Rates of Intracranial Hemorrhage in Mild Head Trauma Patients Presenting to Emergency Department and Their Management: A Comparison of Direct Oral Anticoagulant Drugs with Vitamin K Antagonists.

Background and objectives: Anticoagulants are thought to increase the risks of traumatic intracranial injury and poor clinical outcomes after blunt head trauma. The safety of using direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) compared to vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) after intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is unclear. This study aims to compare the incidence of post-traumatic ICH following mild head injury (MHI) and to assess the need for surgery, mortality rates, emergency department (ED) revisit rates, and the volume of ICH. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective, single-center observational study on all patients admitted to our emergency department for mild head trauma from 1 January 2016, to 31 December 2018. We enrolled 234 anticoagulated patients, of which 156 were on VKAs and 78 on DOACs. Patients underwent computed tomography (CT) scans on arrival (T0) and after 24 h (T24). The control group consisted of patients not taking anticoagulants, had no clotting disorders, and who reported an MHI in the same period. About 54% in the control group had CTs performed. Results: The anticoagulated groups were comparable in baseline parameters. Patients on VKA developed ICH more frequently than patients on DOACs and the control group at 17%, 5.13%, and 7.5%, respectively. No significant difference between the two groups was noted in terms of surgery, intrahospital mortality rates, ED revisit rates, and the volume of ICH. Conclusions: Patients with mild head trauma on DOAC therapy had a similar prevalence of ICH to that of the control group. Meanwhile, patients on VKA therapy had about twice the ICH prevalence than that on the control group or patients on DOAC, which remained after correcting for age. No significant difference in the need for surgery was determined; however, this result must take into account the very small number of patients needing surgery.

Agentes antitrombóticos en Terapia Intensiva: manejo práctico de los nuevos anticoagulantes orales directos / Antithrombotic agents in Intensive therapy: management practical of the new oral oral anticoagulants

Los nuevos anticoagulantes orales compiten actualmente, con alguna ventaja, con la terapéutica tradicional en la prevención de la cardioembolia en fibrilación auricular, y en la prevención y el tratamiento de la enfermedad tromboembólica venosa. Estudios recientes han demostrado una eficacia equivalente a la de los antagonistas de la vitamina K, con un mejor perfil de seguridad. Además, superan algunos inconvenientes de estos antagonistas, como la necesidad de ajuste de dosis y el monitoreo frecuente de la RIN, las múltiples interacciones farmacológicas y los cuidados con la dieta. Pero con los nuevos agentes debemos ser cautos, porque el riesgo de sangrado puede aumentar significativamente en ciertos grupos de pacientes con insuficiencia renal, añosos o muy frágiles. Aunque se emplean usualmente en dosis fijas, en casos especiales (peso <50 kg, edad avanzada, disfunción renal, alto riesgo de sangrado), esta dosis se debe modificar. Si bien, en la práctica clínica, no es necesario hacer pruebas de monitoreo de la coagulación, no contamos con pruebas adecuadas para evaluar su eficacia clínica y tampoco tenemos hoy, en nuestro medio, un antídoto eficaz en caso de sangrado importante. Sin embargo, se están realizando estudios con nuevas pruebas de hemostasia que pueden ayudarnos a interpretar el nivel de anticoagulación en estos pacientes y ya se han desarrollado antídotos para algunos de los anticoagulantes de acción directa que pronto estarán disponibles en nuestro medio.(AU)

New oral anticoagulants represent an interesting alternative to traditional therapy for the prevention of stroke in atrial fibrillation, and the thromboprophylaxis and treatment of venous thromboembolic disease. Several studies demonstrated equivalent efficacy to that of vitamin K antagonists with a more favourable safety profile. New oral anticoagulants overcome some of the main problems of these antagonists: the need of tailoring dosing, frequent interactions with other drugs and diet. But physicians have to keep in mind that new oral anticoagulants are not absolutely free of complications, and must be cautious with patients at high risk of bleeding. Also in special cases (<50 kg, advanced age, renal impairment) the usual dose must be adapted. At present there are not specific tests to evaluate the effect of these new anticoagulants, although it is usually not necessary to do any coagulation test in clinical practice. Another concern regarding new oral anticoagulants is the absence of specific antidotes, although specific antidotes are under clinical investigation and are soon going to be available in our country.(AU)

Una enfermedad prevenible: el accidente cerebrovascular en la fibrilación auricular no valvular. ¿Qué lugar ocupan los nuevos anticoagulantes orales? / A preventable disease: stroke in non-valvular atrial fibrillation. What is the role of the new oral anticoagulants?

La fibrilación auricular no valvular (FANV) es la arritmia cardíaca sostenida más frecuente. El accidente cerebrovascular (ACV) asociado a la (FANV), es una complicación devastadora, prevenible, con secuelas neurológicas, recurrencias, mortalidad precoz y al año mayor que el (ACV) no asociado a la (FANV). La warfarina demostró en prevención primaria una reducción del riesgo de 64%. El presente trabajo aborda nuevos scores de riesgo de embolia en la (FANV), riesgo de sangrado, y los resultados de 3 trabajos multicéntricos que comparan dabigatran, rivaroxaban y apixaban vs. warfarina en prevención del (ACV) asociado a (FANV). Intenta, de acuerdo a lo anterior, un posicionamiento de los nuevos anticoagulantes orales (NAO) como opción frente a la warfarina. Realiza consideraciones prácticas generales y en situaciones puntuales para el uso de los (NAO).

Non valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia. NVAF-associated stroke is a devastating, preventable condition with neurological sequels, recurrences, early mortality and greater than NVAF-independent stroke annually. Warfarin showed a 64% risk reduction in primary prevention. The paper herein approaches new risk scores for embolism in NVAF, risk for bleeding, and the results of 3 multicentric studies comparing dabigatran, rivaroxaban and apixaban vs. Warfarin in the prevention of NVAF-associated stroke. Based on the above, it is intended to position the new oral anticoagulants (NOA) as a potential option vis à vis warfarin. The authors reach practical considerations, both general and in specific situations for the use of NOAs.

Ischemic stroke and intestinal bleeding under dabigatran in metabolic myopathy.

OBJECTIVES: The subsequent occurrence of an ischemic thromboembolic event and a bleeding shortly after discontinuation of dabigatran has not been published. CASE REPORT: In an 89-year-old female with atrial fibrillation dabigatran had been started 11 days before admission, following a transitory ischemic attack. Phenprocoumon had been stopped 1 month earlier because of a hematoma after a fall. Although dabigatran was discontinued already on hospital day 1, she experienced an intestinal bleeding on hospital day three and an ischemic stroke on hospital day 6. As blood coagulation parameters were still abnormal on hospital day 2, intestinal bleeding was attributed to the prolonged antithrombotic effect or the interaction of dabigatran with the comedication. Stroke was attributed to the absence of a sufficient antithrombotic effect or a rebound effect 5 days after discontinuation of dabigatran. Clinical neurological examination additionally suggested a neuromuscular disorder. CONCLUSIONS: Ischemic stroke and intestinal bleeding may consecutively occur shortly after stopping dabigatran. Coagulation parameters may remain abnormal even 2 days after discontinuation of dabigatran. Dabigatran should be applied with caution in elderly patients with renal insufficiency who also take drugs, which enhance the absorption of dabigatran.