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Residual anti-Xa activity in plasma of patients presenting for electively planned neuraxial regional anesthesia
  1. Julian Knoerlein1,
  2. Philipp Brodbeck1,
  3. Martin Büchsel2,
  4. Barbara Zieger3 and
  5. Axel Schmutz1
  1. 1Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, Medical Center-University, Freiburg, Germany
  2. 2Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Medical Center-University, Freiburg, Germany
  3. 3Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Medical Center-University Center for Pediatrics, Freiburg, Germany
  1. Correspondence to Dr Julian Knoerlein, Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, 79106, Germany; julian.knoerlein{at}uniklinik-freiburg.de

Abstract

Objective To determine the incidence of increased anti-Xa activity within plasma levels 24 hours after administration of therapeutic dose low-molecular-weight heparin in patients presenting for elective neuraxial anesthesia.

Background Guidelines for neuroaxial regional anesthesia for patients with antithrombotic drugs recommend time intervals for waiting. There is scientific evidence to suggest that the recommended interval of 24 hours may be insufficient in patients treated with therapeutic dose low-molecular-weight heparin.

Methods Retrospective cohort analysis of 74 patients who received therapeutic dose low-molecular-weight heparin before planned neuraxial anesthesia between April 1, 2015 and April 1, 2020 at Freiburg University Hospital. Primary endpoint was the occurrence of elevated plasma anti-Xa levels in prophylactic range or higher (>0.2 IU/mL) 24 hours after the last application of the therapeutic dose.

Results 24 hours after the last dose of therapeutic low-molecular-weight heparin, 18.0% of patients had elevated anti-Xa activity levels >0.2 IU/mL. A weak correlation between the time since the last administration of low-molecular-weight heparin and plasma anti-Xa levels could be found. No other risk factors were seen.

Conclusions Relevant residual anticoagulant activity, as measured by plasma anti-Xa levels within a prophylactic range, is measurable 24 hours after the last administration of therapeutic dose low-molecular-weight heparin.

Trial registration number German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00022099.

  • Anticoagulants
  • Nerve Block
  • Pharmacology

Data availability statement

Data are available on reasonable request.

https://doi.org/10.1136/rapm-2022-104079

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    Data availability statement

    Data are available on reasonable request.

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors JK monitored data collection for the whole trial, wrote the statistical analysis plan, cleaned and analysed the data, and drafted and revised the paper. JK is also the guarantor of this study. PB collected the data and helped cleaning the data and writing the paper. MB helped generating the data and writing the paper. BZ helped writing and revising the paper. AS analysed the data and drafted and revised the paper.

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.