Efficacy and safety of human soluble thrombomodulin (ART-123) for treatment of patients in France with sepsis-associated coagulopathy: post hoc analysis of SCARLET.

BACKGROUND: The phase 3 multinational SCARLET study evaluated the efficacy and safety of a recombinant human soluble thrombomodulin (ART-123) for treatment of sepsis-associated coagulopathy (SAC), which correlates with increased mortality risk in patients with sepsis. Although no significant reduction in mortality was observed with ART-123 compared with placebo in the full analysis set (FAS), an efficacy signal of ART-123 was observed in subgroups of patients who sustained coagulopathy until the first treatment and those not administered concomitant heparin. Post hoc analysis was performed of patients treated in France, the country with the largest enrollment (19% of the FAS) and consistent patient enrollment throughout the study duration. METHODS: Adult patients with SAC (international normalized ratio > 1.4; platelets > 30 × 109/L to < 150 × 109/L or platelet decrease > 30% within 24 h) and evidence of bacterial infection were included. The primary efficacy outcome was 28-day all-cause mortality. Safety outcomes included adverse, serious adverse, and major bleeding events. This analysis assessed patient characteristics and efficacy and safety outcomes in France compared with the rest of the world (ROW; excluding France). Mortality rates were assessed in patients in France or the ROW with characteristics previously associated with ART-123 efficacy. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were similar between France and the ROW, but some measurements of disease severity were higher in patients in France. The 28-day all-cause mortality absolute risk reductions (ARRs) with ART-123 were 8.3% in France and 1.1% in the ROW. The greater ARR in France may be related to a higher rate of sustained coagulopathy and lower rate of heparin use. In France and the ROW, 84.6% and 78.0% of patients sustained coagulopathy from the time of initial SAC diagnosis to first treatment with the study drug, and 65.8% and 43.9% did not receive heparin, respectively. The ARRs for these subgroups of patients in France were 13.4% and 16.6%, respectively. Safety of ART-123 was comparable between France and the ROW. CONCLUSIONS: Results from this exploratory analysis suggest that patients with sustained SAC not receiving concomitant heparin may benefit from ART-123, a fact that should be confirmed in future studies with more restrictive inclusion criteria.

Effect of a Recombinant Human Soluble Thrombomodulin on Baseline Coagulation Biomarker Levels and Mortality Outcome in Patients With Sepsis-Associated Coagulopathy.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of recombinant human soluble thrombomodulin treatment on 28-day all-cause mortality in subgroups categorized by baseline coagulation biomarker levels (prothrombin fragment 1.2, thrombin-antithrombin complex, D-dimer) in patients with sepsis-associated coagulopathy in the Sepsis Coagulopathy Asahi Recombinant LE Thrombomodulin trial (SCARLET) (NCT01598831). DESIGN: Post hoc, subgroup analysis of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multinational, multicenter phase 3 study. SETTING: ICUs at 159 sites in 26 countries. PATIENTS: Eight-hundred adults with sepsis-associated coagulopathy defined as international normalized ratio greater than 1.40 and platelet count between 30 × 10/L and 150 × 10/L or greater than 30% decrease within 24 hours with concomitant cardiovascular and/or respiratory failure. INTERVENTIONS: Patients randomized and treated with recombinant human soluble thrombomodulin (0.06 mg/kg/d; n = 395) or equivalent placebo (n = 405) for 6 days. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Recombinant human soluble thrombomodulin did not significantly reduce 28-day all-cause mortality in the Sepsis Coagulopathy Asahi Recombinant LE Thrombomodulin trial: absolute risk reduction was 2.55% (p = 0.32) in patients with sepsis-associated coagulopathy. In this post hoc analysis, mortality steadily increased with increasing baseline prothrombin fragment 1.2 and thrombin-antithrombin complex levels in the placebo group; for those values exceeding the upper limit of normal, the mortality increases in the recombinant human soluble thrombomodulin group were lower or negligible with increasing baseline prothrombin fragment 1.2 and thrombin-antithrombin complex. Consequently, absolute risk reductions were greater in subgroups with higher baseline prothrombin fragment 1.2 or thrombin-antithrombin complex. Absolute risk reductions were also greater in subgroups with baseline coagulation biomarker levels at or above median of the entire study population, ranging from 4.2% (95% CI, -5.0% to 13.4%) to 5.5% (95% CI, -4.0% to 14.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with patients receiving placebo, patients treated with recombinant human soluble thrombomodulin having higher baseline thrombin generation biomarker levels had lower mortality. Further research regarding the predictive role of coagulation biomarkers for recombinant human soluble thrombomodulin treatment response in sepsis-associated coagulopathy is warranted to evaluate clinical relevance.

Effect of a Recombinant Human Soluble Thrombomodulin on Mortality in Patients With Sepsis-Associated Coagulopathy: The SCARLET Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Previous research suggested that soluble human recombinant thrombomodulin may reduce mortality among patients with sepsis-associated coagulopathy. Objective: To determine the effect of human recombinant thrombomodulin vs placebo on 28-day all-cause mortality among patients with sepsis-associated coagulopathy. Design, Setting, and Participants: The SCARLET trial was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multinational, multicenter phase 3 study conducted in intensive care units at 159 sites in 26 countries. All adult patients admitted to one of the participating intensive care units between October 2012 and March 2018 with sepsis-associated coagulopathy and concomitant cardiovascular and/or respiratory failure, defined as an international normalized ratio greater than 1.40 without other known etiology and a platelet count in the range of 30 to 150 × 109/L or a greater than 30% decrease in platelet count within 24 hours, were considered for inclusion. The final date of follow-up was February 28, 2019. Interventions: Patients with sepsis-associated coagulopathy were randomized and treated with an intravenous bolus or a 15-minute infusion of thrombomodulin (0.06 mg/kg/d [maximum, 6 mg/d]; n = 395) or matching placebo (n = 405) once daily for 6 days. Main Outcome and Measures: The primary end point was 28-day all-cause mortality. Results: Among 816 randomized patients, 800 (mean age, 60.7 years; 437 [54.6%] men) completed the study and were included in the full analysis set. In these patients, the 28-day all-cause mortality rate was not statistically significantly different between the thrombomodulin group and the placebo group (106 of 395 patients [26.8%] vs 119 of 405 patients [29.4%], respectively; P = .32). The absolute risk difference was 2.55% (95% CI, -3.68% to 8.77%). The incidence of serious major bleeding adverse events (defined as any intracranial hemorrhage; life-threatening bleeding; or bleeding event classified as serious by the investigator, with administration of at least 1440 mL [typically 6 units] of packed red blood cells over 2 consecutive days) was 23 of 396 patients (5.8%) in the thrombomodulin group and 16 of 404 (4.0%) in the placebo group. Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients with sepsis-associated coagulopathy, administration of a human recombinant thrombomodulin, compared with placebo, did not significantly reduce 28-day all-cause mortality. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01598831.

Development of an interactive teaching system based on motion synchrony between physical and virtual models.

In advancing our capabilities in the realm of virtual reality, the development of haptic technology has been a rate-limiting factor in producing tactile sensations directly onto the human hands. The Living Anatomy Program seeks to obviate the need for such technology by designing physical objects based on anatomic components that feel realistic to the touch. Furthermore, synchronizing motion between physical and related virtual objects infinitely expands visual design options and provides a profound level of immersion into content.