Blood coagulation & fibrinolysis : an international journal in haemostasis and thrombosis
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Blood Coagul. Fibrinolysis · Mar 2001
Case ReportsThe management of von Willebrand's disease-associated gastrointestinal angiodysplasia.
There is a recognized association between von Willebrand's disease and gastrointestinal angiodysplasia. Most previous publications have been reports of the association itself and there is little published on the management and long-term follow-up of affected patients. We report our experience and follow-up of six patients, and review the previous literature.
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Blood Coagul. Fibrinolysis · Jan 2001
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialHemostatic effects of antithrombin III supplementation during cardiac surgery: results of a prospective randomized investigation.
Failure to suppress thrombin generation during cardiac surgery promotes fibrin generation, fibrinolysis, and a consumptive coagulopathy. Acquired deficiencies of antithrombin III may play a contributory role. We hypothesized that antithrombin III supplementation to normal physiologic concentrations would decrease thrombin generation and potentially reduce peri-operative bleeding. ⋯ As expected, plasma antithrombin III concentrations were maintained near pre-operative values in the treatment group, but not in the placebo group. Despite this difference, no statistically significant alterations in generation of TAT complex, D-dimer, or blood loss occurred between groups. Antithrombin III supplementation to maintain normal physiologic concentrations during CPB did not alter significantly thrombin generation, fibrinolytic activity, or blood loss in adults undergoing elective cardiac surgery.
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Blood Coagul. Fibrinolysis · Apr 2000
Multicenter Study Clinical TrialPotential role of NovoSeven in the prevention of rebleeding following aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage.
Rebleeding following aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage is a major factor contributing to unfavourable outcome. Antifibrinolytic agents reduce the rate of rebleeding but increase the risk of cerebral ischaemia and infarction and hence provide no overall benefit. To address the theoretical concern that recombinant activated factor VII (NovoSeven, Novo Nordisk A/S, Bagsvaerd, Denmark) might increase the risk of cerebral ischaemia while stabilizing the clot at the site of aneurysmal rupture, an open-label, dose-escalation safety study has been developed in collaboration with the UK Spontaneous Intracranial Haemorrhage Group. ⋯ Clinical observation, transcranial Doppler ultrasound and PET studies revealed no evidence of cerebral ischaemia in the first nine patients treated with NovoSeven. The last patient developed middle cerebral artery branch thrombosis contralateral to the aneurysm. The study is currently suspended pending further investigation.
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Blood Coagul. Fibrinolysis · Apr 2000
Case ReportsEffect of the administration of recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa; NovoSeven) in the management of severe uncontrolled bleeding in patients undergoing heart valve replacement surgery.
Recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa; NovoSeven, Novo Nordisk A/S, Bagsvaerd, Denmark) is being increasingly used to secure haemostasis in difficult clinical situations. The role of rFVIIa in the treatment of patients undergoing open-heart surgery for valvular heart disease was evaluated in an open pilot study. Study objectives included evaluation of blood loss, haemostatic effect and safety and laboratory parameters following rFVIIa administration. ⋯ No significant adverse events were reported. Laboratory parameters indicated a mean 18.5-fold (range 3.7-42) increase in FVII levels at 30 min postinjection and a mean reduction of 12 s (range 3-39 s) in prothrombin time. In conclusion, rFVIIa represents an effective and well-tolerated treatment for serious bleeding episodes both during cardiac surgery and postoperatively.
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Blood Coagul. Fibrinolysis · Sep 1999
Prednisolone inhibits endotoxin-induced disseminated intravascular coagulation and improves mortality in rats: importance of inflammatory cytokine suppression.
In order to determine whether prednisolone has a protective effect against the development of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), we measured the effect of prednisolone on changes in hemostatic parameters and plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines in endotoxin-treated rats. Decreases in platelet count and fibrinogen levels, prolongation of prothrombin time, and increases in the plasma fibrin degradation products and levels of thrombin-antithrombin III (TAT) complex following the administration of endotoxin, all of which are associated with DIC, were significantly suppressed by the administration of prednisolone. Heparin administration significantly suppressed changes in all these parameters except for the decrease in platelet count. ⋯ Prednisolone was more effective than heparin in reducing mortality at 24 h after 100 mg/kg over 4 h of endotoxin infusion (four of 20 versus 15 of 20 deaths for prednisolone and heparin, respectively). These findings suggest that prednisolone inhibits the development of endotoxin-induced DIC and reduces mortality by a different mechanism than heparin, possibly through suppressing the production of inflammatory cytokines. Prednisolone may be efficacious in preventing DIC and multiple organ dysfunction caused by endotoxin.