Effect of Low-Intensity vs Standard-Intensity Warfarin Prophylaxis on Venous Thromboembolism or Death Among Patients Undergoing Hip or Knee Arthroplasty: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: The optimal international normalized ratio (INR) to prevent venous thromboembolism (VTE) in warfarin-treated patients with recent arthroplasty is unknown. Objective: To determine the safety and efficacy of a target INR of 1.8 vs 2.5 for VTE prophylaxis after orthopedic surgery. Design, Setting, and Participants: The randomized Genetic Informatics Trial (GIFT) of Warfarin to Prevent Deep Vein Thrombosis enrolled 1650 patients aged 65 years or older initiating warfarin for elective hip or knee arthroplasty at 6 US medical centers. Enrollment began in April 2011 and follow-up concluded in October 2016. Interventions: In a 2 × 2 factorial design, participants were randomized to a target INR of 1.8 (n = 823) or 2.5 (n = 827) and to either genotype-guided or clinically guided warfarin dosing. For the first 11 days of therapy, open-label warfarin dosing was guided by a web application. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was the composite of VTE (within 60 days) or death (within 30 days). Participants underwent screening duplex ultrasound postoperatively. The hypothesis was that an INR target of 1.8 would be noninferior to an INR target of 2.5, using a noninferiority margin of 3% for the absolute risk of VTE. Secondary end points were bleeding and INR values of 4 or more. Results: Among 1650 patients who were randomized (mean age, 72.1 years; 1049 women [63.6%]; 1502 white [91.0%]), 1597 (96.8%) received at least 1 dose of warfarin and were included in the primary analysis. The rate of the primary composite outcome of VTE or death was 5.1% (41 of 804) in the low-intensity-warfarin group (INR target, 1.8) vs 3.8% (30 of 793) in the standard-treatment-warfarin group (INR target, 2.5), for a difference of 1.3% (1-sided 95% CI, -∞ to 3.05%, P = .06 for noninferiority). Major bleeding occurred in 0.4% of patients in the low-intensity group and 0.9% of patients in the standard-intensity group, for a difference of -0.5% (95% CI, -1.6% to 0.4%). The INR values of 4 or more occurred in 4.5% of patients in the low-intensity group and 12.2% of the standard-intensity group, for a difference of -7.8% (95% CI, -10.5% to -5.1%). Conclusions and Relevance: Among older patients undergoing hip or knee arthroplasty and receiving warfarin prophylaxis, an international normalized ratio goal of 1.8 compared with 2.5 did not meet the criterion for noninferiority for risk of the composite outcome of VTE or death. However, the trial may have been underpowered to meet this criterion and further research may be warranted. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01006733.

Postoperative Myocardial Injury and Inflammation Is Not Blunted by a Trial of Atorvastatin in Orthopedic Surgery Patients.

BACKGROUND: Orthopedic patients are at risk for adverse postoperative cardiovascular outcomes. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: This pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) of atorvastatin vs. placebo in orthopedic surgery patients was performed in order to assess: (1) the prevalence of perioperative myocardial injury; (2) the effect of atorvastatin on perioperative inflammation; and (3) the feasibility of performing a large RCT of statin therapy in orthopedic patients. METHODS: Hip fracture (hip Fx) and total hip and knee replacement (THR and TKR) patients were randomized 1:1 to atorvastatin 40 mg daily vs. placebo, starting preoperatively and continuing until postoperative day (POD) 45. High-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured preoperatively and on POD 2. Patients were monitored for adverse events until POD 90. RESULTS: Five hundred fifty-six patients were screened, 22 were recruited (4 hip Fx, 11 THR, 7 TKR), and 2 withdrew. Most (80%) had detectable hs-cTnI (> 1.1 pg/mL) preoperatively. Twenty percent had a perioperative rise in hs-cTnI (≥ 10 pg/mL), which was not blunted by atorvastatin. Hs-CRP rose in 19/20 patients, and IL-6 rose in all patients. However, atorvastatin did not blunt the rise in these inflammatory biomarkers. On POD 2, IL-6 and hs-cTnI levels correlated (ρ = 0.59, p = 0.02). Recruitment was limited by the high prevalence of statin use in the screened population and a high prevalence of exclusions among hip fracture patients. CONCLUSION: Perioperative myocardial injury and inflammation are common in orthopedic patients and do not appear to be reduced in those randomized to atorvastatin. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02197065.

Effect of Genotype-Guided Warfarin Dosing on Clinical Events and Anticoagulation Control Among Patients Undergoing Hip or Knee Arthroplasty: The GIFT Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Warfarin use accounts for more medication-related emergency department visits among older patients than any other drug. Whether genotype-guided warfarin dosing can prevent these adverse events is unknown. Objective: To determine whether genotype-guided dosing improves the safety of warfarin initiation. Design, Setting, and Patients: The randomized clinical Genetic Informatics Trial (GIFT) of Warfarin to Prevent Deep Vein Thrombosis included patients aged 65 years or older initiating warfarin for elective hip or knee arthroplasty and was conducted at 6 US medical centers. Enrollment began in April 2011 and follow-up concluded in October 2016. Interventions: Patients were genotyped for the following polymorphisms: VKORC1-1639G>A, CYP2C9*2, CYP2C9*3, and CYP4F2 V433M. In a 2 × 2 factorial design, patients were randomized to genotype-guided (n = 831) or clinically guided (n = 819) warfarin dosing on days 1 through 11 of therapy and to a target international normalized ratio (INR) of either 1.8 or 2.5. The recommended doses of warfarin were open label, but the patients and clinicians were blinded to study group assignment. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary end point was the composite of major bleeding, INR of 4 or greater, venous thromboembolism, or death. Patients underwent a screening lower-extremity duplex ultrasound approximately 1 month after arthroplasty. Results: Among 1650 randomized patients (mean age, 72.1 years [SD, 5.4 years]; 63.6% women; 91.0% white), 1597 (96.8%) received at least 1 dose of warfarin therapy and completed the trial (n = 808 in genotype-guided group vs n = 789 in clinically guided group). A total of 87 patients (10.8%) in the genotype-guided group vs 116 patients (14.7%) in the clinically guided warfarin dosing group met at least 1 of the end points (absolute difference, 3.9% [95% CI, 0.7%-7.2%], P = .02; relative rate [RR], 0.73 [95% CI, 0.56-0.95]). The numbers of individual events in the genotype-guided group vs the clinically guided group were 2 vs 8 for major bleeding (RR, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.05-1.15), 56 vs 77 for INR of 4 or greater (RR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.51-0.99), 33 vs 38 for venous thromboembolism (RR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.54-1.34), and there were no deaths. Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients undergoing elective hip or knee arthroplasty and treated with perioperative warfarin, genotype-guided warfarin dosing, compared with clinically guided dosing, reduced the combined risk of major bleeding, INR of 4 or greater, venous thromboembolism, or death. Further research is needed to determine the cost-effectiveness of personalized warfarin dosing. Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01006733.

Genetic polymorphism at Val80 (rs700518) of the CYP19A1 gene is associated with aromatase inhibitor associated bone loss in women with ER + breast cancer.

PURPOSE: Polymorphisms in the CYP19A1 (aromatase) gene have been reported to influence disease-free survival and the incidence of musculoskeletal complaints in patients taking aromatase inhibitors (AIs) for estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer. Bone loss and fractures are well-recognized complications from AI therapy. The objective of this study is to determine the influence of polymorphisms in the CYP19A1 gene on bone loss among patients taking aromatase inhibitors for ER+ breast cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The subjects consisted of 97 postmenopausal women with ER+ breast cancer who were initiated on third-generation AIs. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry at baseline and at 6 and 12 months. Twenty-four hour urine N-telopeptide (NTX) was measured by Elisa and serum estradiol was measured by ultrasensitive radioimmunoassay at baseline, and at 6 months. Genotyping was done by Taqman SNP allelic discrimination assay. RESULTS: Women with the AA genotype for the rs700518 (G/A at Val(80)) developed significant bone loss at the lumbar spine and the total hip at 12 months relative to patients carrying the G allele (GA/GG); both p = 0.03. There was a borderline greater increase in urinary NTX in those with the AA genotype compared to patients with the G allele, p = 0.05; but no significant difference in changes in estradiol levels among the genotypes. CONCLUSION: Patients with the AA genotype for the rs700518 polymorphism in the CYP19A1 gene are at risk for AI-associated bone loss and deserve close follow-up during long-term AI therapy.