Thromb Haemostasis
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It was the objective of this study to obtain best estimates of the prevalence of anti-PF4/heparin antibodies in patients not suspected to have clinical heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) prior to undergoing cardiac surgery and to determine whether preoperative antibody status and antibody class is predictive of postoperative thromboembolic outcomes, non-thromboembolic outcomes, length of stay, and mortality. PubMed and EMBASE online databases were searched up to July 2011, and we included studies involving adults undergoing cardiac surgery examining the relationship between preoperative anti-PF4/heparin antibodies (ELISA) and postoperative clinical outcomes. Five studies involving a combined total of 2,332 patients met our inclusion criteria. ⋯ None of the studies reported prior heparin exposure, and most studies did not examine the relationship of the absolute value of antibody titres (ELISA OD) and risk, nor the incidence of true/clinical HIT in preoperative positive or negative patients. In conclusion, pre-formed anti-PF4/heparin antibodies are common in patients undergoing cardiac surgery, but the available literature does not support that they predict postoperative thromboembolic complications or death. There does appear to be an association between anti-PF4/heparin antibodies and non-thromboembolic adverse events, but a causal relationship is unlikely.
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Review Practice Guideline
Questions and answers on the use of dabigatran and perspectives on the use of other new oral anticoagulants in patients with atrial fibrillation. A consensus document of the Italian Federation of Thrombosis Centers (FCSA).
Dabigatran and other new oral anticoagulants (OAC) represent a step forward in stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). They indeed have been shown to be an alternative to vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) without the burden of laboratory control. However, these new drugs compete with an effective and well-established therapy, thus bringing about a series of questions and doubts. In this report members of the board of the Italian Federation of Thrombosis Centers (FCSA) answer some questions every clinician might be confronted with.
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It was the aim of this review to assess the incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and current practice patterns for VTE prophylaxis among medical patients with acute illness in Europe. A literature search was conducted on the epidemiology and prophylaxis practices of VTE prevention among adult patients treated in-hospital for major medical conditions. A total of 21 studies with European information published between 1999 and April 2010 were retrieved. ⋯ In most cases, the duration of VTE prophylaxis did not exceed hospital stay, the mean duration of which varied between 5 and 11 days. In conclusion, despite demonstrated efficacy and established guidelines supporting VTE prophylaxis, utilisation rates and treatment duration remain suboptimal, leaving medical patients at continued risk for VTE. Improved guideline adherence and effective care delivery among the medically ill are stressed.
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The important role of the P2Y12 receptor in amplification of platelet activation and associated responses and the limitations associated with clopidogrel therapy have led to the development of novel inhibitors of this receptor. Three reversibly-binding P2Y12 inhibitors are in phase 3 development, ticagrelor, cangrelor and elinogrel. The pharmacology and clinical trial data for each of these inhibitors are discussed and compared with relevant data for the thienopyridines clopidogrel and prasugrel.
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P2Y12, one of the two platelet receptors for adenosine diphosphate (ADP), plays a central role in platelet function. Defects of P2Y12 should be suspected when ADP, even at high concentrations (≥10 µM), is unable to induce full, irreversible platelet aggregation. Patients with congenital P2Y12 defects display a mild-to-moderate bleeding diathesis of variable severity, characterised by mucocutaneous bleeding and excessive post-surgical and post-traumatic blood loss. ⋯ Its most important drawback is the inability to inhibit adequately P2Y12-dependent platelet function in about 1/3 of patients, at the recommended therapeutic doses. The incidence of bleeding events is similar in ASA-treated and clopidogrel-treated patients; however, the combination of ASA and clopidogrel causes more bleeding than each drug in monotherapy. Compared to clopidogrel, new drugs inhibiting P2Y12, such as prasugrel and ticagrelor, decrease the risk of cardiovascular events and increase the risk of bleeding complications, because they adequately inhibit P2Y12-dependent platelet function in the vast majority of treated patients.