Journal of thrombosis and haemostasis : JTH
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J. Thromb. Haemost. · Aug 2013
Clinical Trial Observational StudyPerformance of coagulation tests in patients on therapeutic doses of dabigatran: a cross-sectional pharmacodynamic study based on peak and trough plasma levels.
Knowledge of anticoagulation status during dabigatran therapy may be desirable in certain clinical situations. ⋯ The prothrombin time, APTT and ACT are often normal in spite of therapeutic dabigatran plasma levels. The TCT is useful for detecting minimal dabigatran levels. The dilute thrombin time and chromogenic and clotting ecarin assays accurately identify therapeutic and supratherapeutic dabigatran levels. This trial is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov (#NCT01588327).
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More than 70 organizations worldwide have adopted the GRADE methodology for guideline development. The ninth iteration of the American Collage of Chest Physicians guidelines (AT9) adopted structural and policy changes that resulted in a greater adherence to GRADE guidance than previous iterations. The most important of these changes include minimizing the impact of financial and intellectual conflict of interest, increasing the rigor of evidence evaluation, acknowledging uncertainty in estimates of typical values and preferences, and awareness of the large variability in values and preferences. ⋯ The result of the GRADE process highlights the desirability of higher-quality evidence both regarding the outcomes of alternative management strategies and regarding the distribution of values and preferences in patients considering those alternatives. It also encourages shared decision making in encounters between physicians and patients. Although some physicians might find the uncertainty underlying medical practice discouraging or unsettling, relative to denying or obscuring the uncertainty, acknowledging and addressing the uncertainty will lead to more credible, realistic, and useful recommendations.
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J. Thromb. Haemost. · Aug 2013
Observational StudyPostoperative fibrinogen level is associated with postoperative bleeding following cardiothoracic surgery and the effect of fibrinogen replacement therapy remains uncertain.
Traditionally, a fibrinogen level > 1 g L(-1) has been viewed as the critical plasma concentration required for hemostasis. No definitive trial has investigated the plasma fibrinogen hemostatic threshold and fibrinogen replacement in complex surgical patients with acquired bleeding. ⋯ There is a continuum of bleeding severity with reducing fibrinogen concentration. Fibrinogen concentrate or cryoprecipitate infusion did not significantly reduce bleeding rate; however, confirmation by a randomized controlled trial is required. It remains uncertain whether low postoperative fibrinogen levels are causally associated with postoperative bleeding.
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J. Thromb. Haemost. · Aug 2013
Retinal vein and artery occlusions: a risk factor for stroke in atrial fibrillation.
Retinal vascular occlusions may constitute an independent risk factor for stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation. ⋯ A history of retinal arterial or retinal venous occlusion is associated with an increased risk of stroke/TE/TIA in patients with atrial fibrillation. Thus, prior retinal vascular occlusion may be considered as a previous thromboembolic event when evaluating stroke risk in patients with atrial fibrillation.