Effect of oral anticoagulants on hemostatic and thromboembolic complications in hip fracture: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Perioperative Management of Traditional and Direct Oral Anticoagulants in Hip Fracture Patients

Hip fractures are an increasingly common injury in the senior population and almost always require surgical fixation or prosthetic replacement. These surgeries, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, are considered high-risk for bleeding, especially in a population fraught with comorbidities and often presenting on anticoagulation medications. Direct oral anticoagulants represent a class of drugs that have been becoming more popular in use in this population, with many benefits over the historically used Warfarin. There are recommendations for preoperative discontinuation and postoperative resumption of these medications, which can be more readily managed for elective surgeries. However, there is a paucity of literature detailing best practice guidelines for the perioperative management of direct oral anticoagulants when a patient presents with a hip fracture. This review article summary of the periprocedural management of DOACs for hip surgery was developed by examining the American College of Chest Physicians evidence-based clinical practice guidelines, Perioperative Guidelines on Antiplatelet and Anticoagulant Agents written by anesthesiologists, various retrospective studies, and drug labels for pharmacokinetic data. These recommendations should be used as a guideline, along with the collaboration of multidisciplinary hospital teams during inpatient admission, to manage these complex patients.

Management of patients with proximal femur fractures under DOACs

PURPOSE

In the past, preinjury direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) intake has led to delays in time to surgery (TTS) in patients with proximal femur fractures and delays in surgery have been associated with impaired outcomes. Although healthcare institutions/federal committees have set rules for treatment within 24 h of injury, comprehensive guidelines for the perioperative management of these patients, in particular when on preinjury DOACs, are still lacking. This contribution aims to summarize the current evidence on the safe time window for surgery in patients with proximal femur fractures on preinjury DOACs and to outline therapeutic options if emergency DOAC reversal becomes necessary.

METHODS

Narrative review based upon selective review of the pertinent literature.

RESULTS

For the majority of patients with proximal femur fractures and on preinjury DOACs, early surgery appears safe as soon as medical clearance has been obtained. There may be an increase in the need for blood products but with data not yet conclusive. Work-up including assessment of remaining anticoagulant activity and potential reversal should be restricted to patients at risk for bleeding complications, in particular in the presence of renal/hepatic impairment. Methodology for rapid assessment of DOACs including quantitative/qualitative concentration levels is work in progress. In the case of bleeding, rapidly acting reversal agents are available.

CONCLUSION

Preinjury DOAC use should not routinely delay surgery in patients with proximal femur fractures.

Should recommended laboratory-test cut-offs allowing surgery be followed for proximal femoral fractures in patients on direct oral anticoagulant therapy?

BACKGROUND

Proximal femoral fractures (PFFs) in elderly patients must receive prompt surgical treatment. Optimal PFF-surgery timing in patients on direct oral anticoagulant (DOA) therapy is a specific but common clinical issue. Recommendations exist about the anti-Xa or anti-IIa levels and creatinine clearance values required to allow surgery. The objectives of this study in patients older than 75 years who required PFF surgery were to evaluate bleeding when the recommendations were versus were not applied and to assess concordance between DOA-activity-assay results and creatinine clearance used to help determine the wait to surgery.

HYPOTHESIS

Peri-operative bleeding is more marked when surgery is performed while the DOA is still active.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This single-centre, retrospective, comparative, observational study included 87 patients older than 75 years who required arthroplasty or intra-medullary nailing for PFF and were taking DOA therapy. Surgery was performed after versus before the laboratory-test results fell below the recommended cut-offs in 68 patients (Rec+ group) versus 19 patients (Rec- group), respectively. The study outcomes were blood loss estimated using the Mercuriali's formula and the proportion of patients requiring post-operative blood transfusions.

RESULTS

Mean blood loss was 287.1mL in the Rec+ group and 411.7mL in the Rec- group (p=0.12). Blood transfusions were required by a post-operative haemoglobin level below 0.8g/dL in 11 (16.2%) Rec+ patients and 6 (31.6%) Rec- patients (p=0.2). Concordance was poor between DOA activity and creatinine clearance (Cohen's κ, 0.16; p=0.146).

DISCUSSION

Peri-operative bleeding was not significantly more severe when PFF surgery was performed while DOA therapy was still active. These data suggest that PFF surgery within 48h may be appropriate in patients older than 75 years on DOA therapy.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV; retrospective single-centre study.

Anticoagulation drug use and rehabilitation outcomes in post-acute hip fractured patients

PURPOSE

To assess the relationship between anticoagulant use and rehabilitation outcomes in post-acute hip fracture patients.

METHODS

A retrospective study (1/2017 to 5/2019) of 299 hip fractured patients.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Functional Independence Measure (FIM) and the motor FIM's effectiveness.

RESULTS

Patients treated with anticoagulation drugs exhibited a significant longer latency time from fracture to surgery (U = -4.37, p < 0.001) and from surgery to rehabilitation (U=-2.27, p = 0.023), and a significantly higher rate of cardiovascular diseases (χ2=0.15, p= 0.023) compared with untreated patients. No significant differences between the two patient groups were found regarding the rate of blood transfusions, perioperative complications (infections, reoperation), or functional outcome measures.

CONCLUSIONS

Oral anticoagulants are not associated with rehabilitation outcomes of hip fracture patients.Implications rehabilitationAnticoagulation drug use is not associated with functional outcome of post-acute hip fracture patients.It is recommended to renew oral anticoagulants for patients on chronic treatment after surgery since no negative outcomes were found during rehabilitation under anticoagulant treatment and in light of the importance of these drugs in preventing thromboembolic complications.

Post hip fracture orthogeriatric care-a Canadian position paper addressing challenges in care and strategies to meet quality indicators

INTRODUCTION

Osteoporosis is a major disease state associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and health care costs. Less than half of the individuals sustaining a low energy hip fracture are diagnosed and treated for the underlying osteoporosis.

OBJECTIVE

A multidisciplinary Canadian hip fracture working group has developed practical recommendations to meet Canadian quality indicators in post hip fracture care.

METHODS

A comprehensive narrative review was conducted to identify and synthesize key articles on post hip fracture orthogeriatric care for each of the individual sections and develop recommendations. These recommendations are based on the best evidence available today.

CONCLUSION

Recommendations are anticipated to reduce recurrent fractures, improve mobility and healthcare outcomes post hip fracture, and reduce healthcare costs. Key messages to enhance postoperative care are also provided.

The Effect of Warfarin Use on Postoperative Outcomes after Femoral Neck Surgery

Introduction: Anticoagulation use in the elderly is common for patients undergoing femoral neck hip surgery. However, its use presents a challenge to balance it with associated comorbidities and benefits for the patients. As such, we attempted to compare the risk factors, perioperative outcomes, and postoperative outcomes of patients who used warfarin preoperatively and patients who used therapeutic enoxaparin. Methods: From 2003 through 2014, we queried our database to determine the cohorts of patients who used warfarin preoperatively and the patients who used therapeutic enoxaparin. Risk factors included age, gender, Body Mass Index (BMI) > 30, Atrial Fibrillation (AF), Chronic Heart Failure (CHF), and Chronic Renal Failure (CRF). Postoperative outcomes were also collected at each of the patients' follow-up visits, including number of hospitalization days, delays to theatre, and mortality rate. Results: The minimum follow-up was 24 months and the average follow-up was 39 months (range: 24-60 months). In the warfarin cohort, there were 140 patients and 2055 patients in the therapeutic enoxaparin cohort. Number of hospitalization days (8.7 vs. 9.8, p = 0.02), mortality rate (58.7% vs. 71.4%, p = 0.003), and delays to theatre (1.70 vs. 2.86, p < 0.0001) were significantly longer for the anticoagulant cohort than the therapeutic enoxaparin cohort. Warfarin use best predicted number of hospitalization days (p = 0.00) and delays to theatre (p = 0.01), while CHF was the best predictor of mortality rate (p = 0.00). Postoperative complications, such as Pulmonary Embolism (PE) (p = 0.90), Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) (p = 0.31), and Cerebrovascular Accidents (CVA) (p = 0.72), pain levels (p = 0.95), full weight-bearing status (p = 0.08), and rehabilitation use (p = 0.34) were similar between the cohorts. Conclusion: Warfarin use is associated with increased number of hospitalization days and delays to theatre, but does not affect the postoperative outcome, including DVT, CVA, and pain levels compared to therapeutic enoxaparin use. Warfarin use proved to be the best predictor of hospitalization days and delays to theatre while CHF predicted mortality rate.

Timing and safety of hip fracture surgery in patients on direct-acting oral anticoagulants

Background

Many geriatric patients presenting for emergency hip fracture surgery are on direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) most of which are not easily reversible. A safe policy was required to reduce delays to surgery. Prior to institution of our hospital's protocol in January 2021, most of these patients had surgery after 48 h following the last dose of DOAC due to concerns about increased perioperative blood loss.

Methods

This was a prospective closed loop audit of the protocol-surgery within 24 h from last dose of DOAC (if creatinine clearance >50 ml/min) with administration of 1-g of tranexamic acid at anesthesia induction. 131 eligible patients (DOAC, n = 22; no anticoagulation, n = 109) between January-June 2021 who had emergency hip fracture surgery were identified. Primary outcome measures were peri-operative blood loss, transfusion requirements and policy compliance. Secondary outcome measures were 30-day mortality, thrombotic complications and wound bleeding.

Results

Compliance with surgical timing and tranexamic acid administration were 55% and 81% respectively after the second audit cycle. The mean estimated blood loss (EBL) in the DOAC group versus the non-anticoagulated control group was 500 ml and 330 ml respectively. The difference between these groups was statistically significant at an alpha level of 5% (P = 0.0115, 95% CI 38.48-299.16). The difference for intra-operative (RR 3.43; 95% CI 1.68-7.01) and post-operative blood transfusion (RR 2.10; 95% CI 1.23-3.58) for the 2 groups was also statistically significant. However, there was no case of massive blood transfusion in both groups. The DOAC group had a lower risk for 30-day mortality (RR 0.71; 95% CI 0.09-5.46). There was no major thrombotic complication in the DOAC group.

Conclusion

This audit has shown that this protocol is safe although clinicians should anticipate some degree of increased intra-operative blood loss. We will recommend continuation of this policy with sustained safety monitoring in order to reduce delays to surgery.

Practice-Changing Updates in Perioperative Medicine Literature 2020-2021: A Systematic Review

Recent literature published in a variety of multidisciplinary journals has significantly influenced perioperative patient care. Distilling and synthesizing the clinically important literature can be challenging. This review summarizes practice-changing articles in perioperative medicine from the years 2020 and 2021. Embase, Ovid, and EBM reviews databases were queried from January 2020 to December 2021. Inclusion criteria were original research, systematic review, meta-analysis, and important guidelines. Exclusion criteria were conference abstracts, case reports, letters, protocols, pediatric and obstetric articles, and cardiac surgery literature. Two authors reviewed each reference using the Distiller SR systematic review software (Evidence Partners Inc., Ottawa, Ont., Canada). A modified Delphi technique was used to identify 9 practice-changing articles. We identified another 13 articles for tabular summaries, as they were relevant to an internist's perioperative evaluation of a patient. Articles were selected to highlight the clinical implications of new evidence in each field. We have also pointed out limitations of each study and clinical populations where they are not applicable.