• Molly H Thompson, Sylvia H Wilson, Brittany L Toussaint, Cameron L Jordan, Genevieve L Hayes, Brian P McKinzie, Bethany J Wolf, and Larry C Field.
• Department of Pharmacy Services, Medical University of South Carolina, 150 Ashley Avenue, MSC 584, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA.
• J Clin Anesth. 2016 Sep 1; 33: 346-50.

Study ObjectiveCharacterize the incidence of elevated aPTT results in patients treated with prophylactic, subcutaneous unfractionated heparin (UFH).DesignRetrospective, cohort analysis.SettingSingle-center, university hospital.MeasurementsEvaluation of 257 patients with activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) testing both prior to and following subcutaneous (SC) unfractionated heparin (UFH) therapy.Main ResultsEvaluated patients received UFH 5000 units every 8 hours. Baseline aPTT values were within the normal range (mean±SD, 32.0±8.5 seconds). After initiation of UFH, aPTT values increased (mean±SD, 37.6±15.2 seconds). After 24 hours of SC UFH, mean aPTT values (mean±SD, 38.6±15.5) exceeded the normal laboratory range (23.3-35.7 seconds). An elevated aPTT result after UFH was associated with baseline aPTT, length of therapy, and weight-based UFH dose. A significant association was not identified between aPTT elevation and age, race, sex, history of liver disease, type of admission, or transfusion of blood products.ConclusionsTreatment with UFH resulted in a small, but significant, increase in aPTT.Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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