Complete blood count, coagulation biomarkers, and lung function 6 months after critical COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Understanding the recovery of post-COVID-19 organ dysfunction is essential. We evaluated coagulation 6 months post-COVID-19, examining its recovery and association with lung function. METHODS: Patients treated for COVID-19 at intensive care units between 3/2020 and 1/2021 were analyzed for complete blood count (CBC) and coagulation biomarkers (prothrombin time activity (%) (PT%), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen, coagulation factor VIII (FVIII), antithrombin (AT), and D-dimer) during the 6 months post-hospitalization. Results were compared with acute phase values and correlated with pulmonary function tests (PFT), including forced vital capacity (FVC) and hemoglobin-corrected diffusing capacity percentage of predicted (DLCOc%), recorded 6 months post-hospitalization. We examined the association between coagulation biomarkers and DLCOc% using linear regression with age, sex, and invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) duration, and FVIII (correlated with DLCOc%) as covariates. RESULTS: Most CBCs and coagulation biomarkers had median values within the normal range. However, only 21% (15/70) of patients achieved full normalization of all biomarkers. Compared to acute COVID-19, hemoglobin, PT%, and AT increased, while leukocytes, fibrinogen, FVIII, and D-dimer decreased. Despite decreased levels, FVIII remained elevated in 46% (31/68), leukocytes in 26% (18/70), and D-dimer in 27% (18/67) at 6 months. A weak negative correlation (r = -0.37, p = .036) was found between DLCOc% and FVIII. Multivariable analysis revealed a weak, independent association between DLCOc% and FVIII. Excluding patients with anticoagulation therapy, FVIII no longer correlated with DLCOc%, while AT showed a moderate correlation with DLCOc%. CONCLUSION: Only a few patients had normal CBC and coagulation biomarker values 6 months after critical COVID-19. A weak negative correlation between DLCOc% and FVIII suggests that deranged coagulation activity may be associated with reduced diffusing capacity.

Impact of therapeutic plasma exchange on intact protein S, apolipoproteins, and thrombin generation.

INTRODUCTION: Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE), with solvent/detergent (S/D)-treated plasma as replacement fluid, is an extracorporeal blood purification technique with major impact on both coagulation and lipids. Our previous in vitro study showed that S/D-plasma enhances thrombin generation by lowering intact protein S (PS) levels. AIMS: To evaluate the impact of altered lipid balance on coagulation phenotype during heparin-anticoagulated TPE with S/D-plasma, and to investigate whether the lowered intact PS levels with concomitant procoagulant phenotype, are recapitulated in vivo. METHODS: Coagulation biomarkers, thrombin generation with Calibrated Automated Thrombogram (CAT), and lipid levels were measured before and after the consecutive 1st, 3rd and 5th episodes of TPE performed to six patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome or myasthenia gravis. The effects of in vitro dilution of S/D-plasma on thrombin generation were explored with CAT to mimic TPE. RESULTS: Patients did not have coagulation disorders, except elevated FVIII. Intact PS, lipoproteins, especially LDL, Apolipoprotein CIII (ApoC3) and ApoB/ApoA1 ratio declined (p < 0.05). In contrast, VLDL and triglyceride levels stayed intact. CAT lag time shortened (p < 0.05). In vitro dilution of S/D plasma with co-transfused Ringer's lactate and 4% albumin partially reduced its procoagulant phenotype in CAT, which is mainly seen as peak thrombin, and modestly shortened lag time. CONCLUSIONS: After the five settings of TPE using S/D-plasma in vivo, which associated with heparinization and reduced coagulation factor activities, our observations of declining natural anticoagulant intact PS and apolipoproteins refer to rebalance of the hemostatic and lipid profiles.

Experience of danaparoid to treat vaccine-induced immune thrombocytopenia and thrombosis, VITT.

BACKGROUND: Vaccine-induced immune thrombocytopenia and thrombosis (VITT) is triggered by nCOV-19 adenovirus-vectored vaccines against SARS-CoV2. Pathogenesis has been mainly related to platelet activation via PF4-reactive antibodies that activate platelets and may cross-react with heparin. Data concerning optimal anticoagulation are anecdotal, and so far, there are scattered reports of danaparoid use in VITT management. Danaparoid has good efficacy and safety in treatment of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia. We report here our experience of the administration and monitoring danaparoid in VITT. METHODS: We diagnosed a series of six hospitalized cases of VITT, based on the international diagnostic guidance. All VITT-related data were from the local electronic medical and laboratory record system and were analyzed with IBM SPSS Statistics. RESULTS: Predominately women in their late 40's developed VITT on average 24 days (range 9-59) after the first ChAdOx1 dose. Clinical presentation included single or multiple venous and/or arterial thrombosis, moderate thrombocytopenia and high D-dimer levels. After detecting PF4 antibodies subcutaneous danaparoid was our first-line antithrombotic treatment with an average duration of three weeks. The median plasma anti-FXa activity was in the lower part of the therapeutic range and during the first week of danaparoid administration clinical symptoms, platelet counts, and fibrin turnover resolved or significantly improved. The average duration of hospital admission was 10 days [2-18]. One patient died but the other five patients recovered completely. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical outcomes of our small cohort align with the earlier published reports, and support danaparoid as a rational option for the initial anticoagulation of VITT patients.

COVID-19 adenovirus vaccine triggers antibodies against PF4 complexes to activate complement and platelets.

BACKGROUND: Vaccine-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) is a rare coagulation disorder reported after administration of COVID-19 adenovirus-vectored vaccines. VITT is mediated by anti-platelet factor 4 (PF4) antibodies activating platelets through the Fcγ-receptor II (FcγRII), and it is associated with strong fibrin turnover. The complement system is involved in several other immunothrombotic entities, but its impact on VITT is not established. OBJECTIVE: To assess antibodies in interaction with the activation of platelets and complement triggered by VITT. METHODS: Antibodies against adenovirus type 2 hexon protein, ChAdOx1 adenoviral vector-specific IgG and PF4 were analyzed by enzyme immunoassays from VITT patients (n = 5). The EDTA plasma samples of the patients and controls were used to measure both terminal complement complexes (TCC) by ELISA and aggregation of healthy donor platelets. We studied the effects of human immunoglobulin (IVIG) and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor (GPIIb/IIIa) on spontaneous and collagen-induced platelet aggregation supplemented with VITT plasma. RESULTS: None of the patients had experienced a COVID-19 infection. Antibody analyses confirmed the immunogenicity of the adenovirus-vectored ChAdOx1 vaccine. Moreover, VITT plasma had anti-PF4 antibodies and elevated TCC levels as a sign of complement activation. In isolated healthy donor platelets, VITT patient plasma caused marked, spontaneous aggregation of platelets, which was abolished by eptifibatide and high-dose therapeutic IVIG. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that VITT is triggered by antibodies against adenovirus vector and PF4-polyanion complexes which strongly co-activate complement and platelets. The spontaneous platelet aggregation was suppressed by IVIG or eptifibatide, indicating that besides FcγRII, also GPIIb/IIIa receptor exerts platelet procoagulant role in VITT.

Maturation of oxycodone pharmacokinetics in neonates and infants: Oxycodone and its metabolites in plasma and urine.

AIMS: This study aimed to characterize the pharmacokinetics of oxycodone and its major metabolites in infants and covered the age range between extremely preterm neonates and 2-year-old infants. METHODS: Seventy-nine infants (gestational age 23-42 weeks; postnatal age 0-650 days) received intravenous oxycodone hydrochloride trihydrate at a dose of 0.1 mg kg-1 during or after surgery. Three to seven blood samples were taken from each infant, and plasma concentrations of oxycodone, noroxycodone, oxymorphone, and noroxymorphone were quantified. The unconjugated forms of these compounds were determined in urine collected after up to 24 or 48 h from 25 infants. Pharmacokinetics was determined using noncompartmental analysis and reported for six clinically relevant age groups based on postmenstrual age. RESULTS: Oxycodone pharmacokinetics changed markedly with patient age. Preterm neonates were found to have the highest pharmacokinetic variability out of the study population. In extremely preterm neonates (n = 6) median of elimination half-life was 8.8 h (range 6.8-12.5), in preterm (n = 11) 7.4 h (4.2-11.6), and in older neonates (n = 22) 4.1 h (2.4-5.8), all of which were significantly longer than that in infants aged 6-24 months (n = 12) 2.0 h (1.7-2.6). Median renal clearance was fairly constant in all age groups, whereas non-renal clearance markedly increased with age. Noroxycodone was the major metabolite in plasma and urine. CONCLUSIONS: Oxycodone elimination is slower and pharmacokinetic variability more pronounced in neonates when compared to older infants. These findings highlight the importance of careful dose titration for neonates.

Factor XIII deficiency enhances thrombin generation due to impaired fibrin polymerization - An effect corrected by Factor XIII replacement.

INTRODUCTION: Factor XIII (FXIII) cross-links fibrin, completing blood coagulation. Congenital FXIII deficiency is managed with plasma-derived FXIII (pdFXIII) or recombinant FXIII (rFXIII) concentrates. AIM: As the mechanisms protecting patients with low FXIII levels (<5IU/dL) from spontaneous bleeds remain unknown we assessed the interplay between thrombin generation (TG), fibrin formation and clot kinetics before and after FXIII administration in three patients with FXIII deficiency. METHODS: Patients received initially rFXIII (35IU/kg, A-subunit) following with pdFXIII at 1250IU or 2500IU (12-30IU/kg) monthly. TG (CAT), thromboelastometry (ROTEM), prothrombin fragments F1+2, fibrinogen and FXIII activity (FXIII:C) were measured at baseline and one-hour recovery. RESULTS: FXIII was at the target level of 20±6IU/dL at the 4-week trough. rFXIII corrected FXIII to 98±15 and high-dose pdFXIII to a level of 90±6, whereas low-dose/half dose pdFXIII reached 45±4IU/dL. Although fibrinogen (Clauss Method) was normal, coagulation in FIBTEM was impaired, which FXIII administration tended to correct. CAT implied 1.6- to 1.9-fold enhanced TG, which FXIII administration normalized. Inhibition of fibrin polymerization by Gly-Pro-Arg-Pro peptide mimicked FXIII deficiency in CAT by enhancing TG both in control and FXIII recovery plasma. Antithrombin, α2-macroblobulin-thrombin complex and prothrombin were normal, whereas F1+2 were elevated compatible with in vivo TG. DISCUSSION: FXIII deficiency impairs fibrinogen function and fibrin formation simultaneously enhancing TG on the poorly polymerizing fibrin strands, when fibrin's antithrombin I -like function is absent. Our study suggests an inverse link between low FXIII levels and enhanced TG modifying structure-function relationship of fibrin to support hemostasis.

Competing risks analysis of cause-specific mortality in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Survival studies on head and neck cancers are frequently reported with inadequate account for competing causes of death. Realistic descriptions and predictions of postdiagnosis mortality should be based on proper competing risks methodology. METHODS: Prognosis of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in terms of mortality from OSCC and from other causes, respectively, was analyzed according to recent methodological recommendations using cumulative incidence functions and models for cause-specific hazards and subdistribution hazards in 306 patients treated in a tertiary care center in Northern Finland. RESULTS: More coherent and informative descriptions and predictions of mortality by cause were obtained with state-of-the-art statistical methods for competing risks than using the prevalent but questionable practice to graph "disease-specific survival." CONCLUSION: From the patients' perspective, proper competing risks analysis offers more relevant prognostic scenarios than naïve analyses of "disease-specific survival"; therefore, it should be used in prognostic studies of head and neck cancers. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Head Neck 39: 56-62, 2017.

Enhanced thrombin generation and reduced intact protein S in processed solvent detergent plasma.

BACKGROUND: Standardized solvent/detergent (S/D)-treated plasma has been developed as an improved alternative to fresh frozen-plasma (FFP) in the management of severe bleeds. This study aimed at exploring compositional modifications that may influence the general applicability of S/D-treated plasma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: S/D-treated plasma and FFP were compared in procoagulant microparticles and concentration of coagulation factors and inhibitors. Compositional differences were correlated with hemostatic and fibrinolytic characteristics as measured by PT, APTT, thrombin generation and thromboelastography. RESULTS: Procoagulant microparticles were absent in S/D-treated plasma. Procoagulant factors were within the normal range. Antithrombin, TFPI and protein S antigen may be normal or slightly reduced depending on the duration of the S/D-treatment, but S/D-treated plasmas had only 12-14% intact functional protein S. Thrombin generation was subsequently increased, especially at low tissue factor concentration (1 pM). Plasma coagulation times in PT and APTT were normal, but 1.5-fold reduced in thromboelastography at low TF (1 pM). α2-antiplasmin was reduced with a concomitant 3-4 fold shortened clot lysis time measured by thromboelastography in the presence of TF (10 pM) and tissue-type plasminogen activator (0.2µg/ml). Enhanced fibrin degradation could be normalised with tranexamic acid. CONCLUSIONS: S/D-treatment seems to induce a procoagulant phenotype that results from a strongly reduced level of intact single chain protein S. Whether this may correct the apparent hemostatic imbalance as suggested from the increased fibrinolysis remains to be established. Our findings may bear implications in patients with deficiencies of natural anticoagulants. Co-administration of tranexamic acid appears beneficial to control enhanced fibrinolysis.

Vasospastic transient monocular visual loss: effect of treatment with different doses of nifedipine.

Transient monocular visual loss (TMVL) usually is due to hypoperfusion of the optic nerve or retinal circulation. After the exclusion of thromboembolic and carotid artery diseases, retinal vasospasm should be considered as an underlying cause of TMVL. We report a patient with an increasing number of transient attacks of unilateral blindness. Vasospasm was confirmed as the etiology by fundus photography during an attack. Nifedipine 10 mg/d decreased the severity of the visual loss and the number of attacks. The patient was relieved of symptoms entirely with a nifedipine dose of 20 mg/d.

Activation of p53 in cervical cancer cells by human papillomavirus E6 RNA interference is transient, but can be sustained by inhibiting endogenous nuclear export-dependent p53 antagonists.

p53 is degraded in cervical cancer cells by the human papillomavirus E6 and can be stabilized with short interfering RNA (siRNA) molecules targeting E6 mRNA. In this in vitro study, we show that E6 siRNA-induced p53 activation is transient in HeLa cervical cancer cells despite continuous suppression of E6 mRNA; activation can be sustained if the endogenous p53 antagonists COP1, MDM2, Pirh2, and c-Jun-NH(2)-kinase are also targeted by siRNAs or by inhibiting the nuclear export of p53 with leptomycin B. The direct targeting of any one of these four cellular p53 antagonists had no effect on p53 activity when E6 was intact, but inhibited the fading off of E6 siRNA-induced p53 activation in nonstress conditions. The effect was additive when multiple cellular antagonists were concomitantly inhibited, indicating that all these proteins degrade p53 when E6 is inactivated. The antiproliferative effect induced by E6 silencing was enhanced when the endogenous p53 antagonists were additionally targeted. In conclusion, if human papillomavirus E6 is inhibited under nonstress conditions, the subsequent p53 activation is quickly reversed by the endogenous p53 degenerative machinery. The present results indicate that several cellular p53 antagonists must be inhibited for sustained p53 activity if E6 siRNA therapy is attempted and if no combined genotoxic therapy is applied.