Heparin is an effective treatment for preventing liver failure after hepatectomy

BACKGROUND Posthepatectomy liver failure(PHLF)is one of the most important causes of death following liver resection.Heparin,an established anticoagulant,can protect liver function through a number of mechanisms,and thus,prevent liver failure.AIM To look at the safety and efficacy of heparin in preventing hepatic dysfunction after hepatectomy.METHODS The data was extracted from Multiparameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care III(MIMIC-III)v1.4 pinpointed patients who had undergone hepatectomy for liver cancer,subdividing them into two cohorts:Those who were injected with heparin and those who were not.The statistical evaluations used were unpaired ttests,Mann-Whitney U tests,chi-square tests,and Fisher’s exact tests to assess the effect of heparin administration on PHLF,duration of intensive care unit(ICU)stay,need for mechanical ventilation,use of continuous renal replacement therapy(CRRT),incidence of hypoxemia,development of acute kidney injury,and ICU mortality.Logistic regression was utilized to analyze the factors related to PHLF,with propensity score matching(PSM)aiming to balance the preoperative disparities between the two groups.RESULTS In this study,1388 patients who underwent liver cancer hepatectomy were analyzed.PSM yielded 213 matched pairs from the heparin-treated and control groups.Initial univariate analyses indicated that heparin potentially reduces the risk of PHLF in both matched and unmatched samples.Further analysis in the matched cohorts confirmed a significant association,with heparin reducing the risk of PHLF(odds ratio:0.518;95%confidence interval:0.295-0.910;P=0.022).Additionally,heparin treatment correlated with improved short-term postoperative outcomes such as reduced ICU stay durations,diminished requirements for respiratory support and CRRT,and lower incidences of hypoxemia and ICU mortality.CONCLUSION Liver failure is an important hazard following hepatic surgery.During ICU care heparin administration has been proved to decrease the occurrence of hepatectomy induced liver failure.This indicates that heparin may provide a hopeful option for controlling PHLF.

Low-molecular-weight heparin and preeclampsia—does the sword cut both ways?Three case reports and review of literature

BACKGROUND Low-molecular-weight heparins(LMWH)are the most commonly used anticoagulants during pregnancy.It is considered to be the drug of choice due to its safety in not crossing placenta.Considering the beneficial effect in the improvement of microcirculation,prophylactic application of LMWH in patients with preeclampsia became a trend.However,the bleeding risk related with LMWH in preeclampsia patients has seldomly been evaluated.This current study aimed to identify the potential risks regarding LMWH application in patients with preeclampsia.CASE SUMMARY Herein we present a case series of three pregnant women diagnosed with preeclampsia on LMWH therapy during pregnancy.All the cases experienced catastrophic hemorrhagic events.After reviewing the twenty-one meta-analyses,the bleeding risk related with LMWH seems ignorable.Only one study analyzed the bleeding risk of LMWH and found a significantly higher risk of developing PPH in women receiving LMWH.Other studies reported minor bleeding risks,none of these were serious enough to stop LMWH treatment.Possibilities of bleeding either from uterus or from intrabdominal organs in preeclampsia patients on LMWH therapy should not be ignored.Intensive management of blood pressure even after delivery and homeostasis suture in surgery are crucial.CONCLUSION Consideration should be given to the balance between benefits and risks of LMWH in patients with preeclampsia.

Application of aspirin and low molecular weight heparin in major orthopedic surgery:Meta analysis of a randomized controlled trial

Objective:The perioperative period of major orthopedic surgery is associated with a high risk of thrombosis,but the best chemopreventive agent for thrombosis prophylaxis is still inconclusive.For this reason,this paper evaluated the efficacy and safety of aspirin versus low-molecular heparin using a Meta-analysis.Methods:Ten randomized controlled studies on the application of aspirin and low-molecular heparin for the prevention of deep vein thrombosis in orthopedic major surgery were retrieved by computer searches of PubMed,CochraneLibrary,WebofScience,China Knowledge Network,Wanfang,and Vipul databases according to inclusion and exclusion criteria,and the literature was managed using Endnote software,and the data were analyzed using Revman 5.3 software was used to perform Meta-analysis of the extracted data,focusing on the effects of these two drugs on pulmonary embolism,deep vein thrombosis,major bleeding events,minor bleeding events,wound complications,mortality and blood loss within 90 days after major orthopedic surgery.Results:(1)Ten randomized controlled trials of high quality were included,with a total of 12,974 patients,7,026 in the aspirin group and 5,948 in the low-molecular heparin group;(2)Meta-analysis showed that aspirin had a higher incidence of pulmonary embolism(OR=1.59,95%CI:1.02 to 2.49,P=0.04)and deep vein thrombosis(OR=1.60,95%CI:1.26 to 2.02,P=0.0001)than low molecular heparin;(3)The incidence of major bleeding events(OR=0.85,95%CI:0.47 to 1.55,P=0.60),minor bleeding events(OR=0.79,95%CI:0.55 to 1.12,P=0.18),adverse wound reactions(OR=0.79,95%CI:0.48 to 1.31,P=0.36),mortality within 90 days(OR=0.69,95%CI:0.20 to 2.31,P=0.55)and perioperative blood loss(MD=0.69,95%CI:0.20 to 2.31,P=0.55)in both drug groups,mortality within 90 days(OR=0.69,95%CI:0.20 to 2.31,P=0.55)and perioperative blood loss(MD=0.69,95%CI:0.20 to 2.31,P=0.55)were not statistically significant.Conclusion:Low-molecular heparin was superior to aspirin in the prevention of pulmonary embolism and lower extremity deep vein thrombosis after major orthopedic surgery,but the safety and adverse drug reactions of both groups were basically similar.Based on this,the authors recommend that low-molecular heparin should be preferred for the prevention of deep vein thrombosis in major orthopaedic surgery;however,the inclusion of randomized controlled trials remains limited,necessitating high-quality,large-sample,long-term follow-up clinical studies.

Rivaroxaban for the treatment of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia with thrombosis in a patient undergoing artificial hip arthroplasty:A case report

BACKGROUND Anticoagulation treatment after lower limb surgery is one of the key methods to avoid thrombosis,and low-molecular-weight heparin is the treatment that is most frequently used in clinical practice.But one uncommon side effect of lowmolecular-weight heparin is heparin-induced thrombocytopenia(HIT),which can develop into thrombosis if not caught early or managed incorrectly.CASE SUMMARY We present a case of a patient who underwent hip arthroplasty and experienced thrombocytopenia due to HIT on the 9th d following the application of lowmolecular-weight heparin anticoagulation.We did not diagnose HIT in time and applied 1 unit of platelets to the patient,which led to thrombosis.Luckily,the patient recovered following effective and timely surgery and treatment with rivaroxaban.CONCLUSION Patients using low-molecular-weight heparin after lower limb surgery need to have their platelet counts regularly checked.If HIT develops,platelet treatment should be given with caution.

Anti-infection effects of heparin on SARS-CoV-2 in a diabetic mouse model

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARSCo V-2)infection can result in more severe syndromes and poorer outcomes in patients with diabetes and obesity.However,the precise mechanisms responsible for the combined impact of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)and diabetes have not yet been elucidated,and effective treatment options for SARS-Co V-2-infected diabetic patients remain limited.To investigate the disease pathogenesis,K18-h ACE2 transgenic(h ACE2^(Tg))mice with a leptin receptor deficiency(h ACE2-Lepr^(-/-))and high-fat diet(h ACE2-HFD)background were generated.The two mouse models were intranasally infected with a 5×10^(5) median tissue culture infectious dose(TCID_(50))of SARSCo V-2,with serum and lung tissue samples collected at 3days post-infection.The h ACE2-Lepr^(-/-)mice were then administered a combination of low-molecular-weight heparin(LMWH)(1 mg/kg or 5 mg/kg)and insulin via subcutaneous injection prior to intranasal infection with1×10^(4) TCID_(50)of SARS-Co V-2.Daily drug administration continued until the euthanasia of the mice.Analyses of viral RNA loads,histopathological changes in lung tissue,and inflammation factors were conducted.Results demonstrated similar SARS-Co V-2 susceptibility in h ACE2^(Tg)mice under both lean(chow diet)and obese(HFD)conditions.However,compared to the h ACE2-Lepr^(+/+)mice,h ACE2-Lepr^(-/-)mice exhibited more severe lung injury,enhanced expression of inflammatory cytokines and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α(HIF-1α),and increased apoptosis.Moreover,combined LMWH and insulin treatment effectively reduced disease progression and severity,attenuated lung pathological changes,and mitigated inflammatory responses.In conclusion,preexisting diabetes can lead to more severe lung damage upon SARS-Co V-2 infection,and LMWH may be a valuable therapeutic approach for managing COVID-19patients with diabetes.

Effect of heparin on recurrent IVF-ET failure patients

Objective:To elucidate the possible role of unfractionated heparin in patients with failed repeated in in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer(IVF-ET)and thrombophilia.Methods:This case control study evaluated the efficacy of the unfractionated heparin in increasing the pregnancy and implantation ratio in women with recurrent IVF-ET failures.Eighty-six women received in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection(IVF/ICSI)with a record of three or more previous IVF-ET failures.Participants were randomly distributed into two groups.Group A(n=43)received unfractionated heparin 5000 IU twice daily,and group B(n=43)did not take any antithrombotic drugs.Coagulation abnormalities such as factor桋Leiden(FVL)mutation,methylene tetra hydro folate reductase(MTHFR)mutation and prothrombin mutation(F栻)were evaluated.Age,body mass index,basal follicular stimulating hormone,basal estradiol,duration of infertility,and number of IVF-ET failures were compared between two groups.Results:45.0%and 17.4%of women were pregnant with and without MTHFR and prothrombin mutation,respectively,when they received unfractionated heparin treatment.The implantation rate was more in group A(12.5%)than group B(4.3%)and differences in the fertilization rate of the two groups were observed(27.7%vs.35.9%).The clinical pregnancy rate per cycle was remarkably more in group A(30.2%)than group B(14.0%).Conclusions:Heparin is a safe and valuable treatment for patients with repeated IVF-ET failures.The clinical pregnancy and implantation rates are higher in the heparin-treated group in contrast with the control group.

Delayed Onset Low Molecular Weight Heparin Induced Skin Necrosis on a Hemodialysis Patient

Delayed onset low molecular weight heparin induced skin necrosis is a rare adverse event. It usually occurs at the site of injection, and typically develops within 2 weeks of starting therapy. However, in our case, we presented a 62-year-old woman who is on Hemodialysis twice a week. Her hemodialysis prescription included Enoxaparine 0.2 cc IV as anticoagulant. On her third month of regular hemodialysis, she developed skin necrosis on her right leg and left hand. The diagnosis was made clinically and by exclusion of other possible causes of skin necrosis in a chronic kidney disease patient, such as calciphylaxis. The most important aspect of management, in this case, is early recognition and withdrawal of its use, which were done in our patient.

Influence of Heparin on Fibrinogen Assay by Clauss Method

Objective:To investigate the effect of heparin on fibrinogen detection by Clauss method.Methods:A normal plasma pool(NPP)of 20 healthy people was prepared with 3.2%sodium citrate anticoagulant.For experimental group 1,samples containing different concentrations of heparin were prepared.For experimental group 2,samples of experimental group 1 were diluted twice.For experimental group 3,samples of experimental group 1 were diluted 4 times.For the control group,samples of normal saline with the same volume as heparin in experimental group 1 were prepared.The fibrinogen contents of experimental group 1,experimental group 2,experimental group 3,and control group were detected by Clauss method and prothrombin time(PT)-derived method,and the fibrinogen detection results of different groups were analyzed.Results:The trend of fibrinogen detected by Clauss method and PT-derived method in experimental group 1 was different;there was significant difference between the results of experimental group 1 and the control group(P<0.05);there was no significant difference between the results of experimental group 2 and the control group(P>0.05);there was no significant difference between the results of experimental group 3 and the control group(P>0.05);there was no significant difference between the results of experimental group 2 and experimental group 3(P>0.05);the relative deviation between experimental group 1 and the control group was higher in high-concentration heparin sample.Conclusion:Heparin affects fibrinogen detection by Clauss method,and the effect can be reduced by sample dilution.

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia in solid organ transplant recipients: The current scientific knowledge

Exposure to heparin is associated with a high incidence of immunization against platelet factor 4(PF4)/heparin complexes. A subgroup of immunized patients is at risk of developing heparin-induced thrombocytopenia(HIT), an immune mediated prothrombotic adverse drug effect. Transplant recipients are frequently exposed to heparin either due to the underlying end-stage disease, which leads to listing and transplantation or during the transplant procedure and the perioperative period. To review the current scientific knowledge on antiheparin/PF4 antibodies and HIT in transplant recipients a systematic Pub Med literature search on articles in English language was performed. The definition of HIT is inconsistent amongst the publications. Overall, six studies and 15 case reports have been published on HIT before or after heart, liver, kidney, and lung transplantation, respectively. The frequency of seroconversion for anti-PF4/heparin antibodies ranged between 1.9% and 57.9%. However, different methods to detect anti-PF4/heparin antibodies were applied. In none of the studies HIT-associated thromboembolic events or fatalities were observed. More importantly, in patients with a history of HIT, reexposure to heparin during transplantation was not associated with thrombotic complications. Taken together, the overall incidence of HIT after solid organ transplantation seems to be very low. However, according to the current knowledge, cardiac transplant recipients may have the highest risk to develop HIT. Different alternative suggestions for heparin-free anticoagulation have been reported for recipients with suspected HIT albeit no official recommendations on management have been published for this special collective so far.

Heparin和CRS-heparin对小鼠黑色素瘤细胞增殖和黏附的作用研究

本实验以小鼠黑色素瘤细胞为材料,通过细胞增殖和黏附的抑制实验,对比分析了肝素(Hep-arin)和羧基还原后再硫酸化肝素(CRS-heparin)对小鼠黑色素瘤细胞增殖和黏附的影响。体外实验表明,Heparin和CRS-heparin对小鼠黑色素瘤细胞增殖都有抑制作用,并且随浓度增加抑制作用加强,但两者之间的作用差异不大。Heparin和CRS-heparin对小鼠黑色素瘤细胞与血小板之间的黏附均有抑制作用,CRS-heparin的抑制作用要稍好于Heparin,两者的抑制效果都是浓度依赖的。由于CRS-heparin的抗凝血活性明显低于Heparin,本研究结果提示,CRS-heparin可能进一步被用来作为抗肿瘤药物进行研究。

Haemocompatibility of Ti-3Zr-2Sn-3Mo-25Nb biomedical alloy with surface heparinization using electrostatic self assembly technology

The haemocompatibility of Ti-3Zr-2Sn-3Mo-25Nb biomedical alloy was studied after surface heparinization. A layer of sol-gel TiO2 films was applied on the alloy samples followed by active treatment in the bio-functionalized solution for introducing the OH- and groups, and then the heparin was immobilized on the active TiO2 films through the electrostatic self assembly technology. It is shown that the heparinized films are mainly composed of anatase and rutile with smooth and dense surface. In vitro blood compatibility was evaluated by haemolysis test, clotting time and platelet adhesion behavior tests. The results show that the haemocompatibility of the alloy could be significantly improved by surface heparinization.

Successful Treatment of Severe Heparin-induced Thrombocytopenia with Intravenous Immunoglobulin, Platelet Transfusion and Rivaroxaban: A Case Report

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia(HIT) is a relatively infrequent complication of heparin administration. HIT can cause devastating thrombosis, making it one of the most serious adverse drug reactions encountered in clinical practice. We successfully treated a case of severe HIT presenting with thrombosis and life-threatening bleeding complications with intravenous immunoglobulin(IVIG), platelet transfusion and oral anticoagulant Rivaroxaban. In this case, we considered that IVIG played the most important role by preventing further thrombosis, increasing the platelet count, and ensuring the efficacy of Rivaroxaban. We therefore suggest that IVIG might be the optimal treatment for patients with this urgent condition.

Thrombin Generation Increasing with Age and Decreasing with Use of Heparin Indicated by Calibrated Automated Thrombogram Conducted in Chinese

Objective Calibrated Automated Thrombogram（CAT） is a test to monitor the generation of thrombin. It can be described by four parameters： lag time, peak thrombin, endogenous thrombin potential （ETP） and time to peak （ttPeak）. This study aims to determine the normal ranges of CAT parameters in Chinese, and evaluate whether thrombin generation is correlated with the concentration of heparin/Iow molecular weight heparin. Methods Plasma from 120 healthy subjects were collected to determine the normal rangea of CAT parameters in Chinese. Normal plasma pool （NPP, n=25） spiked with different concentrations of heparin or enoxaparin were used to detecte CAT parameters. The overall and age specific normal ranges of CAT parameters were calculated using descriptive statistics method with mean＋-2SD. The correlation between CAT parameters and age or concentrations of heparin, enoxaparin were analyzed with linear regression model. Results The normal ranges for lag time, peak thrombin, ETP, ttPeak in the subjects were 3.648＋2.465 min, 367.39＋151.93 nmol/L, 2277＋_1030 nmol/L.min and 6.372＋_4.280 min respectively. Age was linearly correlated with lag time （r=-0.6583, P〈0.0002）, peak thrombin （r=0.4863, P〈0.0002）, ETP （r=0.3608, P〈0.0014） and ttPeak （r=-0.6323, P〈0.0002）. The values of ETP/peak ratio were linearly correlated with concentrations of heparin. Conclusion The normal ranges of four CAT parameters for Chinese were determined. CAT parameters are associated with age. ETP/peak ratio could be used to monitor the process of anticoagulation therapy.

Comparison of low-molecular-weight-heparin and unfractionated heparin for acute PTE

Objective: Acute pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) is a serious high mortality pulmonary vascular disease whose effective treatment decreases morbidity and mortality. To determine if low-molecular-weight-heparin (LMWH) is clinically as efficient and safe as unfractionated heparin (UH) in patients with diagnosis of acute non-massive PTE, our study compares the efficacy, adverse effects and costs of LMWH and UH. Methods: One hundred and fourteen patients with non-massive acute PTE were randomly divided into LMWH (nadroparin calcium) and UH groups. Oxygenation index, D-dimer, fibrinogen (FG), lung ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) scan and computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) were observed before anticoagula-tion and on day 14 after anticoagulation. Results: In both groups, the ABG (arterial blood gas) analysis showed PaO2 and PaCO2 were elevated, P(A-a)O2 was decreased and oxygenation index (PaO2/FIO2) was elevated, D-dimer and fibrinogen were decreased, lung V/Q and CTPA showed embolized segments reduced (P<0.05). Hemorrhage and thrombocytopenia occurred in 3.5% of the LMWH group. Hemorrhage occurred in 5.3% and thrombocytopenia occurred in 7.0% of the UH group. The average cost in the LMWH group was RMB 1218.60 Yuan and RMB 1541.40 Yuan in the UH group. Conclusion: LMWH and UH are equally effective for treatment of non-massive acute PTE, but LMWH may have a lower prevalence of complications and is less expen-sive.

Bronchoalveolar Lavage and Histologic Characterization of Inhaled Heparin in Asthmatic Guinea Pigs

Objective: To survey the effects of inhaled heparin on airway inflammation inguinea pigs with asthma and investigate the possible mechanism of inhaled heparin in the treatmentof asthma. Methods: The asthma in guinea pigs induced by ovalbumin was treated with inhaled heparin.The changes of cellularities in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and the airway walls wereexamined. Histologic examinations were also done in the guinea pig controls. Results: The number ofeosinophils, lymphocytes, and ciliated epithelial cells in the BAL fluid from the group treated withheparin was significantly lower than that of the group of asthma controls (P<0.01). Within theairway watts of the heparin treated group, the eosinophil infiltration was less prominent than thatof the group of asthma controls (P<0.001) and the number of mast cell was significantly higher thanthat of the group of asthma controls (P<0.01). Histologic examination showed that airway damages inthe heparin treated group were mild. Conclusion: Heparin can inhibit airway inflammation andalleviate airway damage in guinea pigs with asthma.

Studies of Oral Preparation of Low Molecular Weight Heparin

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Heparin and other anticoagulants in amniotic fluid embolism(AFE):Literature review and concept of the therapy

Aim: The objective of this study is to review all the reported outcomes of heparin application in amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) so far and to find out why, when and how heparin or other anticoagulants should be used in AFE. Material and methods: We searched Medline (from 1969 to 2011), using two key words: 1) amniotic fluid embolism;2) amniotic fluid embolism and heparin. The search for the former produced 1127 replies, of which 208 were case reports of AFE. In response to the other key word, there were 94 articles. We looked through all the articles, selecting those relevant for our study. Results: In the years 1969-2011, 208 AFE cases were reported. Heparin (unfractionated heparin) or low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) was applied in 20 cases (9.6%), being the main drug in 11 cases (5.3%) and in 6 cases as a component of spectacular treatment of AFE (surgical treatment and extracorporal membrane oxygenation). In one of these cases anithrombin (AT) with LMWH was used. In one patient heparin therapy was considered to be unsuccessful and hence recombinant plasminogen activator (rt-PA) was instituted. All the patients survived. Conclusions: 1) The attempts to use heparin in AFE could be defined as promising, although the number of treated patients is too small for conclusion;2) The postulate to use heparin at the very onset of AFE (a bolus of 10,000 U followed by monitored intravenous infusion) has serious justification: one of the pathways of AFE is the target for heparin (coagulation pathway).

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia in patients undergoing cardiac surgery

Objective Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia(HIT)is a complication characterized by thrombocytopenia,hemorrhage and/or thrombosis,which is caused by initial or repeated application of unfractionated heparin(UFH)and low-molecular-weight heparin(LMWH).This study aims to summarize the clinical features of HIT in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Catastrophic Complications of Intravenous Line Flushing with Unfractionated Heparin

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a clinicopathologic syndrome because diagnosis is based on both clinical symptoms and laboratory data. We report a patient with multiple thromboembolic complications after daily flushing of intravenous line with small amounts of unfractionated heparin (UFH). At day 7 bilateral hemorrhagic infarction of the adrenal glands was misdiagnosed as adrenal adenoma. On day 10 thrombocytopenia was noted and the next day a myocardial infarction complicated by a left ventricular thrombus was diagnosed. On day 12, HIT was suspected. The pre-test probability for HIT according to the 4T-score was high (8/8 points) and detection of antibodies directed against the PF4/heparin-complex by particle gel immunoassay (Titer 1:1024) and ELISA (O.D. 2.784) was strongly positive. HIT can be induced by iv-line flushes with UFH. Arterial and venous thrombotic complications can be present before a clear platelet drop can be recognised.