Long-term use of tinzaparin for the treatment of cancer-associated thrombosis in clinical practice: Insights from the prospective TROPIQUE study

BACKGROUND

Real word data on the efficacy and safety of long-term use of tinzaparin for the treatment of cancer-associated thrombosis (CAT) are scarce.

METHODS

We performed a post-hoc analysis of all cancer patients included in the prospective multicenter observational TROPIQUE study who received long-term treatment with tinzaparin for a first venous thromboembolism (VTE) event. We evaluated the patterns of anticoagulant prescription, the adherence to clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for the treatment of CAT, and the clinical outcomes within a 6-month follow-up.

RESULTS

In total, 301 patients were included in this post-hoc analysis. At study entry, their mean age was 64.6±11.9years and 143 (47.5%) patients were men. The most frequent cancer type was gastrointestinal (23.9%), followed by breast (17.9%) and lung (15.3%) cancer. At time of VTE diagnosis, 164 (57.8%) patients had metastatic disease and 245 (81.42%) were receiving chemotherapy. Based on the aggregation of all study pre-defined criteria, tinzaparin prescription was fully compliant with CPGs in 219 (72.8%) patients. The mean effective treatment duration with tinzaparin was 6.07±0.17months. At 6-month follow-up, the cumulative incidence of recurrent VTE was 5.4% (95% CI: 3.2-9.2%) and the cumulative incidence of major bleeding was 5.8% (95% CI: 3.6-9.6%). Clinical outcomes tended to differ across different types of cancer. Death from any cause occurred in 102 (33.9%) patients, mainly related to cancer progression.

CONCLUSIONS

This post-hoc analysis of TROPIQUE confirms the favorable benefit-risk ratio of tinzaparin for the long-term treatment of CAT.

Patient education program at the forefront of cancer-associated thrombosis care

INTRODUCTION

Treatment of cancer-associated thrombosis (CAT) requires specific approaches, although it is well codified in most cases. Current national and international (International Initiative on Cancer and Thrombosis, ITAC) Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) recommend the use of low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) over 6 months as first treatment option, and anticoagulation should be maintained thereafter as long as cancer is active. Since compliance improves when patients understand their disease and related treatments, we created a dedicated patient education program (PEP) for CAT, aiming to improve quality of care.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of all patients who voluntarily joined the PEP for CAT from 2014 to 2020.

RESULTS

In total, 182 cancer patients (median age, 64.9 years) were included, 53.3% with metastatic disease. A total of 528 PEP sessions (median, 3 per patient) were delivered. After PEP completion, the rate of self-injections or those performed at home by a relative had increased from 49.1% to 59.8% (P=0.05). Quality of life had improved significantly (P=0.025) and 90.0% of patients reported adhering to anticoagulant therapy.

CONCLUSION

Implementation of a structured and personalized PEP for CAT is feasible, allowing to improve cancer patient empowerment, adherence to CAT treatment and quality of life. The Groupe francophone et cancer (GFTC) members aim at facilitating access to CAT-PEP for both patients and caregivers and use of the multi-language ITAC-CPG mobile app (free access: www.itaccme.com) to improve the care and quality of life of patients with CAT.

Response to Letter: 'Reply to "High frequency of antiphospholipid antibodies in critically ill COVID-19 patients: a link with hypercoagulability?"'

Click here to view the Letter to the Editor by Pineton de Chambrun et al.

[COVID-19 and mechanical circulatory support]

La principale indication d’assistance chez les patients COVID-19 est le SDRA sévère en échec de traitement conventionnel. Les résultats de l’ECMO veino-veineuse sont comparables dans le COVID-19 à ceux obtenus dans les SDRA d’autres origines. La gestion de l’ECMO durant la pandémie COVID-19 a des spécificités liées à la maladie (comme par exemple la gestion de l’anticoagulation) et à l’allocation des ressources. Plus rarement, la COVID-19 peut se compliquer de défaillance hémodynamique dans le cadre d’une myocardite fulminante ou d’une embolie pulmonaire massive et nécessiter alors la mise en place d’une ECMO veino-artérielle. Bien que les cas rapportés soient peu nombreux, l’assistance circulatoire peut permettre une évolution favorable dans ces 2 indications.

How to screen and diagnose deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in patients hospitalized for or suspected of COVID-19 infection, outside the intensive care units

Introduction

The Coronavirus disease-2019 outbreak (COVID-19) has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. Studies report both a severe inflammatory syndrome and a procoagulant state in severe COVID-19 cases, with an increase of venous thromboembolism, including pulmonary embolism (PE) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT). In this context, we discuss the use of doppler ultrasonography (DUS) in the screening and diagnosis of DVT in ambulatory and hospitalized patients with, or suspected of having, COVID-19, outside the intensive care unit (ICU).

Material and methods

Non-systematic review of the literature.

Results

In patients hospitalized for or suspected of COVID-19 infection with the presence of either (a) DVT clinical symptoms, (b) a strong DVT clinical probability (Wells score > 2) or (c) elevated D-dimer levels without DVT clinical symptoms and without PE on lung CT angio-scan, DVT should be investigated with DUS. In the presence of PE diagnosed clinically and/or radiologically, additional systematic DVT screening using DUS is not recommended during the COVID-19 pandemic. The use of 4-points compression DUS for DVT screen and diagnosis is the most appropriate method in this context.

Discussion

Systematic DUS for DVT screening in asymptomatic COVID patients is not recommended unless the patient is in the ICU. This would increase the risk of unnecessarily exposing medical staff to SARS-CoV-2 and monopolizing limited resources during this period.

α1 -antitrypsin Pittsburgh and plasmin-mediated proteolysis

Essentials Patients with α-1-antitrypsin (α1-AT) Pittsburgh exhibit a mild bleeding tendency. A new case of α1-AT Pittsburgh with suspected high antifibrinolytic potential was studied. We showed that α1-AT Pittsburgh inhibits tissue plasminogen activator and plasmin. The antifibrinolytic potential of the variant contributes to explaining the mild bleeding phenotype.

SUMMARY

α1 -Antitrypsin (α1 -AT) Pittsburgh has a Met358 to Arg substitution at the reactive Met-Ser site of α1 -AT, which enables the protein to act as a potent thrombin inhibitor. Four patients with α1 -AT Pittsburgh have been described to date. An additional young girl was recently diagnosed with α1 -AT Pittsburgh in our center after presenting with a large hematoma in the forearm. Interestingly, all of these patients showed a potent thrombin inhibitor in the plasma and a mild bleeding phenotype. This observation suggests that the in vivo consequences of the mutation may contribute to the maintenance of normal hemostatic balance. We assessed inhibition of the fibrinolytic system by the variant protein by evaluating the fibrinolysis inhibitory potential of the patient's plasma, purified wild-type α1 -AT and purified Pittsburgh α1 -AT with an electrophoretic zymography system, western blotting, and clot fibrinolysis. Our results indicate that the patient's plasma and purified α1 -AT Pittsburgh have strong potential to inhibit tissue-type plasminogen activator and plasmin.

[Acute stent thrombosis due to resistance to clopidogrel ? A case report]

The authors report the case of a 65 year old man who presented with an acute coronary syndrome without ST elevation due to acute stent thrombosis 12 hours after implantation. Recent reports in the literature suggest the role of resistance to antiplatelet drugs in acute, subacute or late stent thrombosis. This patient was included in a protocol studying the response to antiplatelet drugs in patients undergoing coronary stenting and fulfilled the criteria of resistance to clopidogrel. This clinical case illustrates the possible role of "resistance" to antiplatelet drugs in stent thromboses.

High post-treatment platelet reactivity identified low-responders to dual antiplatelet therapy at increased risk of recurrent cardiovascular events after stenting for acute coronary syndrome

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Low response to antiplatelet therapy may be a risk factor for the development of ischemic complications in patients with non-ST segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE ACS) undergoing coronary stenting.

METHODS

We prospectively studied the platelet response to both clopidogrel and aspirin in 106 NSTE ACS consecutive patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stenting. A single post-treatment blood sample was obtained just before PCI and analyzed by platelet aggregometry using both ADP and arachidonic acid (AA) as agonists to explore the responses to clopidogrel and aspirin, respectively. Patients were divided into quartiles according to the ADP or AA induced maximal intensity of platelet aggregation. Patients of the highest quartile (quartile 4) were defined as the 'low-responders'.

RESULTS

Twelve recurrent cardiovascular (CV) events occurred during the 1-month follow-up. Clinical outcome was significantly associated with platelet response to clopidogrel [Quartile 4 vs. 1, 2, 3: OR (95% CI) 22.4 (4.6-109)]. Low platelet response to aspirin was significantly correlated with clopidogrel low response (P = 0.003) but contributed less to CV events [OR (95%CI): 5.76 (1.54-35.61)].

CONCLUSIONS

A post-treatment ADP-induced platelet aggregation performed just before PCI identifies low responders to dual antiplatelet therapy with an increased risk of recurrent CV events.

TAFI gene haplotypes, TAFI plasma levels and future risk of coronary heart disease: the PRIME Study

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the association of thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) gene polymorphisms with the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and with TAFI levels measured by a newly developed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (TAFI-1B1), shown to be a reliable method for detecting quantitative variations in circulating TAFI.

PATIENTS/METHODS

Six polymorphisms (C-2599G, G-438A, Ala147Thr, Thr325Ile, C + 1542G and T + 1583A) were genotyped and baseline plasma concentrations of TAFI were measured in a nested case-control design as part of the Prospective Epidemiological Study of Myocardial Infarction (PRIME) Study. Participants from France and Northern Ireland who had developed a CHD event during a 5-year follow-up (n = 321) were compared with 645 population- and age-matched control subjects.

RESULTS

In France, the Thr147 allele was more frequent in cases than in controls (0.41 vs. 0.32; P = 0.02), whereas the reverse was observed in Northern Ireland (0.33 vs. 0.38; P = 0.19) (P = 0.01 for interaction). No other polymorphism was associated with CHD risk. Consistent with the results derived from the single-locus analysis, haplotype analysis revealed that the haplotype carrying the Thr147 allele was associated with increased risk of CHD in France while the reverse tended to hold in the Northern Ireland population. Single-locus and haplotype analyses revealed that two polymorphisms, C-2599G and Ala147Thr (or T + 1583A that is in nearly complete association with it), had additive effects on TAFI levels and explained >18% of TAFI variability. This effect was homogeneous in France and Northern Ireland, and in cases and controls who exhibited similar TAFI levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor gene polymorphisms are strongly associated to plasma TAFI levels, but the relation to CHD risk is less clear.

Biological and genetic factors influencing plasma factor VIII levels in a healthy family population: results from the Stanislas cohort

The mechanisms underlying the variability of factor VIII (FVIII) levels are still poorly understood. The only receptor of FVIII identified so far is the lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP), which is thought to be involved in FVIII degradation. We aimed to characterize biological and genetic factors related to FVIII variability, focusing on coding polymorphisms of the LRP gene and polymorphisms potentially detected by molecular screening of the LRP-binding domains of the FVIII gene. Plasma FVIII coagulant activity (FVIII:C) and von Willebrand factor (VWF:Ag) antigen levels were measured in a sample of 100 healthy nuclear families (200 parents and 224 offspring). The ABO blood group and the three coding polymorphisms of the LRP gene (A217V, D2080N and C766T) were genotyped. Lipids and anthropometric factors poorly contributed to the variability of FVIII:C (<5%). A strong effect of ABO blood groups on FVIII:C levels was observed that remained significant after adjustment for VWF:Ag levels (P = 0.02). These two factors explained more than 50% of FVIII:C variability. After adjustment for VWF:Ag and ABO blood groups, a residual resemblance for FVIII:C persisted between biological relatives (rho = 0.13 +/- 0.06 between parents and offspring, rho = 0.24 +/- 0.09 between siblings) compatible with an additional genetic influence. The N allele of the LRP/D2080N polymorphism was associated with decreased levels of FVIII:C (90.4 +/- 8.7 vs. 102.2 +/- 3.5 IU/dl, P = 0.03) and VWF:Ag levels (109.1 +/- 11.2 vs. 125.4 +/- 4.4 IU/dl, P = 0.02). No polymorphism was detected in the LRP-binding domains of the FVIII gene. This study reinforces the hypothesis of a genetic influence of FVIII levels beyond the influence of VWF:Ag and ABO blood groups. The D2080N polymorphism of the LRP gene weakly contributed to the variability of FVIII:C levels in this healthy population.

Interaction between the C-260T polymorphism of the CD14 gene and the plasma IL-6 concentration on the risk of myocardial infarction: the HIFMECH study

Experimental and clinical observations suggest that innate immunity plays a major role in the pathogenesis and progression of atherosclerosis. A common C-260T polymorphism in the promoter of the CD14 gene, the trans-membrane receptor of lipopolysaccharides, has been inconsistently associated with coronary heart disease. Our objective was to evaluate the contribution of the CD14 polymorphism to the inflammatory response and to the risk of myocardial infarction (MI). We used an European case-control study, the HIFMECH study, comparing 533 men with MI and 575 sex- and age-matched controls. Associations between genotype and disease outcome, according to interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, were assessed using conditional logistic regression. The CD14/C-260T polymorphism was associated with plasma IL-6 levels, T/T subjects having higher plasma levels than C/C in cases but not in controls (mean+/-S.D.: 2.04+/-1.37 versus 1.70+/-1.15, p=0.01; 1.20+/-0.75 versus 1.35+/-0.88, p=0.31, respectively). Overall, the CD14/C-260T polymorphism was not associated with the risk of MI. However, in individuals with IL-6 plasma levels in the highest tertile, T allele carriers had a higher risk of MI than C/C (OR: 1.85; CI 95 1.05-3.25). IL-6 increased the risk of MI in carriers of the T allele (OR for first versus third IL-6 tertile: 4.02; CI 95 2.24-7.21), but not in C/C (OR: 0.75; CI 95 0.32-1.74, p=0.004 for interaction). The data indicate a role for CD14/C-260T in MI. The risk mediated by the polymorphism is highly dependent on IL-6 plasma levels.

The plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 -675 4G/5G genotype influences the risk of myocardial infarction associated with elevated plasma proinsulin and insulin concentrations in men from Europe: the HIFMECH study

Although the potential role of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in the development of coronary artery disease is strongly supported by its biological characteristics, results of clinical studies remain controversial.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate whether plasma PAI-1 concentrations and the -675 4G/5G polymorphism located in the PAI-1 gene could constitute risk markers for myocardial infarction (MI).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We used a European case-control study, the HIFMECH study, comparing 598 men with MI and 653 age-matched controls.

RESULTS

Insulin resistance explained a major part of the variation in PAI-1 (24%) whereas inflammation had only a minor contribution (0.01%). For both cases and controls plasma PAI-1 concentrations were significantly higher in the North than the South, and in both regions were higher in individuals with MI compared with control subjects [overall odds ratio (OR) for a 1 SD increase=1.54, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.34, 1.77]. This difference was observed in all the centers studied. Overall, the difference between cases and control subjects remained significant after controlling for inflammation variables (OR=1.30, 95% CI 1.08, 1.57), but lost significance after controlling for insulin resistance variables (OR=1.17, 95% CI 0.98, 1.40). The 4G allele was associated with significantly higher PAI-1 levels in cases but not controls and, taken independently, did not modify the risk of MI (P=0.9). However, a significant interaction was observed with both insulin or proinsulin and the risk of MI (P=0.05 and 0.02, respectively), but not with triglycerides or body mass index (BMI). The insulin or proinsulin effect on risk was observed only in the carriers of the 4G/4G genotype. This interaction appeared not to be mediated by plasma PAI-1 antigen concentrations (P=0.01 and 0.02 after adjustment for PAI-1 plasma levels). The interaction with proinsulin but not insulin remained statistically significant after further adjustment for other factors associated with insulin resistance (triglycerides and BMI) and C-reactive protein (P=0.01).

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that PAI-1 has a role in risk of MI in the presence of underlying insulin resistance. A significant interaction between insulin or proinsulin and the -675 4G/5G polymorphism was observed in risk for MI. The mechanisms for these interactions remain to be determined.

Titan and exobiological aspects of the Cassini-Huygens mission

Titan, the largest satellite of Saturn, has a dense N2-CH4 atmosphere rich in organic compounds, both in gas and in aerosol phases. Its surface is probably covered by oceans of liquid methane-ethane mixtures, with many dissolved organics. This quasi planet appears as a natural laboratory to study chemical evolution toward complex organic systems in a planetary environment over a long time scale. With the Cassini-Huygens mission NASA and ESA will jointly send an orbiter (Cassini) around Saturn and a probe (Huygens) in the atmosphere of Titan. This mission, currently planned to be launched in 1996-1997 for a Saturn - Titan arrival in 2004, offers a unique opportunity to study in detail extra-terrestrial organic processes. Consequently, it has important implications in the field of exobiology and the origins of life.