title: [Decreased transfusion requirements in acquired severe bleeding with recombinant activated factor VII].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Patients with severe and persistent bleeding have high mortality rates despite standard therapy, including blood transfusion support. The aim of the study was to evaluate the role of rFVIIa in the management of severe bleeding, refractory to other treatments.
  
  
  METHODS
  All cases with severe bleeding and failure of previous treatments who received rFVIIa (n = 21) at one single center were retrospectively included in the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A response after the administration of rFVIIa was reported in 16 of 21 patients (76.2%). Hemorrhage was completely halted in 14 cases, and 12 patients (57.1%) were alive 30 days after treatment. The use of rFVIIa was associated with a normalization of coagulation tests, especially the prothrombin time (p = 0.001). A marked reduction in blood requirements, red cell units (p = 0.003), fresh frozen plasma (p = 0.009) and platelets (p = 0.017) was also observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  rFVIIa may have an important role in the achievement of an adequate hemostasis and reduces blood requirements in patients with severe bleeding, emerging as an alternative to blood transfusion.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Hematología, Clínica Universitaria de Navarra, Pamplona, Navarra, Spain. rlecumber@unav.es
authors.forename: Ramón
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lecumberri
authors.forename: José A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Páramo
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hidalgo
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feliu
authors.forename: Rebeca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Iglesias
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rocha
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D005167:Factor VII / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015942:Factor VIIa; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D005167:Factor VII; C103587:recombinant FVIIa; D015942:Factor VIIa