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BMC Anesthesiology
Published in: BMC Anesthesiology 1/2018

Open Access 01-12-2018 | Research article

Monitoring of argatroban and lepirudin anticoagulation in critically ill patients by conventional laboratory parameters and rotational thromboelastometry – a prospectively controlled randomized double-blind clinical trial

Authors: Martin Beiderlinden, Patrick Werner, Astrid Bahlmann, Johann Kemper, Tobias Brezina, Maximilian Schäfer, Klaus Görlinger, Holger Seidel, Peter Kienbaum, Tanja A. Treschan

Published in: BMC Anesthesiology | Issue 1/2018

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Abstract

Background

Argatroban or lepirudin anticoagulation therapy in patients with heparin induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) or HIT suspect is typically monitored using the activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT). Although aPTT correlates well with plasma levels of argatroban and lepirudin in healthy volunteers, it might not be the method of choice in critically ill patients. However, in-vivo data is lacking for this patient population.
Therefore, we studied in vivo whether ROTEM or global clotting times would provide an alternative for monitoring the anticoagulant intensity effects in critically ill patients.

Methods

This study was part of the double-blind randomized trial “Argatroban versus Lepirudin in critically ill patients (ALicia)”, which compared critically ill patients treated with argatroban or lepirudin. Following institutional review board approval and written informed consent, for this sub-study blood of 35 critically ill patients was analysed. Before as well as 12, 24, 48 and 72 h after initiation of argatroban or lepirudin infusion, blood was analysed for aPTT, aPTT ratios, thrombin time (TT), INTEM CT,INTEM CT ratios, EXTEM CT, EXTEM CT ratios and maximum clot firmness (MCF) and correlated with the corresponding plasma concentrations of the direct thrombin inhibitor.

Results

To reach a target aPTT of 1.5 to 2 times baseline, median [IQR] plasma concentrations of 0.35 [0.01–1.2] μg/ml argatroban and 0.17 [0.1–0.32] μg/ml lepirudin were required. For both drugs, there was no significant correlation between aPTT and aPTT ratios and plasma concentrations. INTEM CT, INTEM CT ratios, EXTEM CT, EXTEM CT ratios, TT and TT ratios correlated significantly with plasma concentrations of both drugs. Additionally, agreement between argatroban plasma levels and EXTEM CT and EXTEM CT ratios were superior to agreement between argatroban plasma levels and aPTT in the Bland Altman analysis. MCF remained unchanged during therapy with both drugs.

Conclusion

In critically ill patients, TT and ROTEM parameters may provide better correlation to argatroban and lepirudin plasma concentrations than aPTT.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.​gov, NCT00798525, registered on 25 Nov 2008
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
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Metadata
Title
Monitoring of argatroban and lepirudin anticoagulation in critically ill patients by conventional laboratory parameters and rotational thromboelastometry – a prospectively controlled randomized double-blind clinical trial
Authors
Martin Beiderlinden
Patrick Werner
Astrid Bahlmann
Johann Kemper
Tobias Brezina
Maximilian Schäfer
Klaus Görlinger
Holger Seidel
Peter Kienbaum
Tanja A. Treschan
Publication date
01-12-2018
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Anesthesiology / Issue 1/2018
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2253
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12871-018-0475-y

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