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CC BY 4.0 · TH Open 2020; 04(02): e80-e93
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1709731
Original Article
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Comparative Efficacy and Safety of Sulodexide and Other Extended Anticoagulation Treatments for Prevention of Recurrent Venous Thromboembolism: A Bayesian Network Meta-analysis

Giuseppe Pompilio 
1   ISHEO SRL, Rome, Italy
,
Davide Integlia
1   ISHEO SRL, Rome, Italy
,
Joseph Raffetto
2   Vascular Surgery Research Laboratories, Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
,
Gualtiero Palareti
3   Fondazione Arianna Anticoagulazione, Bologna, Italy
› Author Affiliations Funding This study received unconditional funding from AlfaSigma S.p.A Bologna.
Further Information

Publication History

06 December 2019

12 March 2020

Publication Date:
28 April 2020 (online)

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Abstract

Objective This network meta-analysis (NMA) assesses the clinical comparative efficacy and safety of sulodexide versus direct-acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs), vitamin K antagonist (VKA), and aspirin in patients with an unprovoked venous thromboembolism (VTE).

Methods We conducted a literature search in MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library using both randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies. Reduction in recurrent deep venous thrombosis (r-DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), major bleeding (MB), clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding (CRNMB) were the primary efficacy and safety outcomes. Other secondary end points were also included. We performed a fixed, random effects, and hierarchical models Bayesian NMA for each outcome.

Results We identified 18 RCTs and seven observational studies. Random models showed sulodexide is the best treatment compared with DOACs, VKA, and aspirin at reducing the risk of CRNMB, for preventing death from any cause, and VTE/PE/myocardial infarction (MI)/stroke with 0.47, 0.81, and 0.65 probabilities, respectively. In the random model sulodexide was the best treatment for reducing the risk of MB with a 0.50 probability and hierarchical model that confirmed favorable results. Random and hierarchical models showed sulodexide and DOACs to be the best treatments for reducing PE risk. Sulodexide was more effective than aspirin for reducing r-DVT with 0.12 and less of 0.0001 probabilities, respectively.

Conclusion Sulodexide is more effective for reducing MB and CRNMB, for preventing deaths from any cause, and from VTE/PE/MI/stroke, than other treatments, for both random and hierarchical models. Sulodexide showed to be more effective than aspirin in reducing the risk of r-DVT and PE. Sulodexide's reduction in bleeding while protecting from recurrent DVT risk makes this therapeutic option an important alternative for extended anticoagulation treatment.

Keywords

sulodexide - major bleeding - unprovoked venous thromboembolism - aspirin - network meta-analysis

Supplementary Material

 

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