Practical considerations in prevention and treatment of venous thromboembolism in hospitalized patients with COVID-19.
14 Oct 2020-American Journal of Health-system Pharmacy (Oxford University Press (OUP))-Vol. 77, Iss: 21, pp 1739-1745
TL;DR: Practical guidance on anticoagulation considerations and dosing suggestions are provided to assist clinicians faced with challenging antICOagulation-related situations in caring for hospitalized COVID patients until formal evidence-based guidelines become available.
Abstract: Purpose There are increasing reports in the literature of high rates of coagulopathy and venous thromboembolism (VTE) among hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Understanding of these abnormalities is continually evolving, but these conditions may pose a risk to patients with COVID-19 beyond the risk typically seen in critically ill patients. Summary There are currently no widely accepted evidence-based guidelines regarding specifics related to treatment and prevention of COVID-19-related coagulopathies. Areas of management requiring clinical equipoise include agent selection and dosing, continuation vs interruption of home oral anticoagulant therapy during hospital admission, and postdischarge VTE prophylaxis. Clinicians may wish to consider use of a stratified, 3-tiered approach of low-intensity anticoagulation, intermediate-intensity anticoagulation, and therapeutic-dose anticoagulation. Patients can be categorized by tier depending on their risk factors for VTE, acuity of illness, and laboratory values such as D-dimer level. Conclusion Practical guidance on anticoagulation considerations and dosing suggestions are provided to assist clinicians faced with challenging anticoagulation-related situations in caring for hospitalized patients with COVID-19 until formal evidence-based guidelines become available.
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23 Nov 2020
TL;DR: Apixaban appeared safe and efficacious in ICU patients with severe COVID-19 disease and these data encourage future trials seeking to optimize anticoagulation strategies in patients withsevere CO VID-19.
Abstract: Introduction Despite the use of unfractionated heparin (UFH) or low molecular weight heparin (LMWH), rates of thromboembolic disease, and subsequent morbidity and mortality remain unacceptably high in patients with severe novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease. Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), such as apixaban, have numerous purported benefits although the safety and efficacy of their use in intensive care unit (ICU) patients with severe COVID-19 has yet to be evaluated. Materials and Methods Single-center, retrospective cohort study of 21 ICU patients with severe COVID-19 respiratory disease treated with apixaban for atrial fibrillation (AFib), venous thromboembolism (VTE), catheter-induced thrombosis, and/or COVID-19-induced coagulopathy. The primary objective was to evaluate the incidence of bleeding events and secondary objectives included thromboembolic events, coagulation parameters, and mortality. Results Ninety percent of patients were non-White, 43% were obese, 90% had acute respiratory distress syndrome, and 76% required mechanical ventilation. Nearly half of (47.6%) also experienced renal dysfunction and required renal replacement therapy. Eighty-six percent of patients received prophylaxis or treatment with UFH or LMWH within the 24-hour period prior to apixaban initiation. Patients were initiated on apixaban for the treatment of suspected or confirmed VTE (67%) or AFib (33%). All coagulation parameters remained abnormal but stable throughout the 10-day monitoring period. No patients experienced any major bleeding events or thrombosis throughout the study period. There were four deaths during the follow-up period, all deemed unrelated to coagulopathy or bleeding. Conclusion Apixaban appeared safe and efficacious in ICU patients with severe COVID-19 disease. These data encourage future trials seeking to optimize anticoagulation strategies in patients with severe COVID-19.
13 citations
07 May 2021
TL;DR: In this article, the authors describe the initial institutional standard operating procedures for implementing daily multidisciplinary team (MDT) COVID-19 meetings, and their impact on daily practice.
Abstract: OBJECTIVES: In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) a pandemic. In absence of official recommendations, implementing daily multidisciplinary team (MDT) COVID-19 meetings was urgently needed. Our aim was to describe our initial institutional standard operating procedures for implementing these meetings, and their impact on daily practice. METHODS: All consecutive patients who were hospitalized in our institution due to COVID 19, from March 31 to April 15, 2020, were included. Criteria to be presented at MDT meetings were defined as a proven COVID-19 by PCR or strongly suspected on CT scan, requiring hospitalization and treatment not included in the standard of care. Three investigators identified the patients who met the predefined criteria and compared the treatment and outcomes of patients with predefined criteria that were presented during MDT meeting with those not presented during MDT meeting. COVID-19 MDT meeting implementation and adhesion were also assessed by a hospital medical staff survey. RESULTS: In all, 318 patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 were examined in our hospital. Of these, 230 (87%) were hospitalized in a COVID-19 unit, 91 (40%) of whom met predefined MDT meeting criteria. Fifty (55%) patients were presented at a MDT meeting versus 41 (45%) were not. Complementary exploration and inclusion in the CorImmuno cohort were higher in MDT meeting group (respectively 35 vs. 15%, P=0.03 and 80 versus 49%, P=0.0007). Prescription of hydrocortisone hemisuccinate was higher in group of patients not presented during MDT meeting (24 vs. 51%, P=0.007). Almost half of the patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were not presented at MDT meeting, which can be partly explained by technical software issues. CONCLUSIONS: Multidisciplinary COVID-19 meetings helped implementing a single standard of care, avoided using treatments that were untested or currently being tested, and facilitated the inclusion of patients in prospective cohorts and therapeutic trials.
1 citations
01 Jan 2022
TL;DR: A national panel of experts who declared that they had no conflicts of interest regarding the development of the recommendations was assembled, and a rapid systematic review was conducted by consulting different bibliographic sources as mentioned in this paper .
Abstract: The Sociedade Portuguesa de Cuidados Intensivos and the Infection and Sepsis Group have previously issued health service and management recommendations for critically ill patients with COVID-19. Due to the evolution of knowledge, the panel of experts was again convened to review the current evidence and issue updated recommendations.A national panel of experts who declared that they had no conflicts of interest regarding the development of the recommendations was assembled. Operational questions were developed based on the PICO methodology, and a rapid systematic review was conducted by consulting different bibliographic sources. The panel determined the direction and strength of the recommendations using two Delphi rounds, conducted in accordance with the principles of the GRADE system. A strong recommendation received the wording "is recommended", and a weak recommendation was written as "is suggested."A total of 48 recommendations and 30 suggestions were issued, covering the following topics: diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection, coinfection and superinfection; criteria for admission, cure and suspension of isolation; organization of services; personal protective equipment; and respiratory support and other specific therapies (antivirals, immunomodulators and anticoagulation).These recommendations, specifically oriented to the Portuguese reality but that may also apply to Portuguese-speaking African countries and East Timor, aim to support health professionals in the management of critically ill patients with COVID-19. They will be continuously reviewed to reflect the progress of our understanding and the treatment of this pathology.A Sociedade Portuguesa de Cuidados Intensivos e o Grupo de Infeção e Sépsis emitiram previamente recomendações visando à organização dos serviços de saúde e ao manejo dos doentes críticos com COVID-19. Em virtude da evolução do conhecimento, o painel de peritos voltou a se organizar para rever a atual evidência e emitir recomendações atualizadas.Foi reunido um painel nacional de peritos que declararam não ter conflitos de interesse para o desenvolvimento das recomendações. Foram desenvolvidas perguntas operacionais conforme a metodologia PICO, e foi conduzida uma revisão sistemática rápida por meio da consulta de diferentes fontes bibliográficas. O painel determinou a direção e a força das recomendações com a utilização de duas rodadas de um método Delphi, conduzido seguindo princípios do sistema GRADE. Uma recomendação forte recebeu a redação “recomenda-se”, e uma recomendação fraca foi redigida como “sugere-se”.Foram emitidas 48 recomendações e 30 sugestões abrangendo os seguintes tópicos: diagnóstico de infecção por SARS-CoV-2, coinfecção e superinfecção; critérios de admissão, cura e suspensão de isolamento; organização dos serviços; Equipamentos de Proteção Individual; terapêuticas de suporte respiratório e outras e terapêuticas específicas (antivirais, imunomodeladores e anticoagulação).Essas recomendações, especificamente orientadas para a realidade portuguesa, mas que podem se aplicar também aos Países Africanos de Língua Oficial Portuguesa e ao Timor-Leste, visam apoiar os profissionais de saúde no manejo de doentes críticos com COVID-19. Pretende-se que sejam constantemente revistas, de modo a refletir o avanço de nossa compreensão e o da terapêutica dessa patologia.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors search Medline, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, websites of international organizations and medical societies, and gray literature databases and extracted and reclassified according to a composite grading system.
Abstract: Purpose Severe COVID-19 patients were prone to develop venous thromboembolism. Unfortunately, to date, there is no evidence of any effective medications for thromboembolism in COVID-19. The management of the disease relies on symptomatic and supportive treatments, giving rise to a variety of guidelines. However, the quality of methodology and clinical recommendations remains unknown. Materials and methods We searched Medline, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, websites of international organizations and medical societies, and gray literature databases. Four well-trained appraisers independently evaluated the quality of eligible guidelines and extracted recommendations using well-recognized guideline appraisal tools. Furthermore, recommendations were extracted and reclassified according to a composite grading system. Results The search identified 23 guidelines that offered 108 recommendations. Guidelines scored average on AGREE II criteria, with Scope and Purpose and Clarity of Presentation highest. Only five (22%) guidelines provided high-quality recommendations. The existed clinical recommendations were inconsistent in terms of prophylaxis, diagnosis, and treatment of thromboembolic disease to some extent. Conclusion Current guidelines for COVID-19 thromboembolism are generally of low quality, and clinical recommendations on thromboembolism are principally supported by insufficient evidence. There is still an urgent need for more well-designed clinical trials as evidence to prevent adverse events and improve prognosis during COVID-19 treatment.
TL;DR: In SARS-CoV-2 patients with radiological lung changes, correlations were identified between neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and C-reactive protein (P<0.001), and for patients with unfavourable disease progression, the NLR were significantly correlated with intensive care unit admission and were highly correlated with mortality.
Abstract: Background and objectives. The use of affordable and simple tools to identify patients with severe forms of COVID-19 is imperative worldwide. The aim of the present study was to identify factors associated with the unfavourable progression of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the Military Emergency Clinical Hospital “Dr. Victor Popescu”, Romania. Materials and methods. Data from 166 patients admitted with a positive SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcription-quantitative PCR test were retrospectively collected. The presence of lung changes on chest X-ray scans was the criterion used to divide the subjects into two groups: patients with no radiological findings (group 1; n=45) and patients with radiological features of pneumonia (group 2; n=121). Results. The mean age (P<0.0001) and body mass index (P=0.0109) were significantly higher in group 2 compared with group 1. Ageusia and headache, as clinical manifestations of COVID-19, were significantly prevalent (P=0.005 and P=0.007, respectively) in group 2; in the same group, cardiovascular risk factors and established cardiovascular disease were highly prevalent. In SARS-CoV-2 patients with radiological lung changes, correlations were identified between neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and C-reactive protein (P<0.001; CI 95%, 0.137-0.471) and fibrinogen (P=0.009; CI 95%, 0.054-0.406), respectively. Only the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) was identified as a marker of X-ray changes (P=0.029). Within group 2, and for patients with unfavourable disease progression, the NLR were significantly correlated with intensive care unit admission (P<0.0001) and were highly correlated with mortality (P=0.001). Increased lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) values had the same tendency.
References
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TL;DR: In the recent outbreak of novel coronavirus infection in Wuhan, China, significantly abnormal coagulation parameters in severe novel coronvirus pneumonia (NCP) cases were a concern.
4,510 citations
McMaster University1, American University of Beirut2, University of Alcalá3, University of Geneva4, Leiden University Medical Center5, Virginia Commonwealth University6, University of California, San Diego7, Ohio State University8, University of Utah9, UCLA Medical Center10, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute11, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences12
TL;DR: Recommendations on 12 topics that were in the 9th edition of these guidelines are updated, and 3 new topics are addressed.
3,934 citations
"Practical considerations in prevent..." refers result in this paper
...ence to warfarin, in accordance with current guidelines.(29) If VTE is not con-...
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TL;DR: The findings reinforce the recommendation to strictly apply pharmacological thrombosis prophylaxis in all COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU, and are strongly suggestive of increasing the prophYLaxis towards high-prophylactic doses, even in the absence of randomized evidence.
3,886 citations
"Practical considerations in prevent..." refers background in this paper
...II anticoagulation has been suggested as an option.(3,20) An additional area of clinical con-...
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...Furthermore, the incidence of thrombotic complications has been reported to be 20% to 31% in critically ill patients with COVID-19 despite use of standard VTE prophylaxis.(3,4) Poissy et al(5) reported an increased incidence of pulmonary embolism (PE) amongst COVID-19 patients admitted to an intensive care unit....
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TL;DR: A relatively high mortality of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) is worrying, and the application of heparin in CO VID‐19 has been recommended by some expert consensus because of the risk of disseminated intravascular coagulation and venous thromboembolism, but its efficacy remains to be validated.
2,898 citations
"Practical considerations in prevent..." refers background in this paper
...Currently available data are not sufficient to support employment of therapeutic-dose prophylaxis for patients in this tier.(6,7) Tier III....
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...017).(6) In an additional observational study of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in New York City, promising results were reported for systemic, treatment-dose anticoagulation in mechanically ventilated patients; those who received treatment-dose anticoagulation experienced in-hospital mortality of 29....
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NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital1, University of Insubria2, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston3, Chinese PLA General Hospital4, University of Vermont Medical Center5, Harvard University6, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center7, Loyola University Medical Center8, University of Chicago9, University of Milan10, Auckland City Hospital11, St Thomas' Hospital12, Hofstra University13, University of Michigan14, Hamilton Health Sciences15, Population Health Research Institute16, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute17, Brigham and Women's Hospital18, Vanderbilt University19, Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia20, University of Mainz21, McMaster University22, University of Liverpool23, Aalborg University24
TL;DR: The current understanding of the pathogenesis, epidemiology, management and outcomes of patients with COVID-19 who develop venous or arterial thrombosis, and of those with preexistingThrombotic disease who develop CO VID-19 are reviewed.
2,222 citations