A randomized control trial to evaluate the effectiveness of intravenous, intra-articular and topical wash regimes of tranexamic acid in primary total knee arthroplasty

Pharmacological interventions for the prevention of bleeding in people undergoing elective hip or knee surgery: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Hip and knee replacement surgery is a well-established means of improving quality of life, but is associated with a significant risk of bleeding. One-third of people are estimated to be anaemic before hip or knee replacement surgery; coupled with the blood lost during surgery, up to 90% of individuals are anaemic postoperatively. As a result, people undergoing orthopaedic surgery receive 3.9% of all packed red blood cell transfusions in the UK. Bleeding and the need for allogeneic blood transfusions has been shown to increase the risk of surgical site infection and mortality, and is associated with an increased duration of hospital stay and costs associated with surgery. Reducing blood loss during surgery may reduce the risk of allogeneic blood transfusion, reduce costs and improve outcomes following surgery. Several pharmacological interventions are available and currently employed as part of routine clinical care.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the relative efficacy of pharmacological interventions for preventing blood loss in elective primary or revision hip or knee replacement, and to identify optimal administration of interventions regarding timing, dose and route, using network meta-analysis (NMA) methodology.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the following databases for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and systematic reviews, from inception to 18 October 2022: CENTRAL (the Cochrane Library), MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), CINAHL (EBSCOhost), Transfusion Evidence Library (Evidentia), ClinicalTrials.gov and WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP).

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included RCTs of people undergoing elective hip or knee surgery only. We excluded non-elective or emergency procedures, and studies published since 2010 that had not been prospectively registered (Cochrane Injuries policy). There were no restrictions on gender, ethnicity or age (adults only). We excluded studies that used standard of care as the comparator. Eligible interventions included: antifibrinolytics (tranexamic acid (TXA), aprotinin, epsilon-aminocaproic acid (EACA)), desmopressin, factor VIIa and XIII, fibrinogen, fibrin sealants and non-fibrin sealants.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We performed the review according to standard Cochrane methodology. Two authors independently assessed trial eligibility and risk of bias, and extracted data. We assessed the certainty of the evidence using CINeMA. We presented direct (pairwise) results using RevMan Web and performed the NMA using BUGSnet. We were interested in the following primary outcomes: need for allogenic blood transfusion (up to 30 days) and all-cause mortality (deaths occurring up to 30 days after the operation), and the following secondary outcomes: mean number of transfusion episodes per person (up to 30 days), re-operation due to bleeding (within seven days), length of hospital stay and adverse events related to the intervention received.

MAIN RESULTS

We included a total of 102 studies. Twelve studies did not report the number of included participants; the other 90 studies included 8418 participants. Trials included more women (64%) than men (36%). In the NMA for allogeneic blood transfusion, we included 47 studies (4398 participants). Most studies examined TXA (58 arms, 56%). We found that TXA, given intra-articularly and orally at a total dose of greater than 3 g pre-incision, intraoperatively and postoperatively, ranked the highest, with an anticipated absolute effect of 147 fewer blood transfusions per 1000 people (150 fewer to 104 fewer) (53% chance of ranking 1st) within the NMA (risk ratio (RR) 0.02, 95% credible interval (CrI) 0 to 0.31; moderate-certainty evidence). This was followed by TXA given orally at a total dose of 3 g pre-incision and postoperatively (RR 0.06, 95% CrI 0.00 to 1.34; low-certainty evidence) and TXA given intravenously and orally at a total dose of greater than 3 g intraoperatively and postoperatively (RR 0.10, 95% CrI 0.02 to 0.55; low-certainty evidence). Aprotinin (RR 0.59, 95% CrI 0.36 to 0.96; low-certainty evidence), topical fibrin (RR 0.86, CrI 0.25 to 2.93; very low-certainty evidence) and EACA (RR 0.60, 95% CrI 0.29 to 1.27; very low-certainty evidence) were not shown to be as effective compared with TXA at reducing the risk of blood transfusion. We were unable to perform an NMA for our primary outcome all-cause mortality within 30 days of surgery due to the large number of studies with zero events, or because the outcome was not reported. In the NMA for deep vein thrombosis (DVT), we included 19 studies (2395 participants). Most studies examined TXA (27 arms, 64%). No studies assessed desmopressin, EACA or topical fibrin. We found that TXA given intravenously and orally at a total dose of greater than 3 g intraoperatively and postoperatively ranked the highest, with an anticipated absolute effect of 67 fewer DVTs per 1000 people (67 fewer to 34 more) (26% chance of ranking first) within the NMA (RR 0.16, 95% CrI 0.02 to 1.43; low-certainty evidence). This was followed by TXA given intravenously and intra-articularly at a total dose of 2 g pre-incision and intraoperatively (RR 0.21, 95% CrI 0.00 to 9.12; low-certainty evidence) and TXA given intravenously and intra-articularly, total dose greater than 3 g pre-incision, intraoperatively and postoperatively (RR 0.13, 95% CrI 0.01 to 3.11; low-certainty evidence). Aprotinin was not shown to be as effective compared with TXA (RR 0.67, 95% CrI 0.28 to 1.62; very low-certainty evidence). We were unable to perform an NMA for our secondary outcomes pulmonary embolism, myocardial infarction and CVA (stroke) within 30 days, mean number of transfusion episodes per person (up to 30 days), re-operation due to bleeding (within seven days), or length of hospital stay, due to the large number of studies with zero events, or because the outcome was not reported by enough studies to build a network. There are 30 ongoing trials planning to recruit 3776 participants, the majority examining TXA (26 trials).

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

We found that of all the interventions studied, TXA is probably the most effective intervention for preventing bleeding in people undergoing hip or knee replacement surgery. Aprotinin and EACA may not be as effective as TXA at preventing the need for allogeneic blood transfusion. We were not able to draw strong conclusions on the optimal dose, route and timing of administration of TXA. We found that TXA given at higher doses tended to rank higher in the treatment hierarchy, and we also found that it may be more beneficial to use a mixed route of administration (oral and intra-articular, oral and intravenous, or intravenous and intra-articular). Oral administration may be as effective as intravenous administration of TXA. We found little to no evidence of harm associated with higher doses of tranexamic acid in the risk of DVT. However, we are not able to definitively draw these conclusions based on the trials included within this review.

Intra-articular versus intravenous administration of tranexamic acid in lower limb total arthroplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials

AIM

The ideal route of tranexamic acid (TXA) administration in total hip arthroplasty (THA) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA) remains controversial. This study aims to identify the optima route of TXA administration in THA or TKA.

METHODS

PUBMED, EMBASE, MEDLINE and CENTRAL database were systematically searched until 4 August 2021 for randomised studies that compared intravenous (IV) or intra-articular (IA) administration of TXA in THA or TKA.

RESULTS

Sixty-seven studies enrolling 8335 patients (IA: 4162; IV: 4173) were eligible for quantitative and qualitative analysis. Comparable results were demonstrated in the incidence of venous thromboembolisation (OR:0.96, p = 0.84), total blood loss (MD: - 9.05, p = 0.36), drain output (MD: - 7.36, p = 0.54), hidden blood loss (MD: - 6.85, p = 0.47), postoperative haemoglobin level (MD: 0.01, p = 0.91), haemoglobin drop (MD: - 0.10, p = 0.22), blood transfusion rate (OR: 0.99, p = 0.87), total adverse events (OR: 1.12, p = 0.28), postoperative range of motion (MD: 1.08, p = 0.36), postoperative VAS pain score (MD: 0.13, p = 0.24) and postoperative D-dimer level (MD: 0.61, p = 0.64). IV route of TXA administration was associated with significantly longer length of hospital stay compared to IA route of administration (MD: - 0.22, p = 0.01).

CONCLUSION

In this meta-analysis, both IV and IA route of TXA administration were equally effective in managing blood loss and postoperative outcomes in lower limb joints arthroplasty.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level 1. PROSPERO Registration CRD42021271355.

Effects of Tranexamic Acid on Hemorrhage Control and Deep Venous Thrombosis Rate After Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Background: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgery has a lot of complications, especially hemorrhage, which can be controlled via tranexamic acid (TXA). The guidelines endorse the integration of TXA interventions in the management of TKA-induced complications. However, uncertainty surrounds the effects of different TXA therapies. This frequentist model network meta-analysis (NMA) aims to compare hemorrhage control and deep venous thrombosis (DVT) rate of different TXA therapies in TKA.

Methods: Articles were searched with the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science from 1966 to October 2020. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing different TXA therapies, or with placebo in patients with TKA were included. Two investigators independently conducted article retrievals and data collection. The outcome was total blood loss and DVT rate. Effect size measures were mean differences (MDs), or odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We conducted a random-effects NMA using a frequentist approach to estimate relative effects for all comparisons and rank treatments according to the mean rank and surface under the cumulative ranking curve values. All analyses were performed in Stata software or R software. The study protocol was registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42020202404.

Results: We identified 1 754 citations and included 81 studies with data for 9 987 patients with TKA. Overall, all TXA therapies were superior to placebo for total blood loss in TKA. Of all TXA therapies, M therapy (IV/IV infusion + oral TXA > 3g) was most effective for total blood loss (MD=−688.48, −1084.04–−328.93), followed by F therapy (IV TXA ≥ 15 mg/kg or 1 g three times). TXA therapies in this study are not associated with the increase of DVT risk.

Conclusions: TXA therapies in this study are effective and safe for the treatment of TKA-induced complications. M therapy (IV/IV infusion + oral TXA > 3 g) may be the most effective TXA therapy for hemorrhage control. TXA therapies in this study do not increase DVT risk. Considering hemorrhage control and DVT rate simultaneously, F therapy (IV TXA ≥ 15 mg/kg or 1 g three times) may be suggested to apply for TKA, and this study may provide a crucial clue to future TXA use.

Association of Intravenous Tranexamic Acid With Thromboembolic Events and Mortality: A Systematic Review, Meta-analysis, and Meta-regression

IMPORTANCE

Tranexamic acid (TXA) is an efficient antifibrinolytic agent; however, concerns remain about the potential adverse effects, particularly vascular occlusive events, that may be associated with its use.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the association between intravenous TXA and total thromboembolic events (TEs) and mortality in patients of all ages and of any medical disciplines.

DATA SOURCE

Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and MEDLINE were searched for eligible studies investigating intravenous TXA and postinterventional outcome published between 1976 and 2020.

STUDY SELECTION

Randomized clinical trials comparing intravenous TXA with placebo/no treatment. The electronic database search yielded a total of 782 studies, and 381 were considered for full-text review. Included studies were published in English, German, French, and Spanish. Studies with only oral or topical tranexamic administration were excluded.

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS

Meta-analysis, subgroup and sensitivity analysis, and meta-regression were performed. This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) reporting guideline.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Vascular occlusive events and mortality.

RESULTS

A total of 216 eligible trials including 125 550 patients were analyzed. Total TEs were found in 1020 (2.1%) in the group receiving TXA and 900 (2.0%) in the control group. This study found no association between TXA and risk for total TEs (risk difference = 0.001; 95% CI, -0.001 to 0.002; P = .49) for venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, venous TEs, myocardial infarction or ischemia, and cerebral infarction or ischemia. Sensitivity analysis using the risk ratio as an effect measure with (risk ratio = 1.02; 95% CI, 0.94-1.11; P = .56) and without (risk ratio = 1.03; 95% CI, 0.95-1.12; P = .52) studies with double-zero events revealed robust effect size estimates. Sensitivity analysis with studies judged at low risk for selection bias showed similar results. Administration of TXA was associated with a significant reduction in overall mortality and bleeding mortality but not with nonbleeding mortality. In addition, an increased risk for vascular occlusive events was not found in studies including patients with a history of thromboembolism. Comparison of studies with sample sizes of less than or equal to 99 (risk difference = 0.004; 95% CI, -0.006 to 0.014; P = .40), 100 to 999 (risk difference = 0.004; 95% CI, -0.003 to 0.011; P = .26), and greater than or equal to 1000 (risk difference = -0.001; 95% CI, -0.003 to 0.001; P = .44) showed no association between TXA and incidence of total TEs. Meta-regression of 143 intervention groups showed no association between TXA dosing and risk for venous TEs (risk difference, -0.005; 95% CI, -0.021 to 0.011; P = .53).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Findings from this systematic review and meta-analysis of 216 studies suggested that intravenous TXA, irrespective of dosing, is not associated with increased risk of any TE. These results help clarify the incidence of adverse events associated with administration of intravenous TXA and suggest that TXA is safe for use with undetermined utility for patients receiving neurological care.

Prospective, randomised, controlled study on the efficacy and safety of different strategies of tranexamic acid with total blood loss, blood transfusion rate and thrombogenic biomarkers in total knee arthroplasty: study protocol

INTRODUCTION

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a common and highly effective orthopaedic procedure for treating end-stage knee osteoarthritis. Tranexamic acid (TXA) has become a routine part of perioperative care in TKAs. The best practices regarding the delivery method of TXA in TKA remain controversial. Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), thrombin-antithrombin (TAT) complexes and prothrombin fragment F1+2 (F1+2) have been demonstrated to be elevated in patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE). The aim of this trial was to investigate the most efficacious delivery method of TXA (comparison of intravenous and topical applications and comparison of three topical applications) and to evaluate the safety of TXA strategies by investigating the effect of TXA on the plasma D-dimer, PAI-1, TAT and F1+2 levels.

METHODS AND DESIGN

This trial is a prospective, randomised, controlled study that will evaluate the efficacy and safety of strategies of TXA. A total of 250 patients undergoing primary TKA will be randomly allocated to five groups for different TXA applications. The primary outcome is total blood loss. The secondary outcomes are blood transfusion rate, drainage volume, plasma D-dimer, PAI-1, TAT and F1+2 levels, maximum haemoglobin drop, wound complications, VTE and length of hospital stay.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This study's protocol is in accordance with the declaration of Helsinki. The ethics committee of the General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University approved this study (approval ID: 2020-505). The results of this study will be disseminated in international peer reviewed journals.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ChiCTR2000030624.

Effect of Multiple Doses of Intravenous Tranexamic Acid on Perioperative Blood Loss in Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Randomized Controlled Study

Objective

To identify the efficacy and safety of multiple doses of intravenous tranexamic acid (IV‐TXA) following primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) with a tourniquet.

Methods

This is a single‐blind randomized controlled study that recruited osteoarthritis patients who had undergone primary unilateral TKA from May 2019 to May 2020 at our medical center. A total of 300 patients were randomly divided into three groups to receive: one dose (1 g) of IV‐TXA before skin incision combined with one dose (1.5 g) of intra‐articular tranexamic acid（IA‐TXA) followed by a single dose of IV‐TXA (1 g) for 3 h (group A); two doses of IV‐TXA (1 g) for 3 and 6 h (group B); or three doses of IV‐TXA (1 g) for 3, 6, and 12 h (group C) postoperatively. TKA with a tourniquet was performed by the same surgical team. The primary outcomes were total blood cell loss (TBL), hidden blood loss (HBL), maximum hemoglobin (Hb) drop, and transfusion rate. Secondary outcomes were levels of C‐reactive protein (CRP) and D‐dimer, and the incidence of postoperative complications. One‐way analysis of variance, subgroup analysis, and multivariate correlation analysis were used to calculate the differences among the three groups.

Results

The study included 56 male and 244 female patients aged 60–80 years. The mean TBL, the mean HBL, and the maximum Hb drop in group C (471.2 ± 190.6 mL, 428.4 ± 190.3 mL, and 21.2 ± 3.8 g/L, respectively) were significantly lower than those in groups B (563.4 ± 224.6 mL, P = 0.030; 519.9 ± 226.4 mL, P = 0.033; and 23.2 ± 4.1 g/L, P = 0.001, respectively), and A (651.6 ± 254.1 mL, P < 0.001; 607.1 ± 254.3 mL, P < 0.001; and 25.1 ± 4.3 g/L, P < 0.001, respectively). No transfusions were required. The postoperative acute inflammatory reaction was less problematic for patients in Group C, and the incidence of thromboembolic events was similar among the groups (P > 0.05). In addition, there were positive correlations between the HBL and the tourniquet inflation time (r = 0.844, P < 0.001). Similarly, the level of CRP on POD1 (r = 0.393, P < 0.001) and POD3 (r = 0.149, P = 0.010), and the level of D‐dimer on POD1 (r = 0.382, P < 0.001) were positively correlated with the HBL.

Conclusion

Three doses of postoperative IV‐TXA decreased blood loss and diminished the postoperative inflammatory and fibrinolytic response more than a single dose or two doses in elderly patients following TKA without increasing the incidence of adverse events.

Intra-articular vs. intravenous administration: a meta-analysis of tranexamic acid in primary total knee arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

The optimal dosage and administration approach of tranexamic acid (TXA) in primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) remains controversial. In light of recently published 14 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), the study aims to incorporate the newly found evidence and compare the efficacy and safety of intra-articular (IA) vs. intravenous (IV) application of TXA in primary TKA.

METHODS

PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were searched for RCTs comparing IA with IV TXA for primary TKA. Primary outcomes included total blood loss (TBL) and drain output. Secondary outcomes included hidden blood loss (HBL), hemoglobin (Hb) fall, blood transfusion rate, perioperative complications, length of hospital stay, and tourniquet time.

RESULT

In all, 34 RCTs involving 3867 patients were included in our meta-analysis. Significant advantages of IA were shown on TBL (MD = 33.38, 95% CI = 19.24 to 47.51, P < 0.001), drain output (MD = 28.44, 95% CI = 2.61 to 54.27, P = 0.03), and postoperative day (POD) 3+ Hb fall (MD = 0.24, 95% CI = 0.09 to 0.39, P = 0.001) compared with IV. There existed no significant difference on HBL, POD1 and POD2 Hb fall, blood transfusion rate, perioperative complications, length of hospital stay, and tourniquet time between IA and IV.

CONCLUSION

Intra-articular administration of TXA is superior to intravenous in primary TKA patients regarding the performance on TBL, drain output, and POD3+ Hb fall, without increased risk of perioperative complications. Therefore, intra-articular administration is the recommended approach in clinical practice for primary TKA.

Multiple-dose tranexamic acid for perioperative blood loss in total knee arthroplasty in patients with rheumatoid arthritis：a single-blinded, randomised, parallel-controlled study protocol in China

INTRODUCTION

This clinical trial is designed to evaluate the effect of multiple-dose tranexamic acid (TXA) on perioperative blood loss in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

A randomised, single-blinded, parallel-controlled study will be designed. Patients with RA (age 50-75 years) undergoing unilateral primary end-stage total knee arthroplasty will be randomly divided into group A or group B. Group A will be treated with one dose of TXA (1 g; intravenous injection 3 hours postsurgery) and group B with three doses (1 g; intravenous injection at 3, 6 and 12 hours postsurgery) after surgery. The primary outcomes will be evaluated with blood loss, maximum haemoglobin drop and transfusion rate. The secondary outcomes will be evaluated with knee function and complications.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The Shanghai Guanghua Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine Ethics Committee approved in this study in July 2019. Informed consent will be obtained from all participants. Results of the trial will be published in the Dryad and repository in a peer-reviewed journal. Additionally, deidentified data collected and analysed for this study will be available for review from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ChiCTR1900025013.

Comparison of blood loss between intra-articular and intra-venous administration of tranexamic acid in primary total knee arthroplasty

OBJECTIVE

To compare the blood loss between intra-articular and intra-venous administration of tranexamic acid (TXA) in patients undergoing primary total knee arthroplasty.

DESIGN OF STUDY

It was a randomized controlled trial. Study duration and settings: This study was carried out at the Orthopedic Departments of Combined Military Hospital Lahore and Rawalpindi from Jan 2016 to March 2018.

METHODOLOGY

Patients of both the genders were involved this study who had age in the rage of 40-80 years undergoing primary unilateral total knee arthroplasty for degenerative conditions like osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. These patients were randomly divided into two treatment groups. Patients in IA group received intra-articular tranexamic acid while those in IV group received intravenous tranexamic acid. From all the patients, a written signed consent was taken.

FINDINGS

Females were predominant with male-to-female ratio of 1:3.7. The mean age of the patients was 67.3 ± 8.2 years while the mean BMI was 30.9 ± 2.9 Kg/m². Majority (n = 191, 95.5%) of the patients had osteoarthritis while remaining 9 (4.5%) patients had rheumatoid arthritis. There was no statistically significant difference between intra-articular and intra-venous administration of tranexamic acid in terms of mean post-operative hemoglobin (9.93 ± 1.14 vs. 9.87 ± 1.26 g/dL; p-value = 0.724), mean post-operative hematocrit (34.8 ± 1.66 vs. 34.73 ± 1.27%; p-value = 0.594), and mean fall in hemoglobin (2.27 ± 0.34 vs. 2.25 ± 0.30 g/dL; p-value = 0.587) and hematocrit (2.34 ± 0.94 vs. 2.46 ± 0.28%; p-value = 0.216).

CONCLUSION

Intra-articular administration of tranexamic acid was found to be as effective and safe as intra-venous administration in reducing blood loss in primary total knee arthroplasty. Due to convenience, the use of intra-articular administration of tranexamic acid after primary TKA may be considered in future practice.

High-dose (3 g) topical tranexamic acid has higher potency in reducing blood loss after total knee arthroplasty compared with low dose (500 mg): a double-blind randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Topical intra-articular tranexamic acid (IA-TXA) has been proven to be safe and effective in reducing postoperative blood loss after primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy of high dose (3 g) compared with low dose (500 mg) of IA-TXA in postoperative blood loss after primary TKA.

METHODS

A double-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted in 80 patients who had undergone primary TKA. The patients were divided into two groups according to intra-articular TXA doses: high-dose group (3 g IA-TXA) and low-dose group (500 mg IA-TXA). The drug was injected into the joint capsule after fascial closure without suction drainage. The primary outcomes were maximum hemoglobin drop (g/dL) and calculated total blood loss (mL). Postoperative blood transfusions, thromboembolic events and functional outcomes were also recorded.

RESULTS

The mean maximum hemoglobin drop was 1.3 g/dL lower in 3 g IA-TXA group compared to the 500 mg IA-TXA group [1.7 vs 3.0 g/dL, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.9-1.7 g/dL, P < 0.001]. The 3 g IA-TXA group had 370 mL less calculated total blood loss compared to the 500 mg IA-TXA group (551 vs 921 mL, 95% CI 252-489 mL, P < 0.001). One patient in the 500 mg IA-TXA group required transfusion, while no patient in the 3 g IA-TXA group received transfusion (P = 0.31). Any thromboembolic event was not found, and functional outcome was similar between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Application of high-dose, 3 g topical IA-TXA was 43% more effective in reducing postoperative blood loss compared with low dose of 500 mg in primary TKA. Optimal doses in between the above two doses may be a worthwhile further investigation.

Exclusion criteria and adverse events in perioperative trials of tranexamic acid: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Tranexamic acid (TXA) is an inexpensive therapy effective at minimizing perioperative blood loss and transfusion. However, it remains underutilized due to safety concerns. To date, no evidence-based guidelines exist identifying which patients should not receive TXA therapy. This study determined patient groups for whom safety information regarding TXA is lacking due to common exclusion from perioperative TXA trials.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

A systematic review searching the databases Medline, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and Clinicaltrials.gov was performed. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) administering systemic TXA perioperatively to elective or emergent surgery patients were eligible. Our primary outcome was to describe exclusion criteria of RCTs, and the secondary outcome was TXA safety. A descriptive synthesis of exclusion criteria was performed, and TXA safety was assessed by meta-analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 268 eligible RCTs were included. Meta-analysis showed that systemic TXA did not increase risk of adverse events compared to placebo or no intervention (relative risk, 1.05; 95% confidence interval, 0.99-1.12). Patient groups commonly excluded from perioperative TXA trials, and thus potentially lacking TXA safety data, were those with major comorbidities, a history of thromboembolism, medication use affecting coagulation, TXA allergy, and coagulopathy. Exclusion of patients with major comorbidities may not be necessary; we showed that the risk of adverse events was similar in studies that excluded patients with major comorbidities and those that did not.

CONCLUSION

Sufficient evidence exists to develop perioperative guidelines for TXA use in many populations. Further studies evaluating perioperative TXA use in patients with a history of thromboembolism are warranted.

Comparison of oral versus intra-articular tranexamic acid in enhanced-recovery primary total knee arthroplasty without tourniquet application: a randomized controlled trial

Background

Although randomized controlled trials have confirmed oral tranexamic acid (TXA) can provide similar blood-sparing efficacy compared with intravenous (IV) TXA in total knee arthroplasty (TKA), some concerns do remain about thromboembolic events after such systemic administration. Many studies have confirmed that intra-articular (IA) application of TXA can show similar blood-saving efficacy with minimal levels of systemic absorption compared with IV TXA. However, it remains unclear whether the efficacy and safety of oral TXA administration is equal to or less than that of IA administration in TKA without the use of a tourniquet and drain. Thus, this study was to verify non-inferior efficacy and safety of oral TXA compared with IA TXA in primary TKA.

Methods

A double-blind, randomized, controlled trial was performed to compare three oral doses of TXA (2 g of TXA 2 h before incision, and 1 g of TXA 6 and 12 h after surgery, respectively) with IA TXA (3 g of TXA in 100 mL of saline solution). One hundred forty-seven patients scheduled for TKA were randomized to one of the two interventions. The primary outcome was total blood loss. The secondary outcomes included reduction of hemoglobin concentration, clinical outcomes, blood coagulation values, thromboembolic complications, and transfusion rates.

Results

The mean total blood loss was 788.8 mL in the oral TXA group compared with 872.4 mL in the IA TXA group, with no statistical significance (p > 0.05). There were no significant differences in reduction of hemoglobin level, blood coagulation level, and clinical outcomes. The transfusion rates were 4% in oral group and 5% IA group, respectively. Also, no significant differences were identified in thromboembolic complications.

Conclusion

Oral TXA according to the described protocol demonstrated non-inferiority for primary TKA, with no safety concerns and a greatly reduced cost, compared with the IA TXA. This randomized controlled trial supports the oral administration of TXA in TKA.

Trial registration

The trial was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR-INR-17010968) dated 23rd March 2017.