Massive epistaxis in a patient with Eisenmenger syndrome: illustrating the clot-versus-bleed conundrum

Idarucizumab in High-risk Thoracic Surgery

Direct oral anticoagulants have suggested a favorable profile compared with vitamin K antagonists. However, the lack of treatment to reverse the effect of direct oral anticoagulants has limited its use in some patients who require rapid reversal of anticoagulation, as those included in the transplant waiting list. Idarucizumab is a recently approved drug to reverse the anticoagulant effect of dabigatran. However, the clinical experience when using this drug is scarce. Herein, we present a clinical case on anticoagulation reversal with idarucizumab to perform heart and lung transplantation in a patient with Eisenmenger syndrome.

Platelet abnormalities in adults with severe pulmonary arterial hypertension related to congenital heart defects (Eisenmenger syndrome)

Patients with severe pulmonary arterial hypertension suffer from life-threatening thrombotic and bleeding complications. The aim of this study was to compare selected platelet, endothelial, and coagulation parameters in healthy volunteers and patients with severe pulmonary arterial hypertension because of congenital heart defects. The study included healthy volunteers (n = 50) and patients with cyanotic congenital heart defects classified as Eisenmenger syndrome (n = 41). We investigated platelet count, mean platelet volume, and platelet aggregation - spontaneous and induced by various concentrations of five agonists. Von Willebrand factor (vWF), fibrinogen, factor VIII and XII, plasminogen activator inhibitor, antithrombin, D-dimer, and antiphospholipid antibodies were also investigated. We found a decreased platelet count [190 (147-225) vs. 248 (205-295) 10 l, P < 0.0001], higher mean platelet volume [10.9 (10.1-12.0) vs. 10.2 (9.4-10.4) fl, P < 0.0001], and significantly decreased platelet aggregation (induced by five agonists, in various concentrations) in patients with Eisenmenger syndrome compared with controls. These changes were accompanied by an increase of plasma vWF antigen [141.6 (108.9-179.1) vs. 117.4 (9.2-140.7) IU/dl, P = 0.022] and serum anti-β2-glycoprotein [2.07 (0.71-3.41) vs. 0.47 (0.18-0.99) U/ml, P < 0.0001]. Eisenmenger syndrome is accompanied by platelet abnormalities. Thrombocytopenia with increased platelet size is probably due to a higher platelet turnover associated with platelet activation. Impaired platelet aggregation can reflect specific platelet behaviour in patients with Eisenmenger syndrome. These changes can be related both to bleeding and to thrombotic events. A higher vWF antigen may be a consequence of endothelial damage in Eisenmenger syndrome, but the cause for an increase of anti-β2-glycoprotein is unknown.