[Dabigatran Reversal: A Practical Approach]. / Reversão do Dabigatrano: Abordagem Prática.

Dabigatran is a direct oral anticoagulant used to prevent stroke and systemic embolism in patients with atrial fibrillation. In situations that require the urgent reversal of its anticoagulant activity, such as in the case of severe bleeding that is life-threatening; urgent/ emergent surgery or invasive procedures with significant bleeding risk; and the need for thrombolysis in a patient with ischemic stroke, several measures can be taken, including the use of its specific reversal agent, idarucizumab. Based on the guidelines for the use of reversal agents for oral anticoagulants, and on the clinical experience of reversal of dabigatran, a practical guide is presented for use in clinical situations where reversal of dabigatran anticoagulation is required, including the use of idarucizumab. The adoption of this type of guideline contributes to therapeutic optimization and, consequently, greater reversal efficiency and a better resource management.

O dabigatrano é um anticoagulante oral direto utilizado na prevenção do acidente vascular cerebral (AVC) e embolia sistémica em doentes com fibrilhação auricular. Em situações que implicam a reversão urgente da sua atividade anticoagulante, como em caso de hemorragia grave com risco de vida; cirurgia ou manobra invasiva urgente/ emergente com risco hemorrágico significativo; e necessidade de trombólise em doente com AVC isquémico, podem ser adotadas diversas medidas, nomeadamente o recurso ao seu agente de reversão específico, o idarucizumab. Com base nas orientações de utilização dos agentes de reversão dos anticoagulantes orais e na experiência clínica de reversão do dabigatrano, apresenta-se um guia prático de atuação em situações urgentes de necessidade de reversão da anticoagulação do dabigatrano, incluindo a utilização de idarucizumab. A adoção deste tipo de protocolos contribui para a otimização terapêutica e, consequentemente, uma reversão mais eficaz e uma melhor gestão dos recursos.

Pulmonary embolism in pediatric age: A retrospective study from a tertiary center.

INTRODUCTION: Pediatric pulmonary embolism (PE) is rare but associated with adverse outcomes. We aimed to characterize PE cases admitted in a tertiary hospital and to evaluate sensitivity of selected PE diagnostic prediction tools. METHODS: Retrospective, descriptive study of PE cases admitted from 2008 to 2020 using data collected from hospital records. Patients were grouped according to PE severity and setting (outpatients vs. inpatients). Links and correlation with demographic characteristics, risk factors, clinical presentation, management, and outcomes were analyzed. PE diagnostic prediction tools were applied. RESULTS: Twenty-nine PE episodes occurred in 27 patients, 62.9% female, mean age 14.1 years. Most PE were central and split between massive or submassive. One was diagnosed in autopsy. Twenty outpatients, all adolescents, were admitted for classic PE symptoms; in half of them the diagnosis had been previously missed. Risk factors included contraceptives (65%), thrombophilia (35%), obesity (20%) and auto-immunity (20%). Eight inpatients, diagnosed during cardiorespiratory deterioration (n = 5), or through incidental radiological findings (n = 3), were younger and had immobilization (87.5%), complex chronic diseases (75%), infections (75%) and central venous catheter (62.5%) as risk factors. Retrospectively, d -dimer testing and adult scores performed better than pediatric scores (sensitivity 92.9%-96% vs. 85.7%-92.9%). Both pediatric scores missed a case with a positive family history. DISCUSSION: Pediatric PE diagnosis is often delayed or missed. Development of pediatric prediction tools from validated adult scores merits being explored. We argue clinical presentation and risk factors may be different in inpatients and outpatients and propose broader reliance on family history.