title: Bivalirudin-based versus conventional heparin anticoagulation for postcardiotomy extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) after cardiac operations (postcardiotomy) is commonly used for the treatment of acute heart failure refractory to drug treatment. Bleeding and thromboembolic events are the most common complications of postcardiotomy ECMO. The present study is a retrospective comparison of the conventional heparin-based anticoagulation protocol with a bivalirudin-based, heparin-free protocol. Endpoints of this study are blood loss, allogeneic blood product use, and costs during the ECMO procedure.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study was undertaken in the setting of cardiac surgery, anesthesia, and intensive care departments of a university research hospital. Twenty-one patients (12 adults and nine children) who underwent postcardiotomy ECMO from 2008 through 2011 were retrospectively analyzed. The first consecutive eight patients were treated with heparin-based anticoagulation (H-group) and the next 13 consecutive patients with bivalirudin-based anticoagulation (B-group). The following parameters were analyzed: standard coagulation profile, thromboelastographic parameters, blood loss, allogeneic blood products use, thromboembolic complications, and costs during the ECMO treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients in the B-group had significantly longer activated clotting times, activated partial thromboplastin times, and reaction times at thromboelastography. The platelet count and antithrombin activity were not significantly different, but in the H-group a significantly higher amount of platelet concentrates, fresh frozen plasma, and purified antithrombin were administered. Blood loss was significantly lower in the B-group, and the daily cost of ECMO was significantly lower in pediatric patients treated with bivalirudin. Thromboembolic complications did not differ between groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bivalirudin as the sole anticoagulant can be safely used for postcardiotomy ECMO, with a better coagulation profile, less bleeding, and allogeneic transfusions. No safety issues were raised by this study, and costs are reduced in bivalirudin-treated patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia and Intensive Care, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Via Morandi 30, 20097 San Donato Milanese (Milan), Italy. cardioanestesia@virgilio.it
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ranucci
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ballotta
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kandil
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Isgrò
authors.forename: Concetta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carlucci
authors.forename: Ekaterina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Baryshnikova
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pistuddi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001777:Blood Coagulation; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D015199:Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006493:Heparin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006629:Hirudins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D006629:Hirudins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D006493:Heparin; C074619:bivalirudin
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