Thrombosis research
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Thrombosis research · Apr 2009
Novel uses of insulin syringes to reduce dosing errors: a retrospective chart review of enoxaparin whole milligram dosing.
Enoxaparin is a low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) commonly used for thromboprophylaxis children. Enoxaparin dosing is based on patients' weight and results in decimal dosing. Due to the high concentration of enoxaparin the resultant decimal dose makes precise measurement difficult. Dilution is necessary and often results in ten-fold medication administration errors [Ghaleb MA, Barber N, Franklin BD, Yeung VWS, Khaki ZF, Wong ICK. Systematic review of medication errors in pediatric patients. Ann Pharmacother Oct 2006;40(10):1766-76, Raju TN, Kecskes S, Thornton JP, Perry M, Feldman S. Medication errors in neonatal and paediatric intensive-care units. Lancet Aug 12 1989;2(8659):374-6]. Enoxaparin may be administered in whole milligram doses via insulin syringe, where one milligram of enoxaparin equals one unit on the 100 unit graduated insulin syringe. ⋯ Whole milligram enoxaparin dosing administered via an insulin syringe safely and effectively, achieved therapeutic levels in infants and children. The reduced incidence of enoxaparin dosing errors suggests that whole milligram enoxaparin dosing via an insulin syringe is a method that should be considered for standard of care.
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Thrombosis research · Mar 2009
Review Meta AnalysisUse of antifibrinolytic therapy to reduce transfusion in patients undergoing orthopedic surgery: a systematic review of randomized trials.
Minimizing bleeding and transfusion is desirable given its cost, complexity and potential for adverse events. Concerns have been heightened by recent data demonstrating that bleeding events may predict worse outcomes and by warnings about the safety of erythropoietic stimulating agents. Prior small studies suggest that antifibrinolytic agents may reduce bleeding and transfusion need in patients undergoing total hip replacement (THR) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, no single study has been large enough to definitively determine if these agents are safe and effective. To address this issue we performed a systematic review of randomized trials describing the use of tranexamic acid, epsilon aminocaproic acid, or aprotinin administration in the perioperative setting. ⋯ We conclude that antifibrinolytic agents may reduce bleeding and transfusion in patients undergoing THR or TKA who receive appropriate antithrombotic prophylaxis. There is a need for a large, adequately powered prospective study to carefully examine the safety and efficacy of these agents.
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Thrombosis research · Mar 2009
In vivo age dependency of unfractionated heparin in infants and children.
Unfractionated Heparin (UFH) is used widely in paediatrics. Paediatric specific recommendations for UFH therapy are few, with the majority of recommendations being extrapolated from adult practice. In vitro studies have shown that this practice may be suboptimal. This study aimed to improve the understanding of the impact of age upon UFH response in vivo. ⋯ This study confirms that, in vivo, for the same dose of UFH, the anti Xa and anti IIa effect, as well as the inhibition of endogenous thrombin potential is age dependent and that these differences are not purely AT dependent. The implication is that the anticoagulant and antithrombotic effect of a given dose of UFH differs with age. Clinical outcome studies to determine the optimal dosing for each age group are warranted.
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Thrombosis research · Mar 2009
Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) diagnosed based on the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine criteria is a dependent continuum to overt DIC in patients with sepsis.
Sepsis is the most common disease associated with disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). To test the hypothesis that DIC diagnosed by the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine (JAAM) DIC scoring system (JAAM DIC) constitutes a dependent continuum to overt DIC diagnosed by the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) overt DIC scoring system (ISTH overt DIC) in patients with sepsis, we conducted a retrospective study. ⋯ DIC diagnosed based on the JAAM DIC diagnostic criteria exists in a dependent continuum to the ISTH overt DIC in patients with sepsis, thus enabling them to receive early treatment.
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Thrombosis research · Mar 2009
Comparative StudyComparison of the clinical usefulness of two quantitative D-Dimer tests in patients with a low clinical probability of pulmonary embolism.
Quantitative D-Dimer tests are established methods in the non-invasive diagnostic management to rule out venous thromboembolism (VTE). The diagnostic performance and the clinical efficiency different D-Dimer assays in the exclusion of pulmonary embolism (PE) have not yet been compared in a clinical outcome study. ⋯ Both Tinaquant and VIDAS D-Dimer tests perform equally well in combination with an unlikely clinical probability in excluding PE. The Tinaquant test was shown to be more efficient.