The treatment effect of rivaroxaban on clot characteristics in patients who present acutely with first time deep vein thrombosis.

BACKGROUND: The acute vascular disease deep vein thrombosis (DVT) requires oral anticoagulants to prevent progression. Monitoring therapeutic efficacy of direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC), including rivaroxaban, is problematic as no reliable test is available. Advances in rheometry have led to the development of a functional coagulation biomarker using Gel Point (GP) analysis which assesses clot structure formation. The biomarker measures incipient clot formation time (TGP) and quantifies fibrin clot structure in terms of fractal dimension (df). OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate clot structure formation in first time DVT and the effect of rivaroxaban treatment. METHODS: This prospective observational cohort study measured the GP and standard laboratory markers at three sample points: pre-treatment and at 20 and 60 days following 15 mg BD and 20 mg OD rivaroxaban respectively. RESULTS: Forty DVT patients (mean age 64 years [SD±14.8]; 23 males, 17 female) were recruited. The results show that DVT vs non-DVT patients did not have a significantly different GP profile (df: 1.72±0.06 vs 1.70±0.06 and TGP: 267±68 sec vs 262±73 sec) with both within the defined healthy index. In addition, rivaroxaban therapy increased TGP to 392 s (±135 s) after 20 days, and subsequently increased to 395 s (±194 s) at 60 days but did not significantly increase df (from 1.69±0.05 to 1.71±0.06). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate in this cohort of DVT patients there was no underlying hypercoagulable effect as determined by gel point analysis. Furthermore, the anticoagulant effect of rivaroxaban prolonged clotting, suggesting a protective effect against clot formation, without significantly reducing clot microstructural properties.

Evaluation of the activated partial thromboplastin time assay for clinical monitoring of PEGylated recombinant factor VIII (BAY 94-9027) for haemophilia A.

Patients with haemophilia (PWH) are usually monitored by the one-stage activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) factor VIII (FVIII) assay. Different aPTT activators may affect clotting time (CT) and FVIII:C levels in patients treated with PEGylated FVIII. To evaluate the characteristics of PEGylated FVIII (BAY 94-9027) in various aPTT clotting assays, and to identify suitable aPTT reagents for monitoring BAY 94-9027 during the treatment of PWH, BAY 94-9027 and World Health Organization (WHO) 8th FVIII standards (WHO-8) were spiked into pooled and individual severe haemophilia A plasma at 1.0, 0.25 and 0.05 IU mL(-1) . Five commercial aPTT reagents widely used in clinical laboratories were compared and evaluated for BAY 94-9027 activity in plasma from PWH. BAY 94-9027 and WHO-8 bestowed similar CT and excellent precision when ellagic acid (SynthAFax, Dade Actin, and Cephascreen) aPTT reagents were used. In contrast, BAY 94-9027 showed significantly prolonged CT and poor precision compared with WHO-8 using silica aPTT reagents (APTT-SP and STA PTT 5). Furthermore, free 60-kDa polyethylene glycol (PEG), used for the conjugation of FVIII, showed a dose-dependent prolongation of CT in the APTT-SP assay. There was no effect on the SynthAFax-APTT, prothrombin time, or FXIa-initiated thrombin generation assay, demonstrating that the PEG moiety on FVIII has no general effect on the coagulation cascade. In summary, ellagic aPTT reagents (SynthAFax, Dade Actin, and Cephascreen) are most suitable for evaluating potency of BAY 94-9027 and should be the preferred aPTT reagents used in clinical laboratories for monitoring FVIII activity after infusion of BAY 94-9027 to PWH.

Herbs and the brain: friend or foe? The effects of ginkgo and garlic on warfarin use.

In the quest for longevity and as an alternative to Western medicine, there has been a resurgence in traditional remedies. However, several concerns have been raised about the increased use of herbal remedies, including potential interactions with "Western" medicines, the lack of quality control, the assessment of herbal clinical trials, and the adulteration of herbal remedies by traditional prescribers. Taking an herbal history is not usually a part of medical/nursing practice, and patients usually do not readily volunteer such information. In the cerebrovascular and cardiac settings, it is particularly important to gain such a history and to educate patients and family members about the potential interactions of herbal remedies with anticoagulants. Two herbal supplements in particular, ginkgo biloba and garlic, have demonstrated effects on warfarin.