Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia in COVID-19 patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: two case reports.
J Artif Organs
; 24(2): 277-281, 2021 Jun.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-712998
ABSTRACT
Veno-venous (VV) extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is increasingly used in Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) patients with the most severe forms of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Its use is associated with a significant hemostatic challenge, especially in COVID- 19 patients who have been demonstrated to otherwise present a COVID-19-associated coagulopathy. The systematic use of unfractionated heparin therapy to prevent circuit thrombosis is warranted during ECMO support. The clinical presentation and management of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, which is a rare but life-threatening complication of heparin therapy, has not been described in those patients yet. We report herein two cases of laboratory-confirmed HIT in COVID-19 patients with severe ARDS admitted to our intensive care unit for VV-ECMO support and the successful use of argatroban as an alternative therapy. We also provide a brief literature review of best evidence for managing such patients. The diagnosis and management of HIT is particularly challenging in COVID-19 patients receiving ECMO support. An increased awareness is warranted in those patients who already present a procoagulant state leading to higher rates of thrombotic events which can confuse the issues. Argatroban seems to be an appropriate and safe therapeutic option in COVID-19 patients with HIT while on VV-ECMO.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Respiratory Distress Syndrome
/
Thrombocytopenia
/
Heparin
/
Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
/
COVID-19
/
Anticoagulants
Type of study:
Case report
/
Prognostic study
/
Reviews
/
Systematic review/Meta Analysis
Topics:
Traditional medicine
Limits:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Language:
English
Journal:
J Artif Organs
Journal subject:
Biomedical Engineering
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
S10047-020-01203-x
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