Bleeding complications of thromboprophylaxis with dabigatran, nadroparin or rivaroxaban for 6 weeks after total knee arthroplasty surgery: a randomised pilot study

Efficacy and safety of commonly used thromboprophylaxis agents following hip and knee arthroplasty

Aims

We investigated the efficacy and safety profile of commonly used venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis agents following hip and knee arthroplasty.

Methods

A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and OrthoSearch was performed. Prophylaxis agents investigated were aspirin (< 325 mg and ≥ 325 mg daily), enoxaparin, dalteparin, fondaparinux, unfractionated heparin, warfarin, rivaroxaban, apixaban, and dabigatran. The primary efficacy outcome of interest was the risk of VTE, whereas the primary safety outcomes of interest were the risk of major bleeding events (MBE) and wound complications (WC). VTE was defined as the confirmed diagnosis of any deep vein thrombosis and/or pulmonary embolism. Network meta-analysis combining direct and indirect evidence was performed. Cluster rank analysis using the surface under cumulative ranking (SUCRA) was applied to compare each intervention group, weighing safety and efficacy outcomes.

Results

Of 86 studies eligible studies, cluster rank analysis showed that aspirin < 325 mg daily (SUCRA-VTE 89.3%; SUCRA-MBE 75.3%; SUCRA-WC 71.1%), enoxaparin (SUCRA-VTE 55.7%; SUCRA-MBE 49.8%; SUCRA-WC 45.2%), and dabigatran (SUCRA-VTE 44.9%; SUCRA-MBE 52.0%; SUCRA-WC 41.9%) have an overall satisfactory efficacy and safety profile.

Conclusion

We recommend the use of either aspirin < 325 mg daily, enoxaparin, or dabigatran for VTE prophylaxis following hip and knee arthroplasty.

The safety and efficacy of NOACs versus LMWH for thromboprophylaxis after THA or TKA: A systemic review and meta-analysis

The differences in the safety and efficacy of anticoagulation between different types of new oral anticoagulants(NOACs) and low molecular weight heparin(LMWH) are still controversial. The main purposes of this study were to analyze safety and efficacy of NOACs versus LMWH for thromboprophylaxis, and perform subgroup analyses stratified by individual NOACs and different populations after total hip arthroplasty (THA) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Literature search was performed in PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CNKI and Wanfang databases until June 31, 2022. This systematic review and meta-analysis included 46 randomized controlled trials (RCT) with 39, 924 patients. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of thromboprophylaxis between LMWH and NOACs. NOACs were more effective in reducing deep vein thrombosis (DVT) (RR0.59; 95%CI 0.49-0.71) and adverse events (RR: 0.96; 95%CI: 0.93-0.99) than LMWH. The subgroup analyses for different anticoagulants revealed that rivaroxaban (RR:0.49; 95%CI:0.36-0.66), apixaban (RR: 0.54; 95%CI: 0.36-0.81) and edoxaban (RR:0.49; 95%CI: 0.32-0.75) have the lower risk of DVT than LMWH. Apixaban (RR:0.89; 95%CI: 0.80-1.00) had superior prevention of bleeding to LMWH. Edoxaban exhibited a lower risk of VTE (RR: 0.46; 95%CI: 0.33-0.65), advantage events (RR: 0.87; 95%CI: 0.82-0.93), and drug-related adverse events (DRAEs) (RR: 0.64; 95%CI: 0.53-0.76) than LMWH. East Asian population was superior to western population for preventing DVT, advantage events, and DRAE using NOACs. In conclusion, NOACs are more effective than LMWH at preventing DVT and adverse events after arthroplasty. Apixaban has lower bleeding than LMWH, and East Asian populations may benefit more than western population from NOACs.

Association of ABCB1 gene polymorphisms rs1128503, rs2032582, rs4148738 with anemia in patients receiving dabigatran after total knee arthroplasty

PURPOSE

Dabigatran is usually prescribed in recommended doses without monitoring of the blood coagulation for the prevention of venous thromboembolism after joint arthroplasty. ABCB1 is a key gene in the metabolism of dabigatran etexilate. Its allele variants are likely to play a pivotal role in the occurrence of hemorrhagic complications.

METHODS

The prospective study included 127 patients with primary knee osteoarthritis undergoing total knee arthroplasty. Patients with anemia and coagulation disorders, elevated transaminase and creatinine levels as well as already receiving anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapy were excluded from the study. The association of ABCB1 gene polymorphisms rs1128503, rs2032582, rs4148738 with anemia as the outcome of dabigatran therapy was evaluated by single-nucleotide polymorphism analysis with a real-time polymerase chain reaction assay and laboratory blood tests. The beta regression model was used to predict the effect of polymorphisms on the studied laboratory markers. The probability of the type 1 error (p) was less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. BenjaminiHochberg was used to correct for significance levels in multiple hypothesis tests. All calculations were performed using Rprogramming language v3.6.3.

RESULTS

For all polymorphisms there was no association with the level of platelets, protein, creatinine, alanine transaminase, prothrombin, international normalized ratio, activated partial thromboplastin time and fibrinogen. Carriers of rs1128503 (TT) had a significant decrease of hematocrit (p = 0.001), red blood count and hemoglobin (p = 0.015) while receiving dabigatran therapy during the postoperative period compared to the CC, CT. Carriers of rs2032582 (TT) had a significant decrease of hematocrit (p = 0.001), red blood count and hemoglobin (p = 0.006) while receiving dabigatran therapy during the postoperative period compared to the GG, GT phenotypes. These differences were not observed in carriers of rs4148738.

CONCLUSION

It might be necessary to reconsider thromboprophylaxis with dabigatran in carriers of rs1128503 (TT) or rs2032582 (TT) polymorphisms in favor of other new oral anticoagulants. The long-term implication of these findings would be the reduction of bleeding complications after total joint arthroplasty.

Pharmacological Thromboprophylaxis in People with Hemophilia Experiencing Orthopedic Surgery: What Does the Literature Say in 2023?

This narrative review of the literature, consisting of papers found in PubMed and The Cochrane Library published up to 31 July 2023, analyzed those that were deemed to be closely related to the title of this paper. It was encountered that the peril of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in people with hemophilia (PWH) after orthopedic surgery is very small, such that pharmacological thromboprophylaxis is not necessary in most cases. The hemophilia literature states that the use of pharmacological thromboprophylaxis should only be performed in PWH undergoing major orthopedic surgery (total-knee arthroplasty, total-hip arthroplasty, ankle arthrodesis) who have additional venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk factors, such as old age, prior VTE, varicose veins, general anesthesia, cancer, factor V (Leiden) mutation, overweight, and treatment with the oral contraceptive pill (in females with von Willebrand's illness). If we notice various risk factors for VTE in PWH who experience orthopedic surgery, theoretically, we should perform the identical type of pharmacological thromboprophylaxis advised for non-hemophilia patients: low-molecular weight heparins (LMWHs), such as enoxaparin (40 mg subcutaneous/24 h); or direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), either thrombin inhibitors (dabigatran, 150 mg oral/12 h) or activated factor X (FXa) inhibitors (rivaroxaban, 20 mg oral/24 h; apixaban, 5 mg oral/24 h), or subcutaneous fondaparinux (2.5 mg/24 h subcutaneously). However, the review of the literature on hemophiliac patients has shown that only a few authors have used pharmacological prophylaxis with LMWH (subcutaneous enoxaparin) for a short period of time (10-14 days) in some patients who had risk factors for VTE. Only one group of authors used a low dose of DOAC in the dusk after the surgical procedure and the next day, specifically in individuals at elevated risk of VTE and elevated risk of bleeding after the surgical procedure.

Oral direct thrombin inhibitors or oral factor Xa inhibitors versus conventional anticoagulants for the treatment of deep vein thrombosis

BACKGROUND

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a condition in which a clot forms in the deep veins, most commonly of the leg. It occurs in approximately one in 1000 people. If left untreated, the clot can travel up to the lungs and cause a potentially life-threatening pulmonary embolism (PE). Previously, a DVT was treated with the anticoagulants heparin and vitamin K antagonists. However, two forms of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have been developed: oral direct thrombin inhibitors (DTIs) and oral factor Xa inhibitors, which have characteristics that may be favourable compared to conventional treatment, including oral administration, a predictable effect, lack of frequent monitoring or dose adjustment and few known drug interactions. DOACs are now commonly being used for treating DVT: recent guidelines recommended DOACs over conventional anticoagulants for both DVT and PE treatment. This Cochrane Review was first published in 2015. It was the first systematic review to measure the effectiveness and safety of these drugs in the treatment of DVT. This is an update of the 2015 review.  OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness and safety of oral DTIs and oral factor Xa inhibitors versus conventional anticoagulants for the long-term treatment of DVT.

SEARCH METHODS

The Cochrane Vascular Information Specialist searched the Cochrane Vascular Specialised Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase and CINAHL databases and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and ClinicalTrials.gov trials registers to 1 March 2022.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in which people with a DVT, confirmed by standard imaging techniques, were allocated to receive an oral DTI or an oral factor Xa inhibitor compared with conventional anticoagulation or compared with each other for the treatment of DVT.  DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We used standard Cochrane methods. Our primary outcomes were recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE), recurrent DVT and PE. Secondary outcomes included all-cause mortality, major bleeding, post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) and quality of life (QoL). We used GRADE to assess the certainty of evidence for each outcome.

MAIN RESULTS

We identified 10 new studies with 2950 participants for this update. In total, we included 21 RCTs involving 30,895 participants. Three studies investigated oral DTIs (two dabigatran and one ximelagatran), 17 investigated oral factor Xa inhibitors (eight rivaroxaban, five apixaban and four edoxaban) and one three-arm trial investigated both a DTI (dabigatran) and factor Xa inhibitor (rivaroxaban). Overall, the studies were of good methodological quality. Meta-analysis comparing DTIs to conventional anticoagulation showed no clear difference in the rate of recurrent VTE (odds ratio (OR) 1.17, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.83 to 1.65; 3 studies, 5994 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), recurrent DVT (OR 1.11, 95% CI 0.74 to 1.66; 3 studies, 5994 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), fatal PE (OR 1.32, 95% CI 0.29 to 6.02; 3 studies, 5994 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), non-fatal PE (OR 1.29, 95% CI 0.64 to 2.59; 3 studies, 5994 participants; moderate-certainty evidence) or all-cause mortality (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.41 to 1.08; 1 study, 2489 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). DTIs reduced the rate of major bleeding (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.38 to 0.89; 3 studies, 5994 participants; high-certainty evidence).   For oral factor Xa inhibitors compared with conventional anticoagulation, meta-analysis demonstrated no clear difference in recurrent VTE (OR 0.85, 95% CI 0.71 to 1.01; 13 studies, 17,505 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), recurrent DVT (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.49 to 1.01; 9 studies, 16,439 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), fatal PE (OR 1.18, 95% CI 0.69 to 2.02; 6 studies, 15,082 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), non-fatal PE (OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.68 to 1.27; 7 studies, 15,166 participants; moderate-certainty evidence) or all-cause mortality (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.67 to 1.14; 9 studies, 10,770 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). Meta-analysis showed a reduced rate of major bleeding with oral factor Xa inhibitors compared with conventional anticoagulation (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.89; 17 studies, 18,066 participants; high-certainty evidence).  AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: The current review suggests that DOACs may be superior to conventional therapy in terms of safety (major bleeding), and are probably equivalent in terms of efficacy. There is probably little or no difference between DOACs and conventional anticoagulation in the prevention of recurrent VTE, recurrent DVT, pulmonary embolism and all-cause mortality. DOACs reduced the rate of major bleeding compared to conventional anticoagulation. The certainty of evidence was moderate or high.

Prophylaxis for Venous Thromboembolic Events in Elective Total Hip and Total Knee Arthroplasty

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a serious complication after major orthopaedic operations, such as a total hip (THA) and knee (TKA) arthroplasty. Therefore, perioperative VTE prophylaxis is recommended; a multitude of modern options are available, including both pharmacologic (aspirin, unfractionated and lowmolecular-weight heparin, vitamin K antagonists, and novel oral anticoagulants) and/or mechanical interventions (early mobilization, graduated compression stockings, intermittent pneumatic compression devices, and venous foot pumps). However, because of the abundance of these possibilities, it is crucial to understand the benefits and drawbacks of each VTE prophylaxis option to ensure that the optimal treatment plan is developed for each patient. The American College of Chest Physicians (AACP) and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) have both published individual guidelines on VTE prophylaxis regimens, alongside numerous studies evaluating the efficacy and outcomes of the different prophylaxis modalities. The purpose of this review is to provide a summary of the evidence on VTE prophylaxis after elective total hip and knee arthroplasty based on current guidelines and highlight the major concerns and potential complications.

Changes in Thromboelastography to Predict Ecchymosis After Knee Arthroplasty: A Promising Guide for the Use of Anticoagulants

Background

Ecchymosis is one of the worrisome complications after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and interferes with functional rehabilitation. Current clinical guidelines do not provide individualized approaches for patients with ecchymoses.

Methods

In this study, we used thromboelastography (TEG) to determine the coagulation state after TKA and to then explore markers that predict the occurrence of ecchymosis events after TKA. In our cohort, patients were divided into ecchymosis (n = 55) and non-ecchymosis (n = 137) groups according to whether ecchymosis events occurred after TKA. Rivaroxaban 10 mg/d was taken orally for thromboprophylaxis after surgery. All patients completed TEG testing. Correlation analysis was used to determine the risk factors for ecchymosis after TKA, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for variables with significant correlation were plotted.

Results

In all, 55 of the 192 patients (28.65%) developed ecchymosis surrounding the surgical site. Multivariate analysis showed that hidden blood loss (OR = 1.003 and p = 0.005) and changes in the coagulation index (ΔCI) values (OR = 0.351 and p = 0.001) were risk factors for ecchymosis after TKA. Using the Youden index, 0.1805 was determined as the optimal threshold value of ΔCI for predicting the occurrence of ecchymosis, with a sensitivity of 74.55% and specificity of 72.99%. ΔCI is a promising marker as an alarm for the occurrence of ecchymosis after TKA.

Trial Registration

The study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR1800017245). Registered name: The role of thrombelastography in monitoring the changes of coagulation function during perioperative period of arthroplasty. Registered 19 July 2018. http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=29220

Safety and Efficacy of Low Molecular Weight Heparin for Thromboprophylaxis in the Elderly: A Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials

Background: Given their changing pathophysiology, elderly patients carry a high risk of embolism and bleeding events; hence, use of appropriate anticoagulants is very important. Low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) is one of the most widely used anticoagulants although LMWHs differ in their anti-Xa, antithrombin, and anticoagulant activities. To date, no study has directly compared the safety and efficacy of different LMWHs in the elderly. We aimed to compare such differences by conducting a network meta-analysis.

Methods: We searched the Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of LMWHs that included patients ≥60 years old up to July 22, 2020. Safety outcomes included venous thromboembolism (VTE) or VTE-related death, deep thrombus embolism, and pulmonary embolism. Safety outcomes were clinically relevant bleeding, major bleeding, minor bleeding, and all-cause death. We calculated relative ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for all outcomes. The cumulative ranking probabilities (SUCRA) were conducted to rank the comparative effects and safety of all LMWHs.

Results: We included 27 RCTs (30,441 elderly), comprising five LMWHs. LMWH was more effective than placebo in preventing VTE or VTE-related death (RR 0.36, 95% CI 0.25–0.53) but less effective than a novel oral anticoagulant (RR 1.59, 95% CI 1.33–1.91) and safer than acenocoumarol regarding risk of clinically relevant bleeding (RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.49–0.90). However, indirect comparison of efficacy and safety of the five LMWHs showed no significant difference in our network analysis, and the subgroup analyses (such as in patients with deep venous thrombosis, cardiac disease, or age >65 years old) supported the results. The SUCRA showed that tinzaparin performed best in preventing VTE or VTE-related death (SUCRA 68.8%, cumulative probability 42.3%) and all-cause death (SUCRA 84.2%, cumulative probability 40.7%), whereas nadroparin was predominant in decreasing the risk of clinically relevant bleeding (SUCRA 84.8%, cumulative probability 77.0%).

Conclusions: On present evidence, there are no significant differences in the efficacy and safety of different LMWHs for the elderly. According to the rank probability analysis, nadroparin seems to be safer for the elderly with a high risk of bleeding, whereas tinzaparin is more effective for those with low bleeding risk.

Wound complications and bleeding with new oral anticoagulants in patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

AIMS

The results of associations between new oral anticoagulants (NOACs) and wound complications after total joint arthroplasty remain inconsistent. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to make comparisons with low molecular weight heparins (LMWH) on the clinical outcomes of total wound complications, together with other efficacy and safety endpoints to further evaluate the safety and efficacy of NOACs.

METHODS

This meta-analysis was conducted based on a published protocol (PROSPERO: CRD42019140841). We searched for available articles in PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library through Jun 62 021. Random-effects meta-analyses, including subgroup analyses, were conducted to estimate the pooled relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for specific doses of NOACs.

RESULTS

We retrieved 1683 studies, of which 20 were eligible for inclusion. We found that apixaban was associated with a lower incidence of total wound complications compared with LMWH (RR = 0.81; 95% CI: 0.65-1.00), while dabigatran and rivaroxaban did not increase the risk of total wound complications. In addition, apixaban was associated with a reduction in the risk of major/clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding events compared to LMWH (RR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.65-0.99), while rivaroxaban increased the risk for major/clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding events (RR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.02-1.50). Moreover, all 4 NOACs were associated with lower incidences of major venous thromboembolism compared with LMWH.

CONCLUSION

A lower risk of wound complications was detected for apixaban, while dabigatran and rivaroxaban did not increase the risk when compared with LMWH. The efficacy of 4 NOACs was broadly similar.