Guidance on the emergent reversal of oral thrombin and factor Xa inhibitors

The new oral anticoagulants dabigatran, rivaroxaban and apixaban have advantages over warfarin which include no need for laboratory monitoring, less drug-drug interactions and less food-drug interactions. However, there is no established antidote for patients who are bleeding or require emergent surgery and there is a paucity of evidence to guide the clinical care during these situations. Members of thrombosis and anticoagulation groups participating in the Thrombosis and Hemostasis Summit of North America formulated expert opinion guidance for reversing the anticoagulant effect of the new oral anticoagulants and suggest: routine supportive care, activated charcoal if drug ingestion was within a couple of hours, and hemodialysis if feasible for dabigatran. Also, the pros and cons of the possible use of four factor prothrombin complex concentrate are discussed.

Delays in maturation among adolescents with hemophilia and a history of inhibitors

Inhibitory antibodies to factors VIII or IX have the potential to affect a broad range of outcomes among people with hemophilia; however, their possible effect on growth and maturation has not been explored. We evaluated skeletal maturation (bone age), pubertal progression, serum testosterone levels, height velocity, and stature in the multicenter Hemophilia Growth and Development Study. A total of 333 children and adolescents (mean age, 12.4 years) were enrolled from 1989 to 1990 and followed for 7 years. Of these, 18% (n = 60) had a history of inhibitors. Bone age among HIV(-) adolescents with a history of inhibitors lagged 9 or more months behind those without inhibitors at every age from 12 to 15 years. Those with a history of inhibitors were older at every Tanner stage transition, attained a lower maximum growth velocity, and their serum testosterone levels were significantly lower compared with those without inhibitors. Delays were greater among HIV(+) patients with a history of inhibitors compared with those without inhibitors; however, the differences were generally small and not statistically significant. The results of this investigation underscore the importance of monitoring the growth and maturation of children and adolescents with hemophilia, particularly those with inhibitors.