A life-threatening complication of warfarin therapy in ED: diffuse alveolar hemorrhage

Acenocoumarol-Induced Diffuse Alveolar Hemorrhage: A Case Report

Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) is bleeding into the alveolar spaces of the lung. DAH is often associated with systemic autoimmune diseases, coagulation disorders, drugs, inhaled toxins, or transplantation. This study describes a rare case of acenocoumarol-induced DAH, a pulmonary disorder, which has not been reported before. A 48-year-old male presented with a history of rheumatic heart disease with mitral stenosis with moderate mitral regurgitation status post mitral valve replacement. He was taking acenocoumarol but did not keep his prothrombin time-international normalized ratio (PT-INR) monitoring and came to the hospital with complaints of cough, hemoptysis, and breathlessness. Chest x-ray and high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) thorax were done which revealed diffuse patchy opacities and pulmonary hemorrhage, respectively. After nine days of hospital stay with appropriate management with corticosteroids, antibiotics, and intravenous fluids, the patient was doing well.

A rare case of Diffuse Alveolar Hemorrhage (DAH) due to warfarin toxicity

INTRODUCTION

Warfarin is one of the most frequently used anticoagulant agents in the clinic. The most important adverse effect of warfarin is hemorrhage of vital organs, such as lung and brain. Diffuse Alveolar Hemorrhage (DAH) is a rare clinical condition which occurs due to variety of medical disorders. Although it's rarely reported, DAH can be a result of coagulopathy prompted by warfarin therapy. In this study we present a case of DAH, caused by warfarin toxicity which referred to the hospital with non-specific respiratory symptoms.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 41-year-old female patient referred to the hospital complaining of shortness of breath, cough and dizziness. She had been taking warfarin due to mitral valve replacement for the past 10 years. Her recent symptoms began shortly after taking amoxicillin, a few days before admission. Early clinical examination and paraclinical studies reveal DAH as the cause of respiratory symptoms. The patient was then intubated and received fresh frozen plasma, packed cells and oral vitamin K. Laboratory findings apart from increased INR, PT, ESR and CRP were all within normal range. After the initiation of treatment patient's INR decreased and her clinical condition improved. Follow-up CT-Scan and bronchoscopy also confirmed resolving DAH.

CONCLUSIONS

The usage of warfarin in anticoagulation should be closely monitored due to its narrow therapeutic window and other factors, including its interaction with other medications such as antibiotics. Warfarin toxicity can lead to DAH, a life-threatening condition which can be presented with non-specific symptoms and deteriorate patient's clinical condition in a short time. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to watch closely for primary symptoms of such rare incident in patients under warfarin therapy and initiate treatment as soon as possible, to prevent mortality.

Warfarin-induced diffuse alveolar hemorrhage: Case report and a review of the literature

Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) refers to the intra-alveolar accumulation of blood originating from the pulmonary microvasculature. This life-threatening condition is a medical emergency as patients often develop acute respiratory failure requiring invasive mechanical ventilation. This mandates for an early diagnosis with prompt and aggressive management strategies. A host of clinical disorders are known to cause DAH; however, warfarin-induced alveolar hemorrhage is a distinct clinical rarity. A search of the literature reveals few reports documenting this entity. A 27-year-old male presented with complaints of recent-onset hemoptysis and dyspnea. One month back, he was diagnosed with lower-limb deep-venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. He had been taking oral anticoagulants irregularly since then without monitoring of prothrombin time. Chest radiograph, done on presentation, revealed bilateral upper-lobe infiltrates, whereas computed tomography of the chest was suggestive of bilateral upper-lobe ground-glass opacities. Serial bronchoscopic alveolar lavage yielded samples which became progressively bloodier, whereas cytological evaluation of the sample revealed numerous alveolar macrophages with intracytoplasmic hemosiderin. A diagnosis of DAH due to warfarin was made, and the patient was administered Vitamin K followed by infusion of fresh frozen plasma. There was a marked clinical recovery, and the patient has been asymptomatic since then.

[A rare and severe complication related to acenocoumarol therapy: intra-alveolar bleeding]

L'hémorragie intra-alvéolaire est une urgence médicale rare et grave ayant de nombreuses étiologies. Nous rapportons ainsi le cas clinique d'un patient qui pourrait contribuer à élargir la littérature sur ce sujet. Le patient est un homme âgé de 62 ans ayant un antécédent de fibrillation auriculaire sous anti-vitamines K et admis dans un tableau de dyspnée d'apparition brutale avec hémoptysie et notion d'automédication par anti-inflammatoires non stéroïdiens. La radiographie et le scanner thoracique ont montré des opacités alvéolaires bilatérales diffuses. Au bilan d'hémostase de l'admission, l'INR était incoagulable. Le diagnostic d'hémorragie intra-alvéolaire était suspecté cliniquement et radiologiquement puis confirmé par l'endoscopie bronchique avec lavage broncho-alvéolaire (LBA) retrouvant un liquide uniformément hémorragique. Les études précédentes présentant des cas similaires secondaires à la prise d'anti-vitamines K sont rares. En conclusion, Il parait très important de souligner l'intérêt d'une surveillance stricte et optimale clinico-biologique des patients traités en anti-vitamines K afin d'éviter un surdosage pouvant contribuer à un accident hémorragique grave engageant le pronostic vital.

Diffuse Alveolar Hemorrhage Caused by Warfarin after Rifampicin Discontinuation

An 83-year-old man under warfarin therapy presented for assessment of prolonged prothrombin time and cough. High-resolution computed tomography findings of the chest showed diffuse alveolar hemorrhage. His international normalized ratio (INR) was 11.89. He had been treated with rifampicin for a persistent infection, but this had been discontinued about two months before admission. Rifampicin suppresses the anticoagulant activity of warfarin, which can lead to a need for increased doses of warfarin to achieve and maintain a therapeutic INR. More frequent INR monitoring is needed even after discontinuing rifampicin.

Diffuse Alveolar Hemorrhage Associated with Edoxaban Therapy

Introduction. The main adverse effect of anticoagulant therapy is bleeding, and major bleeding, including intracranial, gastrointestinal, and retroperitoneal bleeding, has been reported as an adverse effect of edoxaban, a direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC). Bleeding during systemic anticoagulation with edoxaban presents a therapeutic conundrum, because there is currently no safe or efficacious reversal agent to stop major bleeding. Case Report. A 51-year-old woman had multiple traumatic injuries, including lower limb fractures. On day 8, she developed deep venous thrombosis, and edoxaban was administered orally. On day 38, she developed fungemia, which was treated with an antifungal drug. On day 43, she presented with dyspnea. Chest computed tomography scan showed bilateral diffuse ground-glass opacities in the whole lung fields. The results of the subsequent workup (i.e., serum levels of the antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody, antinuclear antibody, and antiglomerular basement membrane antibody) and microbiological study were unremarkable. Based on these findings, her condition was diagnosed as diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) associated with edoxaban therapy. The lung opacities disappeared spontaneously after edoxaban therapy was discontinued. Conclusion. DAH is a dangerous complication associated with edoxaban therapy. DOACs, including edoxaban, should be prescribed with caution, especially for patients in a critical condition.

Diffuse Alveolar Hemorrhage Associated with Warfarin Therapy

Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) is a life-threatening clinical pathologic syndrome caused by a variety of diseases. We report a case of DAH related to therapy of warfarin use. In this case report, we present the diffuse alveolar hemorrhage case as a rare and life-threatening complication of warfarin.