Suspensión de la anticoagulación oral en pacientes con fibrilación auricular ante un procedimiento invasivo: ¿deben recibir un puenteo con anticoagulación parenteral durante su realización? / Suspension of oral anticoagulation in patients with atrial fibrillation before an invasive procedure: should they receive parenteral anticoagulation bridging during its implementation?

En la actualidad, muchos pacientes con fibrilación auricular son anticoagulados por largos períodos. Durante este tiempo pueden ser sometidos a procedimientos invasivos. A partir de una viñeta clínica, un médico se plantea el impacto de utilizar o no heparina de bajo peso molecular como puente farmacológico al momento de suspender la anticoagulación oral. Luego de realizar una búsqueda ad hoc, un ensayo clínico aleatorizado de no inferioridad demuestra que en pacientes con fibrilación auricular, con puntajes de riesgo tromboembólico (CHADS2) intermedios a bajos que requieren una interrupción temporal del tratamiento con warfarina para un procedimiento invasivo electivo, la estrategia de no reemplazar la anticoagulación oral con heparina de bajo peso molecular no resultó inferior (o menos efectiva) para la prevención de tromboembolismo arterial, y disminuyó además el riesgo de sangrado mayor en comparación al uso de un puente con esta medicación. (AU)

Many patients with atrial fibrillation are anticoagulated for long periods. During this time they may be subjected to invasive procedures. From a clinical vignette, a physician discusses the impact of using (or not) low molecular weight heparin as a pharmacological bridge at the time of suspending oral anticoagulation. After conducting a bibliographic search, a no inferiority randomized clinical trial showed that in patients with atrial fibrillation with intermediate to low thromboembolic risk (CHADS2) requiring a temporary interruption of warfarin therapy for an elective invasive procedure, the strategy of with holding low molecular weight heparin bridging was not inferior (or less effective) for the prevention of arterial thromboembolism than its use, also decreasing the risk of major bleeding. (AU)

The effect of small-molecular-weight heparin added to chemotherapy on survival in small-cell lung cancer - A retrospective analysis.

Aims and Background: Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a chemotherapy-responsive tumor and associated with alterations in the coagulation system. Addition of low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) to combination chemotherapy (CT) had resulted in increase in survival. The present retrospective trial was designed to determine whether the duration of dalteparin usage has an effect on progression and survival. Materials and Methods: The medical records of 67 patients with SCLC who were given cisplatin-etoposide and concomitant LMWH (dalteparin) was evaluated retrospectively. Results: Median follow-up of patients was 11.3 months. Outcome: 10.6% complete response, 3.0% good partial response, 36.4% partial response, 10.6% stable disease, and 39.4% progressive disease. Side-effects were seen in 40.3% of the patients. Median dalteparin duration was 6,1 months. According the duration of dalteparin patients were grouped in three: who took dalteparin less than 4 months (Group A), 4-6 months (Group B) and more than 6 months (Group C). Mean overall survival (OS) in Group A was 6.5 months, in Group B 11.8 months, and Group C 14.6 months. Mean OS in Group B and C were statistically significantly (P < 0.001) longer than Group A, between Group B and C there was not any significant difference (P = 0.037). Mean progression free survival (PFS) was 9 months. Conclusions: The CT plus LMWH minimum 4 months long is well-tolerable, and may improve PFS and OS in patients with SCLC. For treatment of patients with SCLC CT plus LMWH may be considered as effective future-therapy, and further multi-centre randomised prospective clinical trials must be done to determine the new standard treatment approach for SCLC.

Postoperative deep vein thrombosis in patients with colorectal cancer.

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is reported to be common among patients undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer. This randomized controlled trial was aimed to determine the efficacy of low molecular-weight heparin in the prophylaxis of DVT in this high-risk group and was truncated early in view of an unexpectedly low incidence of DVT. Between March 2002 and January 2004, a total of 99 patients with colorectal cancer - selected for surgery in the lithotomy position - were randomized before surgery to either receive dalteparin or no drug (51 and 48 patients, respectively) during the perioperative period. Duplex ultrasonography was performed before and after the surgery. We also looked for distal venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, hemorrhage and any mortality. No episode of DVT occurred in either the drug arm or the observation arm. There was no death following surgery. The incidence of DVT in Indian patients operated for colorectal cancer in the lithotomy position was negligible.

Manejo de la embarazada con trombofilia hereditaria

El propósito del estudio es la detección de trombofilia hereditaria en pacientes con antecedente de trombosis y la evaluación de la profilaxis secundaria con Heparina de bajo peso molecular en el embarazo siguiente, en un diseño observacional prospectivo. Pacientes y Método. En once pacientes con Trombosis reciente se investigó Trombofilias: Antitrombina III, Proteína C, Proteina S, Factor V Leiden (Resistencia a la proteina C activada), Hiperhomocisteinemia (Mutación de la metiltetrahidrofolato reductasa MTHFR del gen C677T), Mutación G20210A de la Protrombina y Sindrome Antifosfolípidos (anticuerpos anticardiolipina y anticoagulante lúpico) mediante determinación plasmática de los factores de coagulación. En el embarazo siguiente fueron tratadas desde el primer trimestre con Dalteparine sódica 2500 - 5000 U sbc/día, en forma continua durante la gestación y en los dos meses de puerperio, con suspensión periparto. Los embarazos fueron vigilados en forma estricta con evaluación clínica, ecográfica y controles de coagulación. Resultados: Se confirmó Trombofilia en todos los casos. Ocho pacientes tuvieron Trombofilia aislada: tres Deficiencia Prot S, dos Def Prot C, dos Factor V de Leiden y un caso de Mutación MTHF Gen C677T. Tres pacientes presentaron Trombofilia combinada: un caso con GenP 20210A + Def Prot S + Mutación MTHF Gen C677T y dos casos con Factor V + Mutación MTHF Gen C677T. En la evolución de la gestación hubo once embarazos de término sin complicaciones obstétricas ni secundarias a la tromboprofilaxis y tres abortos espontáneos. Se concluye que la detección de Trombofilias es muy importante en mujeres en riesgo y que la Dalteparine es segura en la profilaxis de trombosis durante el embarazo. Se discuten los hallazgos clínicos y su significado, el riesgo trombótico y se hacen consideraciones sobre la pesquisa y el tratamiento.