title: Rates of clinically apparent heparin-induced thrombocytopenia for unfractionated heparin vs. low molecular weight heparin in non-surgical patients are low and similar.
abstract: With the growing use of low-molecular-weight heparins (LMWH) for the treatment and prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE), it is important to provide an evidence-based comparison with unfractionated heparin (UFH) concerning rates of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). Such comparisons are essential in clinical decision-making and cost-modeling. In this paper we review data regarding non-surgical (medical) patients. We conclude that the lack of uniform evaluation and standardized testing for HIT in the current literature precludes making a reliable estimate of the relative risk of HIT in UFH vs. LMWH in either the treatment or prevention of VTE in non-surgical patients. However, current data suggest that the risk of thrombocytopenia and HIT is low and similar for non-surgical patients who receive either LMWH or UFH.
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins Community Physicians Department of Internal Medicine 2360 W, Joppa Rd,, Suite 306 Lutherville, MD 21093 USA. clocke@jhmi.edu.
authors.forename: Charles Fs
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Locke
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dooley
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gerber