Hamostaseologie 2017; 37(04): 257-266
DOI: 10.5482/HAMO-16-11-0043
Review
Schattauer GmbH

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) – Management of emergency situations

Rationale and design of the RADOA-RegistryManagement von NotfallsituationenRationale und Design des RADOA-Registers
Edelgard Lindhoff-Last
1   Cardioangiology Center Bethanien Hospital (CCB), Frankfurt, Germany
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received: 27 November 2016

accepted in revised form: 06 February 2017

Publication Date:
28 December 2017 (online)

Summary

The worldwide increase in the aging population and the associated increase in the prevalence of atrial fibrillation and venous thromboembolism as well as the widespread use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) have resulted in an increase of the need for the management of bleeding complications and emergency operations in frail, elderly patients, in clinical practice. When severe bleeding occurs, general assessment should include evaluation of the bleeding site, onset and severity of bleeding, renal function, and concurrent medications with focus on anti-platelet drugs and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID). The last intake of the DOAC and its residual concentration are also relevant. The site of bleeding should be immediately localized, anticoagulation should be interrupted, and local measures to stop bleeding should be taken. In life-threatening bleeding or emergency operations immediate reversal of the antithrombotic effect may be indicated. If relevant residual DOAC-concentrations are expected and surgery cannot be postponed, prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC) and/or a specific antidote should be given. While idarucizumab, the specific antidote for dabigatran, has been recently approved for clinical use, the recombinant factor X protein andexanet alfa, an antidote for the reversal of inhibitors of coagulation factor Xa, and ciraparantag, a universal antidote, are not available. Future cohort studies are necessary to assess the efficacy and safety of specific and unspecific reversal agents in “real-life” conditions. This was the rationale for introducing the RADOA-registry (RADOA: Reversal Agent use in patients treated with Direct Oral Anticoagulants or vitamin K antagonists), a prospective non-interventional registry, which will evaluate the effects of specific and unspecific reversal agents in patients with life-threatening bleeding or emergency operations either treated with DOACs or vitamin K antagonists.

Zusammenfassung

Durch eine weltweit alternde Bevölkerung nehmen Vorhofflimmern und venöse Thromboembolien und dadurch auch der Einsatz direkter oraler Antikoagulantien (DOAK) deutlich zu. Das Management von Blutungskomplikationen und Notfalloperationen bei diesen fragilen, alten Patienten stellt eine Herausforderung im klinischen Alltag dar. Bei Auftreten schwerer Blutungen sollten der Ort der Blutung, der Beginn und Schweregrad, sowie die Nierenfunktion und Begleitmedikationen wie Thrombozytenaggregationshemmer oder nichtsteroidale Antirheumatika (NSAR) Berücksichtigung finden. Der Zeitpunkt der letzten Tabletteneinnahme sowie die Restkonzentration des DOAK bei Aufnahme sind ebenfalls relevant. Die Antikoagulation sollte sofort unterbrochen und lokale Maßnahmen ergriffen werden, um die Blutung zu stillen. Bei lebensbedrohlicher Blutung oder rasch notwendiger Notfalloperation sollte der anti-koagulierende Effekt sofort aufgehoben werden. Die Gabe von PPSB kann erwogen werden, wenn spezifische Antidots nicht zur Verfügung stehen. Wenn relevante DOAK-Rest-konzentrationen vermutet werden und die Operation nicht aufgeschoben werden kann, dann sollten PPSB und/oder ein spezifisches Antidot präoperativ appliziert werden. Während Idarucizumab, das spezifische Antidot für Dabigatran, inzwischen zur Behandlung zugelassen ist, sind der rekombinante Faktor X Andexanet Alfa, der als Antidot gegen Faktor X-Inhibitoren wirkt und Ciraparantag, ein universelles Antidot, noch nicht für die klinische Anwendung verfügbar. Zukünftige Studien und Register sollten Effektivität und Sicherheit spezifischer und unspezifischer Gegenmittel im klinischen Alltag untersuchen. Diese Überlegungen haben zur Etablierung des RADOA-Registers (RADOA: Reversal Agent use in patients treated with Direct Oral Anticoagulants or vitamin K antagonists) geführt, ein prospektives, multizentrisches, nicht-interventionelles Register, das die Ef-fektivität spezifischer und unspezifischer Gegenmittel bei Patienten mit lebensbedrohlichen Blutungen oder Notfalloperation unter Behandlung mit DOAK oder Vitamin-K-Antagonisten erfassen und auswerten wird.

 
  • References

  • 1 Patel MR, Mahaffey KW, Garg J. et al. Rivaroxaban versus warfarin in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. N Engl J Med 2011; 365 (10) 883-891.
  • 2 Conolly SJ, Ezekowitz MD. et al. Dabigatran versus warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation. N Engl J Med 2009; 361 (12) 1139-1151.
  • 3 Granger CB, Alexander JH, McMurray JJ. et al. Apixaban versus warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation. N Engl J Med 2011; 365 (11) 981-992.
  • 4 EINSTEIN Investigators. Oral rivaroxaban for symptomatic venous thromboembolism. N Engl J Med 2010; 363 (26) 2499-2510.
  • 5 Giugliano RP, Ruff CT, Braunwald E. et al. Edoxaban versus warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation. N Engl J Med 2013; 369: 2093-2104.
  • 6 Levy JH. Discontinuation and management of direct-acting anticoagulants for emergency procedures. Am J Em Med 2016; 34: 14-18.
  • 7 Levi M. Emergency reversal of antithrombotic treatment. Intern Emerg Med 2009; 04 (02) 137-145.
  • 8 Bershad EM, Suarez JI. Prothrombin complex concentrates for oral anticoagulant therapy-related intracranial hemorrhage: a review of the literature. Neurocrit Care 2010; 12 (03) 403-413.
  • 9 Lauritzen B, Hedner U, Johansen PB. et al. Recombinant human factor VIIa and a factor VIIa-analogue reduces heparin and low molecular weight heparin (LMWH)-induced bleeding in rats. J Thromb Haemost 2008; 06 (05) 804-811.
  • 10 Lu G, DeGuzman FR, Hollenbach SJ. et al. A specific antidote for reversal of anticoagulation by direct and indirect inhibitors of coagulation factor Xa. Nat Med 2013; 19 (04) 446-451.
  • 11 Schiele F, van Ryn J, Canada K. et al. A specific antidote for dabigatran: functional and structural characterization. Blood 2013; 121 (18) 3554-3562.
  • 12 Ansell JE, Bakhru SH, Laulicht BE. et al. Use of PER977 to reverse the anticoagulant effect of edoxaban. N Engl J Med 2014; 371: 2141-2142.
  • 13 Burnett AE, Mahan CE, Vazquez SR. et al. Guidance for the practical management of the direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in VTE treatment. J Thromb Thrombolysis 2016; 41: 206-232.
  • 14 Samuelson BT, Cuker A. Measurement and reversal of the direct oral anticoagulants. Blood Reviews 2017; 31 (01) 77-84.
  • 15 Tripodi A. The laboratory and the direct oral anticoagulants. Blood 2013; 121: 4032-4035.
  • 16 Sibbing D, Spannagl M. Direct oral anticoagulants and antiplatelet agents. Hämostaseologie 2014; 34: 78-84.
  • 17 Lippi G, Favaloro EJ. Recent guidelines and recommendations for laboratory assessment of the direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs): Is there consensus?. Clin Chem Lab Med 2015; 53: 185-197.
  • 18 Lindhoff-Last E, Ansell J, Spiro T, Samama MM. Laboratory testing of rivaroxaban in routine clinical practice: when, how, and which assays. Ann Med 2013; 45: 423-429.
  • 19 Barrett YC, Wang Z, Frost C, Shenker A. Clinical laboratory measurement of direct factor Xa inhibitors: anti-Xa assay is preferable to prothrombin time assays. Thromb Haemost 2010; 104: 1263-1271.
  • 20 Mani H, Rohde G, Stratmann G. et al. Accurate determination of rivaroxaban levels requires different calibrator sets but not addition of antithrombin. Thromb Haemost 2012; Jul; 108 (01) 191-198.
  • 21 Kirchhof P, Benussi S, Kotecha D. et al. 2016 ESC Guidelines for the management of atrial fibrillation developed in collaboration with EACTS. Eur Heart J 2016; 37: 2893-2962.
  • 22 Aronis KN, Hylek EM. Who, when and how to reverse non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants. J Thromb Thrombolysis 2016; 41: 243-272.
  • 23 Lindahl TL, Wallstedt M, Gustafsson KM. et al. More efficient reversal of dabigatran inhibition of coagulantion by activated prothrombin complex concentrates and recombinant factor VIIa than by four-factor prothormbin complex concentrate. Thromb Res 2015; 135 (03) 544-547.
  • 24 Escolar G, Arellano-Rodrigo E, Lopez-Vilchez I. et al. Reversal of rivaroxaban-induced alterations on haemostasis by different coagulation factor concentrates: in vitor studies with steady and circulating human blood. Circ J 2015; 79 (02) 331-338.
  • 25 Escolar G, Fernandez-Gallego V, Arellano-Rodrigo E. et al. Reversal of apixaban induced alterations in hemostasis by different coagulation factor concentrates: significance of studies in vitro with circulating human blood. PLoS ONe 2013; 08 (11) e78696.
  • 26 Halim AB, Samama MM, Mendell J. Ex vivo reversal of the anticoagulant effects of edoxaban. Thromb Res 2014; 134 (04) 909-913.
  • 27 Grottke O, van Ryn J, Spronk HM, Rossaint R. Prothrombin complex concentrates and a specific antidote to dabigatran are effective ex vivo in reversing the effects of dabigatranin an anticoagulation/liver trauma experimental model. Crit Care 2014; 18 (01) R27.
  • 28 Arellano-Rodrigo E, Lopez-Vilchez I, Galan AM. et al. Coagulation factor concentrates fail to restore alterations in fibrin formation caused by rivaroxaban or dabigatran in studies with flowing blood from treated healthy volunteers. Transfus Med Rev 2015; 29 (04) 242-249.
  • 29 Herzog E, Kaspereit F, Krege W. et al. Correlation of coagulation markers and 4F-PCC-mediated reversal of rivaroxaban in a rabbit model of acute bleeding. Thromb Res 2015; 135 (03) 554-560.
  • 30 Eerenberg ES, Kamphuisen PW, Sijpkens MK. et al. Reversal of rivaroxaban and dabigatran by prothrombin complex concentrate: a randomized, placebo-controlled corssover study in healthy subjects. Circulation 2011; 124 (14) 1573-1579.
  • 31 Levi M, Moore KT, Castillejos CF. et al. Comparison of three-factor and four-factor prothrombin complex concentratesregardin reversal of the anticoagulant effects of rivaroxaban in healthy volunteers. J Thromb Haemost 2014; 12 (09) 1428-1436.
  • 32 Zahir H, Brown KS, Vandell AG. et al. Edoxaban effects on bleeding following punch biopsy and reversal by a 4-factor prothrombin complex concentrate. Circulation 2015; 131 (01) 82-90.
  • 33 Hillarp A, Baghaei F, Fagerberg Blixter. et al. Effects of the oral, direct factor Xa inhibitor rivaroxaban on commonly used coagulation assays. J Thromb Haemost 2011; 09: 133-139.
  • 34 Siegal DM, Garcia DA, Crowther MA. How I treat target-specific oral anticoagulant associated bleeding. Blood 2014; 123: 1152-1158.
  • 35 Dzik WH. Reversal of oral factor Xa inhibitors by prothrombin complex concentrates: a re-appraisal. J Thromb Haemost 2015; 13 (Suppl. 01) S187-S194.
  • 36 Bouchard J, Ghannoum M, Bernier-Jean A. et al. Comparison of intermittent and continuous extracorporal treatments for the enhanced elimination of dabigatran. Clin Toxicol 2015; 53: 156-163.
  • 37 Parasrampuria DA, Marbury T, Matsushima N. et al. Pharmacokinetics, safety and tolerability of edoxaban in end-stage renal disease subjects undergoing haemodialysis. Thromb Haemost 2015; 113 (04) 719-727.
  • 38 Maegele M, Grottke O, Schöchl H. et al. Direct oral antiocagulants in emergency trauma admissions. Dtsch Arztebl Int 2016; 113: 575-582.
  • 39 Wang Y, Bajorek B. New oral anticoagulants in practice: pharmacological and practical considerations. Am J Cardiovasc Drugs 2014; 14: 175-189.
  • 40 Heidbuchel H, Verhamme P, Alings M. et al. Updated European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) practical guide on the use of non-vitamin K antagonist anticoagulants in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. Europace 2015; 17: 1467-1507.
  • 41 Ansell JE. Reversal agents for the direct oral anticoagulants. Hematol Oncol Clin N Am 2016; 30: 1085-1098.
  • 42 Greinacher A, Thiele T, Selleng K. Reversal of anticoagulants: an overview of current developments. Thromb Haemost 2015; 113: 931-942.
  • 43 Glund S, Stangier J, Schmohl M. et al. Safety, tolerability and efficacy fo idarucizumab for the reversal of the anticoagulant effect of dabigatran in healthy male volunteers: a randomised, placebocontrolled, double blind phase 1 trial. Lancet 2015; 386: 680-690.
  • 44 Pollack CV, Reilly PA, Eikelboom J. et al. Idarucizumab for dabigatran reversal. N Engl J Med 2015; 373: 511-530.
  • 45 Siegal DM, Curnutte JT, Connolly SJ. et al. Andexanet alfa for the reversal of factor Xa inhibitor activity. N Engl J Med 2015; 373: 2413-2424.
  • 46 Connolly SJ, Milling TJ, Eikelboom JW. et al. Andexanet Alfa for acute major bleeding associated with factor Xa inhibitors. N Engl J Med 2016; N Engl J Med 2016; 375 (12) 1131-1141.
  • 47 Ansell JE, Bakhru S, Laulicht BE. et al. Use of PER977 to reverse the antiocagulant effect of edoxaban. N Engl J Med 2014; 339: 2141-2142.
  • 48 Levy JH, Ageno W, Chan C. et al. When and how to use antidotes for the reversal of direct oral anticoagulants: guidance from the SSC of the ISTH. J Thromb Haemost 2016; 14: 623-627.
  • 49 Schulman S, Kearon C. Definition of major bleeding in clinical investigations of antihemostatic medicinal products in non-surgical patients. J Thromb Haemost 2005; 03: 692-694.
  • 50 Bauersachs RM, Gogarten W, Hach-Wunderle V. et al. Perioperatives Management der Antikoagulation mit Rivaroxaban – Konsensus einer interdisziplinären Arbeitsgruppe. Klinikarzt 2012; 41 (09) 424-431.