Tigecycline-associated hypofibrinogenemia: A case report and review of the literature

Serum concentration threshold and risk factors of tigecycline-induced hypofibrinogenaemia in critically ill patients

OBJECTIVES

Hypofibrinogenaemia is a serious adverse reaction associated with tigecycline (TGC) therapy and may lead to the discontinuation of the treatment. This study aimed to explore the relevant factors of TGC-induced hypofibrinogenaemia and determine the thresholds of serum concentration as a predictive indicator of TGC-induced hypofibrinogenaemia.

METHODS

A retrospective single-centre study was conducted on patients with severe infection who were treated with TGC. Clinical data and serum concentration parameters were extracted from the electronic medical records of these patients. Patients were divided into the hypofibrinogenaemia group (< 2.0 g/L) and the normal fibrinogen group (≥ 2.0 g/L) in order to evaluate risk factors associated with TGC-induced hypofibrinogenaemia. Logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic curves were utilized to identify the risk factors associated with TGC-induced hypofibrinogenaemia and to establish plasma concentration thresholds as predictive indicators.

RESULTS

A total of 114 patients were enrolled in this study, with 59.6% experiencing hypofibrinogenaemia. The multivariate regression analysis indicated that baseline fibrinogen level, trough concentration (Cmin), peak concentration (Cmax), the concentration at 6 h after the dosing (C6h) and the area under the concentration-time curve over a 24-h period (AUC0-24) were significantly associated with hypofibrinogenaemia (P < 0.05). Furthermore, it was found that AUC0-24 is the optimal predictor of TGC-induced hypofibrinogenaemia. The optimal cut-off for the AUC0-24 of TGC in ICU patients was determined to be 17.03 mg h/L.

CONCLUSIONS

TGC exposure is highly predictive of TGC-induced hypofibrinogenaemia. We recommend closely monitoring plasma concentrations of TGC in patients to ensure patient efficacy and safety.

Machine learning-based prediction model for hypofibrinogenemia after tigecycline therapy

BACKGROUND

In clinical practice, the incidence of hypofibrinogenemia (HF) after tigecycline (TGC) treatment significantly exceeds the probability claimed by drug manufacturers.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to identify the risk factors for TGC-associated HF and develop prediction and survival models for TGC-associated HF and the timing of TGC-associated HF.

METHODS

This single-center retrospective cohort study included 222 patients who were prescribed TGC. First, we used binary logistic regression to screen the independent factors influencing TGC-associated HF, which were used as predictors to train the extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) model. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), calibration curve, decision curve analysis (DCA), and clinical impact curve analysis (CICA) were used to evaluate the performance of the model in the verification cohort. Subsequently, we conducted survival analysis using the random survival forest (RSF) algorithm. A consistency index (C-index) was used to evaluate the accuracy of the RSF model in the verification cohort.

RESULTS

Binary logistic regression identified nine independent factors influencing TGC-associated HF, and the XGBoost model was constructed using these nine predictors. The ROC and calibration curves showed that the model had good discrimination (areas under the ROC curves (AUC) = 0.792 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.668-0.915]) and calibration ability. In addition, DCA and CICA demonstrated good clinical practicability of this model. Notably, the RSF model showed good accuracy (C-index = 0.746 [95%CI, 0.652-0.820]) in the verification cohort. Stratifying patients treated with TGC based on the RSF model revealed a statistically significant difference in the mean survival time between the low- and high-risk groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The XGBoost model effectively predicts the risk of TGC-associated HF, whereas the RSF model has advantages in risk stratification. These two models have significant clinical practical value, with the potential to reduce the risk of TGC therapy.

Incidence, characteristics, and risk factors of hypofibrinogenemia induced by generic tigecycline: a retrospective study

The objective of this study was to evaluate the incidence, clinical features, and risk factors of generic tigecycline-associated hypofibrinogenemia. A single-center retrospective study was conducted in adult patients treated with generic tigecycline. Clinical data were extracted from the electronic medical records. The endpoint was tigecycline-related hypofibrinogenemia, defined as a condition with no abnormality in fibrinogen before tigecycline application, but developing hypofibrinogenemia upon prescription. The risk factors were determined by logistic regression analysis, and the ROC curve was subsequently established. A total of 240 adults prescribed generic tigecycline from May 1st to November 30th 2023 were included. It was shown that hypofibrinogenemia is a frequent side effect of generic tigecycline, with an adverse reaction rate of 42.9% (103/240). However, the incidence of adverse reactions to generic drugs was lower than in previous studies. The cumulative dose of tigecycline (OR:1.002, 95%CI 1.001-1.002, P < 0.001), baseline FIB (OR:0.995, 95%CI 0.992-0.997, P < 0.001), baseline PT (OR:1.247, 95%CI 1.071-1.452, P = 0.004) and baseline ALB (OR:0.931, 95%CI 0.879-0.986, P = 0.025) were identified as independent prognostic factors of tigecycline-related hypofibrinogenemia. We recommend intensive monitoring of coagulation function in patients exhibiting the aforementioned risk factors for generic tigecycline-associated hypofibrinogenemia to ensure patients safety.

Tigecycline-associated hypofibrinogenemia: A single center, retrospective, controlled study

BACKGROUND

Tigecycline-associated hypofibrinogenemia has been reported as an important adverse effect in recent years, but controlled studies minimizing confounding factors are needed. The objective of our study was to assess changes in fibrinogen levels in patients for hospitalization, comparing two antibiotic episodes (tigecycline and other) within the same patients.

METHODS

The retrospective, self-controlled case series study was conducted at our University Hospitals. The study compared the change in fibrinogen levels during the patient's hospitalization for tigecycline (TigePer) and another antibiotic period (OtherPer). In addition, bleeding events, bleeding risk (determined by the IMPROVE bleeding risk score), as well as 15- and 30-day mortality rates between TigePer and OtherPer were compared.

RESULTS

The study enrolled 50 patients with 100 episodes of antibiotic treatment. The median age (interquartile range) of the patients was 68.5 (21.5) years, and 38 % were female. As compared to OtherPer, TigePer had a statistically significant reduction in fibrinogen levels (p < 0.001), with a hypofibrinogenemia rate of 40 % in TigePer as compared to 2 % in OtherPer (p < 0.001). TigePer demonstrated a significantly higher 15-day mortality rate (p = 0.006). No significant differences were observed between the two periods in terms of bleeding risk, rate of bleeding events, and 30-day mortality rate (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Hypofibrinogenemia and other coagulopathies, without associated bleeding events, are more frequently observed in patients receiving tigecycline. Therefore, it is crucial for clinicians to monitor fibrinogen levels during tigecycline use.

Tigecycline treatment causes a decrease in peripheral blood platelet

Tigecycline with broad-spectrum activity against pathogens has advantages in the treatment of severe infections in clinical. Accompany with the huge increase of tigecycline usage, more side effects began to arouse people's attention. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of tigecycline treatment on peripheral blood platelet in patients with severe infections. We retrospectively retrieved demographic and laboratory data in 24 cases of tigecycline-treated patients with severe infections. 18 patients (75%) who were administered tigecycline experienced a decrease in platelet count. The ages of platelet decrease group are significant older than normal group. In the platelet decreased group, the platelet count was significant decreased after 3 days tigecycline treatment. 9 patients' platelet count recovered in 5 days after tigecycline treatment withdraw. Platelet decrease in patient after tigecycline treatment, which can be reversed after tigecycline discontinuation. Tigecycline-induced platelet decrease is associated with age.

Safety of Tigecycline in Patients on Antithrombotic Therapy: A Single-Center Retrospective Study

INTRODUCTION

The aims of the study were to investigate the risk factors of tigecycline-induced hypofibrinogenemia and to evaluate the safety of tigecycline with concomitant antithrombotic drugs.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective analysis of patients who received tigecycline for more than 3 days between January 2015 and June 2019. Clinical and laboratory data were collected including fibrinogen concertation, tigecycline dose, duration of treatment, disease severity, complete blood count, indicators of infection, liver and renal function. Risk factors of hypofibrinogenemia were analyzed by univariate and multivariate analysis. To evaluate the safety of tigecycline and concomitant antithrombotic drugs, bleeding events were assessed by comparing the decline in hemoglobin and the amount of red blood cell transfusion in patients with antithrombotic drugs and those without.

RESULTS

This study included a total of 68 cases, 20 of which experienced hypofibrinogenemia while receiving tigecycline treatment. Duration of treatment, cefoperazone/sulbactam combination therapy, and fibrinogen levels prior to initiation of tigecycline were risk factors associated with tigecycline-induced hypofibrinogenemia. There were 26 recorded bleeding incidents, 25 of which happened before the start of tigecycline. Antithrombotic and non-antithrombotic patients did not differ in their hemoglobin decline or need for red blood cell transfusions while taking tigecycline.

CONCLUSION

A longer treatment duration, cefoperazone/sulbactam combination therapy, and a lower level of fibrinogen before tigecycline were associated with an increased risk of tigecycline-induced hypofibrinogenemia. A combination of antithrombotic drugs and tigecycline did not aggravate the bleeding events during tigecycline treatment.

Development and Validation of a Nomogram for Predicting Tigecycline-Related Coagulopathy: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Background

Although tigecycline is an effective drug against drug-resistant bacteria, it demonstrated a higher all-cause mortality than comparator antibiotics and a high incidence of coagulation disorders which can be accompanied by severe bleeding. At present, a predictive model for tigecycline-related coagulopathy is not readily available, and the prognostic value of coagulopathy in tigecycline-administered patients has not been elucidated. In this paper, we investigate the association between tigecycline-related coagulopathy and in-hospital mortality to develop a nomogram for the prediction of tigecycline-related coagulopathy.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study includes 311 adults prescribed with tigecycline from 2018 to 2020. The primary cohort and validation cohort were constructed by dividing the participants in a ratio of 7:3. The endpoint is tigecycline-related coagulopathy, defined as a condition with no abnormality in coagulation prior to tigecycline application but developed the following symptoms upon prescription: activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) extended by >10 s than the upper limit of normal (ULN), prothrombin time (PT) prolonged for >3 s than the ULN or reduced serum level of fibrinogen to <2.0 g/L. A predictive nomogram based on logistic regression was subsequently constructed.

Results

Tigecycline intake for over 7 days, combined other antibiotics, initial PT, initial fibrinogen and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), are independent prognostic factors of tigecycline-related coagulopathy. The primary and validation cohort each has an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.792 (0.732-0.851) and 0.730 (0.629-0.832) for nomogram, respectively. Furthermore, the fitted calibration curve illustrated adequate fit of the model, while the decision curve analysis demonstrated good clinical value. Survival curves showed a high mortality rate among patients with tigecycline-related coagulopathy.

Conclusion

This nomogram exhibited helpful clinical value in predicting tigecycline-related coagulopathy that could reduce the high mortality rate of patients prescribed with tigecycline.

Risk factors of tigecycline-associated fibrinogen reduction in patients with renal transplantation: a case-control study

BACKGROUND

Hypofibrinogenemia is a serious adverse reaction related to tigecycline administered against multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria and can lead to therapy termination. High dose and prolonged tigecycline therapy, renal failure, and base level of fibrinogen (FIB) were reported risk factors of tigecycline-associated FIB reduction. But results are unknown in patients with renal transplantation.

METHODS

A single-center and a case-control study involving renal transplantation patients was conducted. From January, 2017 to January, 2020, patients with a tigecycline course more than 2 days and a baseline FIB level greater than 2 g/L were enrolled. Hypofibrinogenemia was defined as plasma FIB <2.0 g/L. The extent of FIB reduction was calculated based on the baseline of FIB level before tigecycline administration. FIBRO was defined as the extent of FIB reduction over 50%, and FIBRB referred to the extent of FIB reduction below 50%. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed by logistic regression models to identify independent risk factors of tigecycline-associated FIB reduction.

RESULTS

In total, 120 patients were enrolled. A total of 114 patients (95.00%) developed with hypofibrinogenaemia. Hypofibrinogenemia mainly occurred 3 days after tigecycline administration. Of them, 79 (65.83%) developed FIBRO with a median occurrence of 3 [2-4] days after initiation of tigecycline. Multivariable regression analysis demonstrated that the FIB level before tigecycline use [odds ratio (OR): 3.225, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.801-5.772] and total tigecycline dose (OR: 4.930, 95% CI: 1.433-16.959) were risk factors for FIBRO.

CONCLUSIONS

The FIB level before tigecycline use and total tigecycline dose were significantly associated with FIBRO, suggesting that FIB level and coagulation-related indicators should be closely monitored during tigecycline treatment to avoid life-threatening bleeding events.

Tigecycline-Associated Coagulopathy: A Single-Center Retrospective Analysis

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this study was to assess clinical characteristics and risk factors for tigecycline-associated prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) prolongation.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective analysis on coagulation parameters before and during tigecycline treatment in 55 patients in our hospital with severe infections, mainly pneumonia caused by Acinetobacter baumannii. Patients were divided into different groups according to prolongation of PT and aPTT, and clinical features involved were explored. Univariate and multivariable binary logistic regression analyses were used to identify risk factors for tigecycline-associated PT and aPTT increase.

RESULTS

We found that PT values increased from 12.73 ± 1.87 to 13.86 ± 2.06 during the treatment compared with premedication (p < 0.001), and the aPTT level prolonged significantly from 33.63 ± 11.24 to 38.15 ± 11.81 (p < 0.001). The multivariate analyses identified 2 variables that were associated with tigecycline-induced PT prolongation: albumin level (p = 0.018) and weight-adjusted tigecycline dosage (p = 0.005). In addition, treatment duration was the only risk factor for tigecycline-induced aPTT prolongation (p = 0.043).

CONCLUSION

Albumin level, weight-adjusted tigecycline dosage, treatment duration may serve as risk indicators for tigecycline-associated coagulation dysfunction. Physicians should be careful with coagulation disorder when prescribing tigecycline in clinical practice, especially in patients with risk factors.

Comparison of Bleeding Risk Between Colistin-Tigecycline and Colistin-Carbapenem Treatment Regimens: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Background

Antibiotic combination is commonly used to treat multidrug-resistant pathogens. Reports have indicated that tigecycline use is associated with hypofibrinogenemia. However, whether the bleeding risk of tigecycline is higher than that of other antibiotics remains unknown. The aim of this study was to compare the bleeding risk between colistin–tigecycline and colistin–carbapenem treatment.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study enrolled adult patients treated with colistin along with tigecycline or carbapenems (doripenem, imipenem–cilastatin, or meropenem) for ˃72 hours during hospitalization. The primary outcome was major bleeding events, which were determined by a hemoglobin drop of ≥2 g/d and receipt of blood transfusions with whole blood or packed red blood cells. Multivariate logistic regression was applied to determine risk factors for bleeding events.

Results

In total, 106 and 268 patients in the colistin–tigecycline and colistin–carbapenem groups met the criteria for analysis, respectively. The two groups did not differ significantly in demographic data, except for alanine aminotransferase (ALT), serum creatinine (S_Cr) and ulcer disease. The colistin–tigecycline group had a higher ALT, S_Cr and a lower proportion of ulcer disease. Major bleeding events did not differ significantly between the colistin–tigecycline and colistin–carbapenem groups (12.26% vs 9.33%, P = 0.40). Antibiotic duration [OR = 1.06 (1.02–1.11), P=0.007)] and anticoagulant use [OR = 2.16 (1.05–4.42), P=0.04] were associated with major bleeding events.

Conclusion

Colistin–tigecycline treatment was not associated with a higher bleeding risk. Antibiotic duration and concurrent use of anticoagulant were the risk factors of bleeding events.

Progression of Fibrinogen Decrease during High Dose Tigecycline Therapy in Critically Ill Patients: A Retrospective Analysis

Tigecycline is a novel glycylcycline broad-spectrum antibiotic offering good coverage for critically ill patients experiencing complicated infections. A known side effect is a coagulation disorder with distinct hypofibrinogenemia. To date, the information on possible risk factors and outcomes is sparse. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine the time course of fibrinogen level changes during tigecycline therapy in critically ill patients. Moreover, we sought to identify risk factors for coagulopathy and to report on clinically important outcomes. We retrospectively reviewed all intensive care patients admitted to our General and Surgical Intensive Care Unit receiving tigecycline between 2010 and 2018. A total of 130 patients were stratified into two groups based on the extent of fibrinogen decrease. Patients with a greater fibrinogen decrease received a higher dose, a longer treatment and more dose changes of tigecycline, respectively. In regard to the underlying pathology, these patients showed higher inflammation markers as well as a slightly reduced liver synthesis capacity. We, therefore, conclude that such a fibrinogen decrease may be based upon further impairment of liver synthesis during severe inflammatory states. To decrease the risk of bleeding, cautious monitoring of coagulation in critically ill patients treated with high-dose tigecycline is warranted.

Risk Factors for Tigecycline-Associated Hypofibrinogenemia

Background

With the widespread use of tigecycline, especially in elderly people infected with multidrug-resistant bacteria, the associated coagulation disorders are attracting the attention of clinicians. The risk factors of tigecycline-associated hypofibrinogenemia are still controversial.

Purpose

The aims of our study were to explore the related factors of hypofibrinogenemia caused by tigecycline, and to establish the risk assessment criteria for tigecycline-associated hypofibrinogenemia.

Patients and Methods

This was an observational retrospective cohort study of patients treated for at least 3 days with tigecycline. Hypofibrinogenemia was defined as plasma fibrinogen <2.0 g/L. Risk factors were determined using logistic regression analysis, and the risk assessment criteria were identified by using receiver operating characteristic curves.

Results

In total, 148 patients were included in the analysis, mean age was 77.09±15.11 years old. Ninety patients who developed hypofibrinogenemia during tigecycline treatment with mean plasma fibrinogen of 1.42 g/L were included in the hypofibrinogenemia group, the other 58 patients with mean plasma fibrinogen of 2.68 g/L were included in the normal group. In the multivariate analysis, age (p = 0.035), tigecycline treatment duration (p = 0.044), and baseline fibrinogen level (p = 0.002) were independently associated with hypofibrinogenemia. An age of ≥82 years, ≥9 days of medication, and a baseline fibrinogen level of ≤3.5 g/L were selected for predicting hypofibrinogenemia. Hypofibrinogenemia was independently associated with bleeding (OR 8.96, 95% CI [1.132–70.946], p = 0.038).

Conclusion

Hypofibrinogenemia is a common adverse effect of tigecycline in our study. Elderly patients are more prone to developing hypofibrinogenemia after the administration of tigecycline. It is independently associated with bleeding but not death. The risk assessment criteria can help in the identification of patients with high risk of hypofibrinogenemia.

Sintilimab, a PD-1 Inhibitor, Completely Reversed Rarely Refractory Hypofibrinogenemia in a Gastric Cancer Patient: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

While cancer is often related to hyperfibrinogenemia, it is rarely related to hypofibrinogenemia. Specifically, gastric cancer concomitant with unprovoked hypofibrinogenemia and the corresponding treatment approach have been rarely reported. We presented a case of gastric cancer in a 78-year-old Chinese woman in whom sudden, unprovoked refractory hypofibrinogenemia had been found during the whole brain radiotherapy despite stable clinical condition. Fibrinogen supplementation was not useful for controlling her level of fibrinogen. However, when she received sintilimab, an immunotherapy drug acting as programmed death receptor 1 inhibitor, to treat her gastric cancer, fibrinogen rose to the normal level. We also reviewed the literature to explore the causes of hypofibrinogenemia in tumor patients. This case suggests that we need to pay attention to tumor-related coagulation disorders, and monitoring coagulation indicators is essential. Treating primary disease by immunotherapy drugs may be an important method to improve the level of coagulation factors. This is the first report of sintilimab reversing a rare refractory hypofibrinogenemia in a patient with gastric cancer.

Tigecycline-associated hypofibrinogenemia in a real-world setting

Background Tigecycline is a broad-spectrum antibiotic used to treat infections that do not respond to first-line treatments. High-doses and extended treatments are common; therefore, adverse events might be more frequent and severe than those observed in clinical trials. Several case-reports have referred hypofibrinogenemia in patients who received tigecycline. Objective To analyse the impact of tigecycline use on coagulation parameters, and identify which variables could be related with this. Setting The study was performed at Hospital Universitari Vall Hebron, in Barcelona, Spain. Method Observational, retrospective study. All patients older than 18, who received tigecycline for > 72 h from January 2016 to March 2018 were included. Clinical and laboratory data from before, during and at the end of tigecycline treatment were retrospectively collected. Differences between means were analyzed using the paired-sample Student's t-test. Binary logistic regression was performed to identify risk factors for hypofibrinogenemia. Main outcome measure Mean difference in fibrinogen plasma concentration and INR, before and at the end of tigecycline treatment. Results 78 patients (mean age 65; SD ± 15.5 years) were identified. The most common indications for tigecycline treatment were abdominal (66%), respiratory tract (16%) and skin&soft tissue (10%) infections. High-dose tigecycline was used in 62% of cases and the median duration of treatment was 12 days. Hypofibrinogenemia occurred in 12 patients, 5 bleeding events were observed and 4 of them required fibrinogen administration. Tigecycline caused significant alterations in fibrinogen plasma concentration (mean decrease 1.76 g/L; IC 95% 1.36 to 2.15) as well as INR (mean increase 0.11; IC 95% 0.05 to 0.17). Both were recovered after treatment cessation. We identified duration of treatment > 4 weeks (OR = 6.6), high-dose tigecycline (OR = 4.75) and high protein C levels (OR = 4.2) as independent variables associated with fibrinogen decrease, but not renal impairment. Conclusions Tigecycline administration has been related with hypofibrinogenemia, especially when high-doses of tigecycline are used. Health professionals should be aware of the potentially severe tigecycline-associated hypofibrinogenemia and monitor coagulation during treatment, especially when high-doses of tigecycline are used.

Clinical characteristics and risk factors of tigecycline-associated hypofibrinogenaemia in critically ill patients

Purpose

To analyze the clinical features and risk factors of tigecycline-associated hypofibrinogenaemia and study whether cefoperazone/sulbactam combined with tigecycline aggravates coagulopathy or hypofibrinogenaemia.

Methods

A retrospective case–control study of patients with severe infection who were treated with tigecycline was conducted. Patients were assigned to the hypofibrinogenaemia group (< 2.0 g/L) and normal fibrinogen (normal) group (≥ 2.0 g/L) to assess the clinical features of patients with tigecycline-associated hypofibrinogenaemia. The traits of patients treated with cefoperazone/sulbactam in the hypofibrinogenaemia group were also analyzed.

Results

In total, 127 patients were enrolled in the study, including 71 patients with hypofibrinogenaemia and 56 patients with normal fibrinogen levels. Hypofibrinogenaemia developed at a median of 6 (4–8) days after tigecycline treatment, and the fibrinogen level returned to normal at a median of 3 (3–5) days after tigecycline discontinuation. In the multivariate analysis, intra-abdominal infection (p = 0.005), fibrinogen level at tigecycline initiation (p < 0.001), maintenance dose (p = 0.039), and treatment duration (p = 0.002) were found to be related to hypofibrinogenaemia. Treatment with cefoperazone/sulbactam was not associated with hypofibrinogenaemia (p = 0.681), but patients treated with cefoperazone/sulbactam had a higher incidence of coagulopathy (p = 0.009) and needed more blood products (p = 0.003) than those treated without cefoperazone/sulbactam.

Conclusion

Tigecycline-associated hypofibrinogenaemia often developed on the 6th (4th–8th) day of tigecycline use and was associated with intra-abdominal infection, fibrinogen level at tigecycline initiation, maintenance dose, and treatment duration of tigecycline but not cefoperazone/sulbactam.

Tigecycline Interferes with Fibrinogen Polymerization Independent of Peripheral Interactions with the Coagulation System

Tigecycline offers broad anti-bacterial coverage for critically ill patients with complicated infections. A described but less researched side effect is coagulopathy. The aim of this study was to test whether tigecycline interferes with fibrinogen polymerization by peripheral interactions. To study the effect of unmetabolized tigecycline, plasma of healthy volunteers were spiked with increasing concentrations of tigecycline. In a second experimental leg, immortalized human liver cells (HepG2) were treated with the same concentrations to test an inhibitory effect of hepatic tigecycline metabolites. Using standard coagulation tests, only the activated thromboplastin time in humane plasma was prolonged with increasing concentrations of tigecycline. Visualization of the fibrin network using confocal live microscopy demonstrated a qualitative difference in tigecycline treated experiments. Thrombelastometry and standard coagulation tests did not indicate an impairment of coagulation. Although the discrepancy between functional and immunologic fibrinogen levels increased in cell culture assays with tigecycline concentration, fibrinogen levels in spiked plasma samples did not show significant differences determined by functional versus immunologic methods. In our in vitro study, we excluded a direct effect of tigecycline in increasing concentrations on blood coagulation in healthy adults. Furthermore, we demonstrated a rapid loss of mitochondrial activity in hepatic cells with supra-therapeutic tigecycline dosages.

Tigecycline-induced coagulopathy: a literature review

Background Several adverse reactions to tigecycline, which is widely used in patients with severe infections, have been documented. Coagulopathy is a lesser known side effect of tigecycline. Aim of the review We summarize the characteristics, possible mechanisms, and treatment of tigecycline-induced coagulopathy. Method PubMed, Ovid, Embase, ISI Web of Knowledge, CNKI, and Wanfang were searched up to March 5, 2019. All articles concerning coagulopathy induced by tigecycline were included. The article types and languages were not limited. The retrieved articles were screened by two experienced clinicians by reading the titles, abstracts, and full texts. Results Ultimately, 17 articles were targeted, including 13 case reports and 4 retrospective observational studies. Tigecycline-induced coagulopathy usually manifests as the dose-dependent prolongation of prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time and a reduction in the fibrinogen level. Tigecycline and its metabolites may have multiple effects on coagulation, influencing the extrinsic or intrinsic pathway and even the common pathway. There is no specific treatment for tigecycline-induced coagulopathy, but it can be reversed by withdrawing tigecycline. Conclusion Tigecycline acts on the coagulation system in a dose-dependent manner, and the most severe adverse event is bleeding. Overdose and prolonged use should be avoided, suspected coagulopathy must be recognized in time, and tigecycline should be withdrawn to prevent severe adverse events. Also, drug clearance disorders can develop in patients with liver and/or renal dysfunction. For patients with severe hepatic or renal impairment, the maintenance dose should be reduced, and indicators of coagulation function should be closely monitored.

Spontaneous Knee Hemarthrosis Due to Hypofibrinogenemia Following Tigecycline Treatment for Periprosthetic Joint Infection

Tigecycline, a recently approved antibiotic, has a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity. Its unique structure and properties make tigecycline a valuable option for the treatment of infections caused by many multidrug-resistant organisms. We present a case of an 82-year-old patient who developed a significant decrease of fibrinogen levels after the addition of tigecycline to his antibiotic regimen. The patient was treated for a periprosthetic knee joint infection caused by a multidrug-resistant extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli. The reduction of fibrinogen levels, in this case, prompted severe spontaneous hemarthrosis. Tigecycline treatment was discontinued and coagulation disorders were normalized within the next few days. After several days, the joint had to be surgically debrided. Hypofibrinogenemia is a very scarcely reported side effect of tigecycline that can cause spontaneous hemarthrosis.

A Retrospective Analysis of the Effect of Tigecycline on Coagulation Function

A number of clinical trials demonstrated that tigecycline was effective and well tolerated in the treatment of patients with various bacterial infections, but few literatures had shown the coagulopathy induced by tigecycline. To address this concern, we performed a retrospective analysis to assess the impact of tigecycline treatment on coagulation parameters in 50 patients with bacterial infections in our hospital (Shandong Provincial Hospital, China). These patients were treated with tigecycline at Shandong Provincial Hospital in 2015-2016 at either a recommended (50 mg q12h) or a higher dose (100 mg q12h). Coagulation parameters, including Fibrinogen (FIB) levels, prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), platelet count (PLT) and D-dimer, were evaluated in order to assess the impact of tigecycline treatment in these severely infected patients. What we found was that the plasma fibrinogen (FIB) level was 4.63 ± 1.56 g/L before tigecycline treatment, and decreased to 2.92 ± 1.23 g/L during treatment, which was statistically significant (p < 0.001). The mean values of aPTT and PT were significantly increased from 39.58 ± 8.72 to 44.05 ± 10.45 s (p = 0.002), and from 15.37 ± 1.53 to 16.37 ± 2.64 s (p = 0.004), respectively. This study demonstrates that treatment of tigecycline could reduce FIB, prolong aPTT and PT. In conclusion, we advise that it is necessary for practitioners routinely monitor coagulation level in at-rick patient populations treated with tigecycline.