Prophylaxis Of Thromboembolic Events Research Articles

Prophylaxis with enoxaparin and antithrombin III in drug-induced coagulation alterations in childhood leukemia: a retrospective experience of 20 years

BackgroundThromboembolic complications are well known in the treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Over the years it has not been possible to reach a consensus on a possible prophylaxis of thromboembolic events during intensive therapy. Only the administration of enoxaparin was able to achieve evidence in the literature to date.MethodsIn this retrospective study, 173 childhood leukemia patients were treated over 20 years with a thromboembolic prophylaxis including enoxaparin and AT III during induction therapy with L-asparaginase and cortisone.ResultsWe here report the effectiveness of administration of enoxaparin and AT III in childhood leukemia, showing a strikingly low prevalence of deep vein thrombosis (2.9%). Especially in adolescent patients, a particularly great need for AT III was demonstrated.ConclusionsWe recommend thromboembolic prophylaxis with enoxaparin and AT III substitution during induction/reinduction therapy with L-asparaginase and glucocorticosteroids, especially from adolescence onwards.

Risk Profiles and Treatment Patterns in Atrial Fibrillation Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease Receiving or not Receiving Anticoagulation Therapy.

Background Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at high risk for both thromboembolism and bleeding events. The latter induces a potential reason for withholding oral anticoagulation (OAC) despite an indication for prophylaxis of thromboembolic events. Methods AF patients with CKD (estimated glomerular filtration [eGFR] rate between 15 and 49 mL/min per 1.73 m 2 ) were included in a prospective international registry in Europe between 2016 and 2020, that is, XARENO (factor XA inhibition in renal patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation observational registry). The study enrolled adult patients treated at the discretion of physicians with rivaroxaban, vitamin K antagonists (VKA), or without OAC (w/oOAC). Here, we report a prespecified explorative baseline comparison between patients receiving OAC or no OAC within XARENO. Results In total, 1,544 patients (mean age: 78.2 years, mean eGFR: 36.2 mL/min) were studied (rivaroxaban n = 764, VKA n = 691, w/oOAC n = 89). Patients in the w/oOAC group were older and had a similar stroke (mean CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score 4.0) but higher bleeding risk (mean modified Hypertension, Abnormal Renal/Liver Function, Stroke, Bleeding History or Predisposition, Labile INR, Elderly, Drugs/Alcohol Concomitantly score 2.5 vs. 1.8) compared with the OAC groups. The distribution of comorbidities including hypertension, diabetes, and heart failure was similar. Treatment with antiplatelet drugs was fivefold more frequent in the w/oOAC group. Conclusion Only 5.8% of the overall population of AF patients with advanced CKD received no OAC. These patients were older and had a higher bleeding risk, which might explain this decision, but which contrasts with the more frequent use of antiplatelet drugs in this vulnerable group of patients.

Efficacy and Safety of Direct Oral Anticoagulants in Pediatric Venous Thromboembolism: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

To assess the efficacy and safety of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in comparison to standard-of-care (SOC) anticoagulants in the management and prophylaxis of thromboembolic events in pediatric populations. A comprehensive search of electronic databases was conducted to identify relevant studies published between January 1, 2015, and December 18, 2022. A meta-analysis was undertaken to evaluate the effect of DOACs on clinically significant endpoints, employing trial-level data with harmonized endpoint definitions. The primary outcome was venous thromboembolism (VTE). Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. The study was registered with INPLASY (2022120065). Three studies encompassing 934 subjects were included. The incidence of VTE was reduced in patients administered DOACs compared to those on SOC anticoagulants (OR 0.41 [95% CI 0.19-0.93], I²=0%, P = 0.03). No significant differences were observed between the DOAC and SOC groups in all-cause mortality (OR 0.50 [95% CI 0.07-3.59], I²=0%, P = 0.35) or serious adverse events (OR 0.75 [95% CI 0.50-1.12], I²=0%, P = 0.16). The risk of major bleeding (OR 0.50 [95% CI 0.13-1.87], I²=44%, P = 0.30) and clinically relevant non-major bleeding (OR 1.23 [95% CI 0.50-3.00], I²=0%, P = 0.65) exhibited no significant differences between the groups. DOACs are associated with a reduced risk of VTE in pediatric patients without increasing the risk of bleeding, all-cause mortality, or serious adverse events when compared to SOC anticoagulants. DOACs may be an alternative for the treatment and prevention of thromboembolic events in the pediatrics.

Is spontaneous echo contrast associated with device-related thrombus or embolic events after left atrial appendage occlusion? - Insights from the multicenter German LAARGE registry

BackgroundInterventional left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) provides an alternative to oral anticoagulation (OAC) for prophylaxis of thromboembolic events (TEs) in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation patients, predominantly in those with high bleeding risk and contraindications for long-term OAC. Although spontaneous echo contrast (SEC) is a well-known risk factor for atrial thrombus formation, little is known about whether this means an increased risk of device-related thrombus (DRT) or TEs following LAAO.MethodsThis substudy of the prospective, multicenter German LAARGE registry assessed two groups according to absence (SEC −) or presence of SEC (SEC +) in preprocedural cardiac imaging. Clinical and echocardiographic parameters were registered up to 1 year after LAAO.ResultsFive hundred eighty-eight patients (SEC − 85.5 vs. SEC + 14.5%) were included. More SEC + patients were implanted for OAC non-compliance (11.8 vs. 4.6%, p = 0.008) and a higher proportion received only antiplatelet therapy without OAC at hospital discharge (96.5 vs. 86.0%, p = 0.007). The SEC + patients had larger LA diameters (50 (47; 54) vs. 47 (43; 51) mm, p < 0.001), wider LAA ostia (21 (19; 23) vs. 20 (17; 22) mm at 45°, p = 0.011), and lower left ventricular ejection fraction (50 (45; 60) vs. 60 (50; 60) %, p < 0.001) on admission. Procedural success was very high in both groups (98.1%, p = 1.00). Periprocedural major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events and other major complications were rare in both groups (3.8 vs. 4.7%, p = 0.76). At follow-up, DRT was only detected in the SEC − group (3.8 vs. 0%, p = 1.00). The rates of TEs (SEC − 1.2 vs. SEC + 0%, p = 1.00) after hospital discharge and 1-year mortality (SEC − 12.0 vs. SEC + 11.8%, p = 0.96) were not significantly different between the two groups.ConclusionsPresence of SEC at baseline was not associated with an increased rate of DRT or TEs at 1-year follow-up after LAAO in LAARGE.

Treatment of a severely injured with active bleeding under apixaban and residual anticoagulatory activity

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) are increasingly being prescribed for prophylaxis of thromboembolic events. Their use, particularly in emergency settings is difficult as blood level measurements are often not immediately available and until recently there was no possibility for reversal. This article presents the case of aseverely injured patient with life-threatening traumatic bleeding under long-term treatment with the factor Xa inhibitor apixaban, viscoelasticity-based detection of residual systemic anticoagulatory activity and targeted reversal.

Comparison between rivaroxaban versus enoxaparin for venous thromboembolism prophylaxis following spine surgeries, a randomized clinical trial

BackgroundEnoxaparin is currently used for VTE prophylaxis. Rivaroxaban is more cost-effective and is as potent as enoxaparin in VTE prophylaxis. MethodsThe study was held at Al-Zahra and Kashani university hospitals in Isfahan, Iran, from January 2019 to October 2020. Two hundred ninety-six patients requiring instrumented spine surgery were enrolled; 23 were excluded (lack of consent/interfering medical situations). They were randomized into the groups of rivaroxaban (case, n = 137) and enoxaparin receiving (control, n = 136). Medical data were recorded and 244 patients (case = 123, control = 121) were analyzed value < 0.05 was meaningful. Results150 patients were males, and 94 were females. The mean age was 52.09 ± 12.6 years. Postoperative drain volume was higher in rivaroxaban received patients than in enoxaparin (p = 0.02). Post-operation epidural hematoma was detected in 3 patients in the case and 1 in the control group, which was not meaningful(p = 0.622). All of them were evacuated surgically. POH was associated with cervical canal stenosis surgery, existing comorbidities, and new medical events. New medical events were associated with postoperative wound dehiscence (p = 0.001). Short and long-term postoperative outcomes were similar in both groups. The mean follow-up duration was 25.8 ± 7.5 months. ConclusionRivaroxaban is as effective as enoxaparin in venous thromboembolic event prophylaxis. Regarding postoperative epidural hematoma, statistical analysis showed equal safety of both drugs. Still, the authors would like to recommend more discretion in rivaroxaban administration in cervical spine laminectomy until future studies are conducted.

This Month in Adult Urology

This Month in Adult Urology

Abstract 11107: Comparison of Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion and Direct Oral Anticoagulants and Warfarin in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation in Russian Prospective Registry

Introduction: Left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) is non-inferior to warfarin and direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) in thromboembolic prophylaxis in atrial fibrillation (AF). However, these antithrombotic strategies in patients with and without contraindications to anticoagulants were not assessed separately before. Hypothesis: LAAO is superior to oral anticoagulants (OAC) in net clinical benefit in patients without contraindications for its usage, and superior to no thromboembolic prophylaxis in patients with contraindications for OAC. Methods: A prospective registry included 379 patients with nonvalvular AF and high risk of thromboembolic events. Patients were assigned into cohorts with and without contraindications to continuous therapy with OAC. In the first cohort patients with LAA occlusion (n=45), on DOAC (n=99) and on warfarin (n=100) were compared. In the second cohort patients with LAAO (n=75) were compared with those who received no antithrombotic prophylaxis (n = 60). The primary composite endpoint was net clinical benefit (all-cause mortality, ischemic stroke/transient ischemic attack/systemic embolism and major bleeding) in 3 years. Results: Using log-rank analysis of Kaplan-Meier curves in the cohort of patients without contraindications to OAC LAAO was superior to warfarin, reaching statistical significance (p=0.048), with a trend towards superiority over DOAC (p=0.061) . In the cohort of patients with contraindications to continuous OAC use, LAAO, in terms of both overall efficacy and safety, was significantly superior to no prophylaxis of thromboembolic events (p=0.003). (Figure 1). Conclusions: LAA occlusion demonstrated superiority to warfarin and no prophylaxis of thromboembolic events in terms of net clinical benefit. There was a trend to superiority of LAAO over DOAC in patients with contraindications to OAC.

Atrial fibrillation and the limits of oral anticoagulation: for whom are left atrial appendage occluders suitable?

Patients with atrial fibrillation are at asignificantly increased risk of thromboembolic events, especially ischemic strokes. Oral anticoagulation reduces this risk, but cannot be used in some patients for various reasons and is associated with arelevantly increased risk of bleeding. As an alternative for prophylaxis of thromboembolic events in patients with atrial fibrillation, there are different options of left atrial appendage closure. This article explains the possibilities of interventional atrial occlusion as well as the suitable patient clientele using an overview of the currently available systems for atrial occlusion, aguideline for patient selection and asummary of the current scientific data. In carefully selected patients suffering from atrial fibrillation with relative or absolute contraindications for oral anticoagulation, interventional closure of the atrial appendage is asafe alternative for prophylaxis against thromboembolic events. The currently available scientific evidence from randomized controlled trials is sparse. Nevertheless, extensive amounts of registry study data suggest abenefit, while the results of several large randomized controlled trials are expected in the coming years.

Prophylaxis Against Thromboembolic Events During Chemotherapy for Germ Cell Cancer.

IntroductionPatients with advanced germ cell tumors (GCT) receiving cisplatin-based chemotherapy have high rates of thromboembolic events (TEE) which can negatively affect their overall survival. While primary TEE prophylaxis during chemotherapy may prevent these events, it is unclear which patients will benefit in this setting.Materials and MethodsA review of PubMed/Medline was conducted in December 2020 and all pertinent articles were evaluated for relevancy and quality of data for inclusion in the review.ResultsStudies on patients receiving initial cisplatin-based chemotherapy for advanced GCT have reported up to a 19% rate of TEE. This high rate may be associated with multiple factors including retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy, advanced clinical stage, high risk Khorana scores and presence of a central line. Large phase III clinical trials have demonstrated the benefit of low-molecular-weight-heparin and direct oral anticoagulants for primary prophylaxis and against recurrent TEE. However, primary prophylaxis is currently underutilized with GCT patients starting chemotherapy.ConclusionPrecise models to predict TEE risk and consideration of anticoagulation are difficult to develop owing to the relatively uncommon nature of GCT and lack of representation in primary TEE prophylaxis clinical trials. Despite these limitations, we believe that the benefits of prophylactic anticoagulation outweigh the risk of major bleeding in select GCT patients with higher risk of TEE. We have developed a simple algorithm to help guide TEE prophylaxis selection based on patient factors and route of chemotherapy administration. Given the high rate of TEE in GCT patients, we believe better utilization of primary prophylaxis in patient starting cisplatin-based chemotherapy will have clinical benefit.

Primary Thromboprophylaxis in Patients with Malignancies: Daily Practice Recommendations by the Hemostasis Working Party of the German Society of Hematology and Medical Oncology (DGHO), the Society of Thrombosis and Hemostasis Research (GTH), and the Austrian Society of Hematology and Oncology (ÖGHO).

Simple SummaryThromboembolic events occur in up to 20% of cancer patients during their course of disease. In addition, thromboembolism contributes relevantly to morbidity and mortality in this cohort. As a consequence, primary prophylaxis to prevent thromboembolic events is crucial. Due to enhanced bleeding risk in cancer patients, anticoagulation can be challenging in daily practice. Herein, we performed a systematic review regarding primary prophylaxis for thromboembolic events in cancer patients in order to aid clinicians in daily decision making. Besides general recommendations, specific subgroups were addressed, and recommendations are given at the end of each chapter. All topics were extensively reviewed and discussed among an expert panel including oncologists, hematologists, and hemostasis specialists, as members of the hemostasis working party of the German and Austrian Society of Hematology and Oncology as well as the German Society of Thrombosis and Hemostasis Research.Patients with cancer, both hematologic and solid malignancies, are at increased risk for thrombosis and thromboembolism. In addition to general risk factors such as immobility and major surgery, shared by non-cancer patients, cancer patients are exposed to specific thrombotic risk factors. These include, among other factors, cancer-induced hypercoagulation, and chemotherapy-mediated endothelial dysfunction as well as tumor-cell-derived microparticles. After an episode of thrombosis in a cancer patient, secondary thromboprophylaxis to prevent recurrent thromboembolism has long been established and is typically continued as long as the cancer is active or actively treated. On the other hand, primary prophylaxis, even though firmly established in hospitalized cancer patients, has only recently been studied in ambulatory patients. This recent change is mostly due to the emergence of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). DOACs have a shorter half-life than vitamin K antagonists (VKA), and they overcome the need for parenteral application, the latter of which is associated with low-molecular-weight heparins (LMWH) and can be difficult for the patient to endure in the long term. Here, first, we discuss the clinical trials of primary thromboprophylaxis in the population of cancer patients in general, including the use of VKA, LMWH, and DOACs, and the potential drug interactions with pre-existing medications that need to be taken into account. Second, we focus on special situations in cancer patients where primary prophylactic anticoagulation should be considered, including myeloma, major surgery, indwelling catheters, or immobilization, concomitant diseases such as renal insufficiency, liver disease, or thrombophilia, as well as situations with a high bleeding risk, particularly thrombocytopenia, and specific drugs that may require primary thromboprophylaxis. We provide a novel algorithm intended to aid specialists but also family practitioners and nurses who care for cancer patients in the decision process of primary thromboprophylaxis in the individual patient.

Diagnosis of atrial fibrillation in heart failure patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillator or cardiac resynchronisation therapy.

IntroductionImplantable cardioverter defibrillators register various types of arrhythmias. Thus they can be exploited to better identify patients with atrial fibrillation episodes and increase the proportion of patients who may benefit from implementation of pharmacological prophylaxis of thromboembolic events, most of which are asymptomatic. The aim of the study was to assess of the frequency, symptoms and predisposing factors for the occurrence of atrial fibrillation episodes in patients with an implanted implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) and cardiac resynchronisation therapy with defibrillator (CRT-D) based on the analysis of intracardiac electrocardiograms (EGM/IEGM) records.Material and methodsThe study included 174 consecutive outpatients with heart failure, sinus rhythm and an implanted cardioverter defibrillator and cardiac resynchronisation therapy with defibrillator. Follow-up visits with analysis of IEGM records occurred every 3 months. During a mean follow-up of 20 months, 901 visits were carried out. One hundred forty-seven patients had at least 1 year of follow-up.ResultsAtrial fibrillation episodes in the study group occurred in 54 (31.0%) patients and 71.4% were asymptomatic. Predisposing factors were: history of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (37.0% vs. 13.3%, p < 0.001), atrioventricular conduction abnormalities (42.6% vs. 20.0%, p = 0.002), intraventricular conduction abnormalities (59.3% vs. 40.8%, p = 0.02) and more severe mitral regurgitation (7.4% vs. 0.8%, p = 0.04). Chronic renal disease was a risk factor for death in the study group. No stroke occurred during the study.ConclusionsEpisodes of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in patients with systolic heart failure and implanted cardioverter-defibrillator systems are quite common. The majority of the episodes recorded in the study were asymptomatic.

Comparison of Generic (Rolexan) and Brand (Clexan) Forms of Enoxaparin in Critically Ill Patients: A Cross Over, Open Label, Randomized Prospective Clinical Trial

Backgrounds: Several generic forms of enoxaparin were introduced to the market after expiring the patent of Clexane. But the main problem with generic forms is its bio-equivalency with brand form as a little difference in active ingredients characteristics, could led to significant clinical differences. For evaluating the efficacy of enoxaparin, it is recommended to measure its activity against Anti Xa. The aim of this study was comparison of Anti Xa Activity of Enoxan® versus Clexane ® in critically ill patients with prophylactic doses. Methods: This was a cross over, open label, randomized prospective study which was performed between September 2016 and December 2017 in intensive care unit of Labbafinezhad hospital, Tehran, Iran. Thirty adult patients, who received enoxaparin for prophylaxis of thromboembolic events, were recruited. Subjects were subsequently randomized to one of the treatment sequences (Generic–brand or brand–generic). The generic drug was enoxaparin sodium 40 mg (4,000 IU anti-FXa/0.4 mL), manufactured by Ronakpharm, Iran; the brand drug was enoxaparin sodium 40 mg (Clexane® 4,000 IU anti-FXa/0.4 mL), manufactured by Sanofi, France. Results: Anti-Xa activity was assessed with Stago kit. The anti-Xa activity between 0.2 and 0.5 U/mL was defined as prophylaxis. The average Anti-Xa activities of Clexan and Rolexan were 0.3±0.12 and 0.22±0.10, respectively which reveals statistically no significant difference (P: 0.35). Also Anti-Xa activity in 6 and 11 patients in Clexan and Rolexan groups were under 0.2 (P: 0.16). Conclusion: Our study showed comparable efficacy of prophylactic doses between Clexan and Rolexan in critically ill patients. Further studies in different patient population are recommended. J Pharm Care 2020; 8(1): 23-25.

A Pharmacogenetically Guided Acenocoumarol Dosing Algorithm for Chilean Patients: A Discovery Cohort Study

BackgroundVitamin K antagonists (VKA) are used as prophylaxis for thromboembolic events in patients with cardiovascular diseases. The most common VKA are warfarin and acenocoumarol. These drugs have a narrow therapeutic margin and high inter-individual response variability due to clinical and pharmacogenetic variables.ObjectiveThe authors aim to develop an algorithm comprised of clinical and genetic factors to explain the variability in the therapeutic dose of acenocoumarol among Chilean patientsMethodologyDNA was obtained from 304 patients as a discovery cohort with an international normalized ratio (INR) range of 2.0–3.0. The non-genetic (demographic and clinical) variables were also recorded. Genotype analyses were performed using real-time PCR for VKORC1 (rs9923231), VKORC1 (rs7294), GGCx (rs11676382), CYP4F2 (rs2108622), ABCB1 (rs1045642), CYP2C9*2 (rs1799853), ApoE (rs429358), and CYP2C9*3 (rs1057910).ResultsThe clinical variables that significantly influenced the weekly therapeutic dose of VKA were age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and initial INR, collectively accounting for 19% of the variability, and the genetic variables with a significant impact were VKORC1 (rs9923231), CYP2C9*2 (rs1799853), and CYP2C9*3 (rs1057910), explaining for another 37% of the variability.ConclusionWe developed an algorithm that explains 49.99% of the variability in therapeutic VKA dosage in the Chilean population studied. Factors that significantly affected the dosage included VKORC1, CYP2C9*2, and CYP2C9*3 polymorphisms, as well as age, sex, BMI, and initial INR.

Abstract WP258: Effectiveness of Detection Asymptomatic Episodes of Atrial Fibrillation in Heart Failure Patients With Cardioverter Defibrillator

Introduction: Implantable cardioverter defibrillators due to the possibility of continuous recording of intracardiac electrograms can detect episodes of atrial fibrillation. In practice, this allows better identification of patients with asymptomatic AF episodes, thus increasing the proportion of patients who may benefit from pharmacological prophylaxis of thromboembolic events, particularly stroke. Hypothesis: If intracardiac electrogram analysis should be part of each visit carried out in patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillator, how much of detected episodes of atrial fibrillation is asymptomatic. Methods: The study included 174 consecutive outpatient cases with heart failure, sinus rhythm and implanted Cardioverter Defibrillator and Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy with Defibrillator. Control visits with analysis intracardiac electrograms records occurred every three months. Each AF episode stored in the device’s memory lasting at least 30 seconds was considered an episode of atrial fibrillation. A symptomatic episode was considered when arrhythmia led to ICD shock, heart deterioration, collapse or fainting, palpitations, weakness, chest pain or shortness of breath accompanied by a feeling of irregular heartbeat. During mean follow-up of 20 months, 901 visits were carried out. 147 patients had at least one year of follow-up. Results: Atrial fibrillation (AF) episodes in the study occurred in 54 (31.0%) patients. Of the 241 atrial fibrillation episodes recorded in the device’s memory, 71.4% were asymptomatic. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of new episodes of atrial fibrillation (P = 0.384) in the study group with a history of stroke or transient ischemic episodes during follow-up. However, asymptomatic AF episodes were more common in stroke patients (P = 0.0074). In the time of observation in the whole group of patients there were no new strokes and transient ischemic attack. Conclusion: In conclusion, detection of asymptomatic atrial fibrillation episodes based on intracardiac electrocardiogram records is effective method. In the study group, such episodes were up 71.4% of all newly detected AF episodes.

Spontaneous bladder rupture secondary to warfarin overdose: a case report

BackgroundWarfarin, a vitamin K antagonist, is a widely used medication for the treatment and prophylaxis of thromboembolic events. Patients with various clinical conditions due to warfarin overdose present to emergency departments. Although there may be serious bleeding due to a warfarin overdose, no bleeding may also be seen in some clinical conditions. Some of these bleedings may be life-threatening and result in death. Warfarin overdose and related cases of spontaneous bladder rupture are not frequently observed in the literature. We present a case of spontaneous bladder rupture due to warfarin overdose that was unexpectedly seen in a patient using warfarin for coronary artery disease and arrhythmia.Case presentationA 77-year-old Caucasian male patient was admitted to the emergency department with abdominal pain, haematuria, and a reduced volume of urine lasting for three days. The patient’s amount of urine was reduced, and he came to the hospital for the first time with this complaint. The patient had local bruises on his arms and legs. From the ultrasound, retrograde cystography and computed tomography images, it was thought that there was blood accumulation due to bladder rupture to the intraperitoneal region. Spontaneous bladder rupture secondary to warfarin overdose was considered for this patient who also had an international normalized ratio (INR) level of 13.4. After the INR level was normalized with vitamin K and a prothrombin complex concentrate, the patient underwent surgery. During the operation, a catheter was placed in the bladder, and the bladder mucosa and muscle were closed separately with a primary repair performed by a urologist. The patient was discharged on the 8th postoperative day without any complications.ConclusionIn addition to the known findings of warfarin overdose in these patients presenting to the emergency department, we think that the emergency department staff should suspect bladder rupture, which is a fatal complication in the presence of signs such as oliguria, haematuria, anuria, abdominal pain, and syncope.

Weight-based enoxaparin with anti-factor Xa assay-based dose adjustment for venous thromboembolic event prophylaxis in adult trauma patients results in improved prophylactic range targeting.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common morbidity in trauma patients. Standard VTE chemoprophylaxis is often inadequate. We hypothesized that weight-based dosing would result in appropriate prophylaxis more reliably than fixed dosing. All patients admitted to a Level 1 trauma center over a 6-month period were included unless contra-indications for VTE prophylaxis existed. A prospective adjusted-dosing group was compared to a retrospective uniform-dosing group. The adjusted-dosing approach consisted of initial weight-based dosing of 0.5mg/kg subcutaneously (subQ) every 12h (q12h). Peak anti-factor Xa was measured. Patients outside of the prophylactic range had their dose adjusted by ± 10mg. The uniform-dosing group received 30mg subQ q12h, without adjustments. Eighty-four patients were included: 44 in the retrospective control cohort and 40 in the prospective experimental cohort. More patients were sub-prophylactically dosed in the uniform-dosing group relative to the adjusted-dosing group (25% vs 5%, p = 0.03). There was no difference in overall prophylactic range targeting, because the supra-prophylactically dosed patients in the adjusted-dosing group eliminated the effect (p = 0.173). However, after a single dose adjustment, zero patients were outside of prophylactic range (25% versus 0%, RR = infinite, p = 0.003). In the uniform-dosing group, anti-Xa level correlated with body surface area (BSA; R2 = 0.33, p < 0.0001) and weight (R2 = 0.26, p = 0.0005). Weight-based dosing both pre- and post-readjustment normalized the correlation of anti-Xa with BSA (R2 = 0.07, p = 0.1) and weight (R2 = 0.07, p = 0.1). Weight-based VTE prophylaxis with anti-Xa-based dose adjustment improves prophylactic range targeting relative to uniform dosing and eliminates variances secondary to BSA and weight in trauma patients.

Lower Mortality and Morbidity With Low Molecular Weight Heparin for Venous Thromboembolic Event Prophylaxis in Spine Trauma

Abstract INTRODUCTION Up to 80% of spine trauma patients who do not receive thromboprophylaxis have a venous thromboembolic event (VTE) and pulmonary embolism (PE) is a major cause of death, yet national consensus on prophylactic regimens has not been reached. We compared the efficacy of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) versus unfractionated heparin (UH) in decreasing poor outcomes in spine trauma patients. METHODS Isolated spine trauma cases in the American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP) were queried using the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS). Patients who received LMWH were compared to UH on adjusted rates of in-hospital mortality, thromboembolic complications (DVT and PE), and total in-hospital complications. RESULTS UH patients had higher rates of spinal cord injury (32.26% vs 25.32%; P &lt; .0001), altered mental status (6.26% vs 5.18%; P = .0005), hypotension on arrival (4.70% vs 4.11%; P = .03) and spinal fusions (29.52% vs 22.94%; P &lt; .0001). LMWH patients had lower rates of mortality (OR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.62-0.88; P = .0008), thromboembolic complications (OR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.64-0.88; P = .0003), and total complications (OR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.83-0.94; P = .0001). While nonfused patients had lower odds of death (OR: 0.35; 95% CI: 0.29-0.43; P &lt; .0001), thromboembolic (OR: 0.71; 95% CI: 0.58-0.87; P = .001), and any complications (OR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.78-0.91; P &lt; .0001) when given LMWH, fused on LMWH had no improvement in these outcomes. CONCLUSION Spinal trauma patients who received LMWH were less likely to die, have thromboembolic complications and any complication compared to those who received UH. Further research, including randomized clinical trials, is necessary to investigate this potential benefit.

Hypoalbuminemia as a risk factor for thromboembolic events in inflammatory bowel disease inpatients.

Background/AimsInflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are chronic entities characterized by local and systemic inflammation and may be associated with thrombosis. The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence of thromboembolic events (TEE) in hospitalized IBD patients and identify risk factors for their occurrence. MethodsThis retrospective, single-center study included patients treated at a Brazilian IBD referral unit between 2004 and 2014. Patients hospitalized for more than 48 hours due to active IBD and who did not receive prophylaxis for TEE during hospitalization were included. Patients were allocated to 2 groups: those with TEE up to 30 days or at the time of hospitalization (TEE-group) and patients without TEE (control-group). Clinical and laboratory characteristics were evaluated. ResultsOf 53 patients evaluated, 69,8% with Crohn’s disease (CD) and 30.2% with ulcerative colitis (UC). The prevalence of TEE 30 days before or during hospitalization was 15.1%, with 10.8% in CD and 25% in UC. In the TEE group, mean serum albumin was 2.06 g/dL versus 3.30 g/dL in the control group. Patients with albumin levels below 2.95 g/dL (43.18%) had a higher risk of developing TEE (relative risk, 1.72; 95% confidence interval, 1.17–2.53) (P<0.001). ConclusionsAlbumin levels were significantly lower in patients with TEE, and hypoalbuminemia was considered a risk factor for the development of TEE in this population.

Evaluation of Venous Thromboembolic Event Prophylaxis in Hospitalized Cancer Patients: A Single-Centered Retrospective Study.

Objective:Venous thromboembolic events (VTEs) are one of the main causes of death in cancer patients. About one-third of newly diagnosed VTEs are later proved to be associated with cancers. Attempts have been made to prevent these events and reduce substantial burden on patient health. Previous studies have revealed underutilization of thromboprophylaxis in cancer patients. With respect to the high rate of enoxaparin prescription in our institute, irrational utilization of prophylactic measures was anticipated. This study aimed to evaluate the appropriateness of thromboprophylaxis in hospitalized cancer patients.Methods:Medical records of 199 cancer patients hospitalized in two oncology wards of a tertiary care teaching hospital were investigated retrospectively. Data extraction was performed by two clinical pharmacists. Appropriateness of thromboprophylaxis was determined using a local protocol prepared based on international guidelines.Findings:Forty-seven out of 199 prescriptions (23.5%) were appropriate according to the local protocol. About 76% (149/199) of patients did not have any acute medical illness or risk factors for thromboembolism and were admitted only to receive short-course chemotherapy. Enoxaparin was the drug used for 197 patients and unfractionated heparin was used for only 2 patients. Dose adjustment was not performed in three patients who needed dose modification with respect to renal impairment or obesity.Conclusion:This study has found that the frequency of thromboprophylaxis was considerably high in the study population. In the absence of an acute medical illness or other risk factors, hospitalization per se does not justify the administration of pharmacologic agents for thromboembolism prophylaxis. Implementation of local protocols prepared based on international guidelines seems necessary to rationalize thromboprophylaxis.