-year group whereas biological valves had higher overall reintervention probability without an impact on long-term survival. It may be safe to use biological valves based on lifestyle choices for patients in the 50-69-year age group.

Incidence of Hemorrhagic Complications among Patients Treated with Thrombolytic in Erbil City, Iraq

Background: Recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator is an option of treatment for suspected occlusive vascular thrombi and its sequel (transmural myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism, and ischemic stroke). The most important concern associated with those patients is the fear of hemorrhagic complications. Objectives: To evaluate the incidence and risk factors of bleeding following the use of recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator. Materials and Methods: This prospective study was conducted in the Intensive Care Units of Roj-halat Emergency Hospital and Rizgary Teaching Hospital in Erbil city/Iraq. The duration of the study was through the period from 1st of June, 2016 to 1st of March, 2017. A convenient sample of 100 patients was selected. The patients were followed after their admission to Intensive Care Units for 24 hours after their treatment with recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator to explore their complications. Results: Bleeding complication represented 10% of patients treated with recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (50% for each major and minor bleeding). There was a significant association between increased age of patients treated with recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator and bleeding (P-value = 0. 01). Patients with a history of hypertension, diabetes, and smoking were significantly associated with a bleeding complication of recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (P-value <0.05). Conclusions: The incidence of bleeding among patients after treatment with recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator in the intensive care unit was acceptable. The age, diabetes, smoking, and hypertension were risk factors for increasing the bleeding complications in subjects treated with recombinant tissue-type plasminogen.

Safety and efficacy of percutaneous radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma patients with haemophilia.

This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of RFA for HCC in haemophilia patients. From July 2008 to June 2019, 217 patients with HCC underwent 300 RFA sessions. Of these, 18 sessions were performed in ten haemophilia patients (H group) and 282 in 207 non-haemophilia patients (NH group). The patients' characteristics, incidence of haemorrhagic complications and rates of local tumour recurrence were compared between the groups. A majority of the haemophilia patients received clotting factor concentrate replacement therapy before and after RFA treatment, with the aim of reaching a plasma clotting factor level of higher than 60%-80%. Twelve haemorrhagic complications were observed in the NH group (4.2%; 12/282). Major bleeding requiring control procedures was observed in two patients and minor bleeding with careful observation was noted in ten patients. No bleeding complications were observed in the H group (0/18). There were no significant differences in the 5-year local tumour recurrence rates after RFA treatment between the groups (35.0% in the H group and 32.1% in the NH group). RFA could be an effective and a safe method for HCC treatment in patients with haemophilia.

Results of carotidal endarterectomy in different age group

Background. Carotid endarterectomy is an effective and safe operation aimed at treating patients with hemo-dynamically significant stenosis of the carotid arteries, the outcomes of which are well studied, and the permissible levels of postoperative complications are presented in the current recommendations. Nevertheless, the issues related to the incidence of cardiovascular accidents in different age groups of patients have not been sufficiently studied. Objective. Analysis of hospital outcomes of carotid endarterectomy in different age groups. Design and methods. The study included 1416 patients who were operated on for stenotic lesions of the internal carotid arteries. According to the WHO classification, patients were divided into groups depending on age: up to 44 years — young age (n = 76); 45-59 years old — average age (n = 291); 60-74 — old age (n = 835); over 75 years old — old age (n = 214). The compensatory capabilities of cerebral blood flow were assessed by invasive measurement of the retrograde pressure in the internal carotid artery. The endpoints were death, myocardial infarction, acute cerebrovascular accident, transient ischemic attack, hemorrhagic complications, cranial nerve damage, combined endpoint. Results. There were no significant differences in the incidence of all cardiovascular events. In the group of young patients, no lethal outcomes, myocardial infarction, acute cerebrovascular accident, or transient ischemic attack were recorded. All deaths were caused by the development of ischemic stroke as a result of distal embolization. In cases of non-fatal acute disorders of cerebral circulation, transient ischemic attacks in 1 patient of the 60-74 year group, the catastrophe developed against the background of thrombosis of the internal carotid arteries. In other 3 cases, on the background of the development of hyperperfusion syndrome. In 1 patient of the 60-74 year group, hemorrhagic transformation of the old ischemic focus with the development of intracerebral hematoma was recorded. There was also no significant intergroup difference in the incidence of hemorrhagic complications. The total number of all cardiovascular events in each group and the sample as a whole did not exceed one and a half percent, which corresponded to the standards described in the current recommendations. Conclusion. There was no statistically significant difference in the development of adverse cardiovascular events depending on the patient’s age.

Continuation of aspirin therapy before pars plana vitrectomy: Safe or not?

To assess the safety of pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) in patients undergoing systemic treatment with aspirin. This prospective study enrolled consecutive patients undergoing PPV under percutaneous retrobulbar anesthesia between February 2016 and July 2018. Sixty-seven eyes from 67 patients on regular aspirin therapy were randomized into two groups: the continuation group (33 eyes), with aspirin continued during the perioperative period; and the discontinuation group (34 eyes), with aspirin discontinued for 3 to 7 days before surgery. Forty-three eyes from 43 patients who had no antiplatelet/anticoagulant therapy were used as a control group. There was no significant difference in the incidence of hemorrhagic complications or the need for additional operations due to hemorrhagic complications among the three groups (p = 0.740 and p = 0.324, respectively). None of the patients in these three groups suffered from thromboembolic events during the follow-up period. Except for one case (3.0%) of lid ecchymosis in the continuation group, no eye experienced bleeding complications associated with the retrobulbar local anesthesia. In the continuation group, three eyes (9.1%) demonstrated postoperative hyphema that resolved spontaneously. In the discontinuation group, two eyes (5.9%) suffered from postoperative vitreous hemorrhage, of which one eye required secondary surgery and the other cleared spontaneously. One eye (2.9%) in the discontinuation group demonstrated postoperative hyphema that absorbed spontaneously. Three eyes (7.0%) in the control group experienced hyphema that absorbed spontaneously. The outcomes of our study indicate that PPV under retrobulbar anesthesia can be safely performed without discontinuing systemic aspirin therapy.

Dual antiplatelet therapy after carotid artery stenting: trends and outcomes in a large national database

BackgroundWhile dual antiplatelet therapy (dAPT) is standard of care following carotid artery stenting (CAS), the optimal dAPT regimen and duration has not been established.MethodsWe canvassed a large national database (IBM...

Incidence of Hemorrhagic Complications among Patients Treated with Thrombolytic in Erbil City, Iraq.

Incidence of Hemorrhagic Complications among Patients Treated with Thrombolytic in Erbil City, Iraq.

Triple versus double antithrombotic therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation and stent implantation: a meta‑analysis of randomized trials.

Appropriate double (DT) and triple (TT) antithrombotic therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation and stent implantation is unclear. The aim of the study was to perform a meta‑analysis of studies comparing DT and TT in patients with atrial fibrillation and stent implantation. Of the 450 reports, 5 randomized trials were included in the meta‑analysis: WOEST, ISAR‑REACT, PIONEER AF‑PCI, RE‑DUAL PCI, and AUGUSTUS, with a total of 9931 patients. Treatment efficacy, as assessed by the incidence of major adverse cardiac events, did not differ significantly between both therapeutic strategies: 8.98% for DT vs 8.71% for TT (odds ratio [OR], 1.02; 95% CI, 0.86-1.21). The incidence of hemorrhagic complications was significantly lower in patients treated with DT than TT (13.1% and 21.0%, respectively; OR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.47-0.70). In over 90% of patients, DT included clopidogrel along with an oral anticoagulant (non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant or vitamin K antagonist). The results of our meta‑analysis are clearly in line with the current trend of the fastest possible reduction in the use of TT in favor of DT. Almost half lower risk of hemorrhagic complications during DT compared with TT, with similar efficacy of the 2 strategies, provides an argument for the wider use of DT in patients with AF and stent implantation.

Efficacy and safety of the distal transradial approach in coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention: a Japanese multicenter experience.

The novel distal transradial approach (dTRA) is expected to further build upon the advantages of transradial access. However, the incidence of radial artery occlusion (RAO) and hemorrhagic events with the dTRA has not been fully elucidated. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of using the dTRA on RAO and postprocedural hemorrhage. From April 2018 to July 2018, 228 consecutive patients who underwent coronary angiography or intervention through the dTRA at two hospitals were analyzed. The RAO rate, change in the forearm and distal radial artery diameter and cross-section area after the dTRA (at 1day and 1month) on vascular ultrasonography, and incidence of hemorrhagic complications were investigated. Forearm and distal RAO occurred in 1 (0.4%) and 8 (3.1%) patients at 1month, respectively. No forearm hematomas occurred. Ultrasonographic findings indicated that the radial artery diameter and cross-section area were significantly larger after the dTRA (2.9 ± 0.5mm vs. 2.7 ± 0.5mm, p < 0.001 and 6.5 ± 2.4mm2 vs. 5.6 ± 2.0mm2, p < 0.001, respectively). The distal radial artery diameter and cross-section area in the anatomical snuffbox were also significantly larger after the dTRA (2.5 ± 0.5mm vs. 2.3 ± 0.4mm, p < 0.001 and 4.7 ± 2.0mm2 vs. 4.2 ± 1.6mm2, p < 0.001, respectively). The DTRA was associated with a low incidence of RAO at both the puncture site and the forearm, postprocedural dilatation of the radial artery, and no bleeding complications extending to the forearm.

Abstract WP448: Safety of Heparin for Prophylaxis of Venous Thromboembolism in Oral Anticoagulation-Associated Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Introduction: Patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) have a high risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Next to intermittent pneumatic compressions low-dose subcutaneous heparins represent the most intuitive treatment for VTE prophylaxis. However, in the specific setting of ICH their safety remains to be verified as randomized controlled trials are missing. The present study pooled individual data of patients with spontaneous primary ICH and OAC-ICH to explore the incidence of hemorrhagic complications during hospital stay among subgroups treated with heparins for VTE prophylaxis. Methods: We integrated both parts of the RETRACE-program (part-1: 2006-2010; part-2:2011-2015) and the single-center UKER-ICH registry (2006-2015). Including all patients receiving low-dose subcutaneous heparin for VTE prevention we pooled individual patient data of 1702 vitamin-K antagonist-(VKA) or non-VKA oral anticoagulants(NOAC)-related ICH patients treated at 22 tertiary-care centers across Germany and of 1022 primary spontaneous ICH patients from UKER. We defined intracranial hemorrhagic complications (IHC) during hospital stay as primary safety outcome measure. Secondary outcomes included mortality and functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale, mRS) at 3 months of patients with and without IHC. Results: IHC occurred in 1.7%(42/2416) of ICH patients. There were no differences in crude incidence rates among patients with VKA-ICH, NOAC-ICH and non-OAC-ICH (Log rank p=0.645; Breslow p=0.753; VKA-ICH: 27/1406[1.9%], NOAC-ICH 1/130[0.8%], non-OAC-ICH 14/880[1.6%];p=0.577). Detailed analysis according to days spent on heparin prophylaxis revealed no differences in rates of IHC per 1000 patient days (VKA-ICH: 1.49[1.00-2.14], NOAC-ICH 0.63[0.03-3.13], non-OAC-ICH 1.45[0.82-2.37]; p=0.687). Secondary outcomes showed differences in functional outcome (mRS=4-6: IHC: 29/37[78.4%] vs no-IHC: 1213/2048[59.2%];p=0.019) and mortality (IHC: 14/37[37.8%] vs no-IHC: 485/2048[23.7%];p=0.045) in disfavor of IHC-patients. Conclusions: Heparin administration for VTE prophylaxis in ICH patients appears to be safe without differently increased risks of IHC among non-OAC-ICH, VKA-ICH and NOAC-ICH.

Enoxaparin administration within 24 hours of caesarean section: a 6-year single-centre experience and patient outcomes

A caesarean section (CS) is a major risk factor for a venous thromboembolism, and enoxaparin, a low-molecular-weight heparin, has been widely used for thromboprophylaxis. However, it remains unclear whether an enoxaparin thromboprophylaxis has an acceptable safety profile when given early after CS compared to delayed administration, especially in the presence of an epidural catheter. This study aimed to survey cases in which enoxaparin administration was performed within 24 hours of CS and to evaluate patient outcomes with or without epidural anaesthesia. The number of eligible cases were 578: 328 patients received an epidural anaesthesia (epidural group), and 250 did not (non-epidural group). In both groups, no patient developed a spinal epidural haematoma. A wound or a subcutaneous bleeding occurred in 22 (6.7%) and 20 (8.0%) cases in the epidural and non-epidural groups, respectively. One patient developed a mild pulmonary embolism, and one case of asymptomatic deep vein thrombosis was detected. An enoxaparin administration within 24 hours of CS appears to be reasonable, regardless of an epidural anaesthesia.Impact statementWhat is already known on this subject? A venous thromboembolism (VTE) after a caesarean section (CS) remains a significant cause of maternal morbidity and mortality. Therefore, a thromboprophylaxis using enoxaparin, a low-molecular-weight heparin, has been widely recommended and accepted. However, there is no consensus regarding the optimal timing to initiate an enoxaparin administration after CS in the presence of an epidural catheter.What do the results of this study add? This is the largest study that has collected cases receiving enoxaparin within 24 hours of a CS. Irrespective of the presence of an epidural catheter, no patient developed a spinal epidural haematoma after an early administration of enoxaparin. Furthermore, the incidence of haemorrhagic complications did not increase.What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Given the significant incidence of VTE after CS and the extremely low frequency of spinal epidural haematomas, it can be justified to initiate thromboprophylaxis with enoxaparin soon after CS. However, appropriately designed, large clinical trials are necessary to examine the safety and efficacy of an early enoxaparin administration after CS. Based on such studies, the starting time of thromboprophylaxis after a CS should be decided.