Thrombosis research
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Thrombosis research · Jan 2004
Comparative StudyPractical utility of clinical prediction rules for suspected acute pulmonary embolism in a large academic institution.
In an attempt to standardize clinicians' approach to the determination of pretest probability (PTP) in pulmonary embolism (PE), two simplified scoring models have recently been proposed. We sought to determine the utility of these algorithms in patients with suspected PE in a large, tertiary, academic medical center. ⋯ The Wells' clinical prediction score is easily applied and meaningfully risk stratifies patients with suspected PE. In our population, the Geneva score was less useful.
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Thrombosis research · Jan 2004
Letter Comparative Study Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical TrialDiagnostic utility of comparing fibrinogen Clauss and prothrombin time derived method.
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Thrombosis research · Jan 2004
Multicenter Study Clinical TrialEfficacy and safety of a prothrombin complex concentrate (Octaplex) for rapid reversal of oral anticoagulation.
Bleeding is the most serious adverse event of oral anticoagulants and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in such patients. Rapid reversal of anticoagulation in bleeding patients or prior to urgent surgery is mandatory. The therapeutic options in these situations include administration of fresh frozen plasma (FFP), and recently of prothrombin complex concentrates (PCCs). ⋯ Octaplex administration was uneventful in all patients. Following Octaplex administration, a small increase in F1+2 levels was observed in bleeding patients, whereas D-dimer level did not change significantly. We conclude that Octaplex is effective and safe in situations where rapid reversal of anticoagulation is needed.
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Inflammation contributions to the thrombotic response involve both cellular and humoral modulation. Inflammation impacts the initiation, propagation and the inhibitory phases of blood coagulation. Inflammatory mediators like endotoxin and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) elicit the expression of tissue factor on blood cells. ⋯ The procoagulant impact of inflammation can also be seen at the cellular level. Inflammatory mediators like interleukin 6 can increase both platelet count and their responsiveness to agonists like thrombin. All of these events tend to shift the hemostatic balance in favor of clot formation.
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Thrombosis research · Jan 2004
Comparative StudyLow-dose oral vitamin K is safe and effective for outpatient management of patients with an INR>10.
Low-dose oral vitamin K effectively returns an international normalized ratio (INR) between 4.5 and 10.0 to an INR of 2.0-3.0 within 24 h in about 70% of patients. However, the efficacy of oral vitamin K for the treatment of higher INR values has only been studied in one small randomized trial. Treatment of markedly prolonged INR values with low-dose oral vitamin K is attractive because it has the potential to greatly simplify the management of such patients. ⋯ Low-dose (2 mg) oral vitamin K, coupled with temporary warfarin discontinuation, appears to be a safe and effective treatment for severe warfarin associated coagulopathy in non-bleeding patients.