title: Factor XIII substitution in surgical cancer patients at high risk for intraoperative bleeding.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Excessive intraoperative bleeding is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The authors and others have shown that fibrin monomer allows preoperative risk stratification for intraoperative blood loss, likely due to an imbalance between available factor XIII and prothrombin conversion. The authors hypothesized that the use of factor XIII would delay the decrease of clot firmness in high-risk patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The concept was tested in a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in elective gastrointestinal cancer surgery. Patients were randomized to receive factor XIII (30 U/kg) or placebo in addition to controlled standard therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-two patients were evaluable for a planned interim analysis. For the primary outcome parameter maximum clot firmness, patients receiving factor XIII showed a nonsignificant 8% decrease, and patients receiving placebo lost 38%, a highly significantly difference between the two groups (P = 0.004). A reduction in the nonprimary outcome parameters fibrinogen consumption (-28%, P = 0.01) and blood loss (-29%, P = 0.041) was also observed in the factor XIII group. Three patients experienced adverse events that seemed unrelated to factor XIII substitution. The trial was stopped early after a planned interim analysis with the primary endpoint reached.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This proof of concept study confirms the hypothesis that patients at high risk for intraoperative blood loss show reduced loss of clot firmness when factor XIII is administered early during surgery. Further clinical trials are needed to assess relevant clinical endpoints such as blood loss, loss of other coagulation factors, and use of blood products.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Haematology, Kantonsspital, St. Gallen, Switzerland. wolfgang.korte@ikch.ch
authors.forename: Wolfgang C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Korte
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Szadkowski
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gähler
authors.forename: Konrad
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gabi
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kownacki
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eder
authors.forename: Priska
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Degiacomi
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zoller
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Devay
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schnider
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000502:physiology; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D000077324:Crystalloid Solutions; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D017707:Erythrocyte Transfusion; D005176:Factor XIII / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007552:Isotonic Solutions / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D019990:Perioperative Care; D010952:Plasma Substitutes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018401:Sample Size; D013916:Thrombelastography; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000077324:Crystalloid Solutions; D007552:Isotonic Solutions; D010952:Plasma Substitutes; D005176:Factor XIII