Among patients who are receiving long-term anticoagulant therapy, whether with a direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) or vitamin K antagonist (VKA), approximately 3-5% who require treatment interruption for a surgery will do so in an urgent/emergency surgery setting. Additionally, there is considerable morbidity and mortality associated with DOAC/VKA management in an urgent/emergency surgery setting. Thus, this prospective registry study aims to identify and compare determinants for perioperative adverse events in DOAC-treated and VKA-treated patients who require an urgent/emergency surgery, and to identify which of these are modifiable. It also aims to describe and compare management of anticoagulant reversal (i.e., non-specific and specific reversal agents) and resource utilization (i.e., blood transfusion) in DOAC- and VKA-treated patients who need an urgent/emergency surgery.
Among patients who are receiving long-term anticoagulant therapy, whether with a direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) or vitamin K antagonist (VKA), approximately 3-5% who require treatment interruption for a surgery will do so in an urgent/emergency surgery setting. Assuming that approximately 500,000 to 800,000 patients per year in the U.S. and E.U. will require perioperative management for a surgery/procedure, the investigators estimate that approximately 20,000 to 25,000 patients will require an urgent/emergency surgery. Although this represents a small proportion of patients who require anticoagulant interruption, there is considerable morbidity and mortality associated with DOAC/VKA management in an urgent/emergency surgery setting. Thus, for VKA-treated patients, rates of thromboembolism, major bleeding and mortality are 10.5%, 22.9%, and 2.9%, respectively. Similarly, for DOAC-treated patients who require an urgent/emergency surgery, rates of thromboembolism, major bleeding and mortality are 7.4%, 17.6%, and 1.5%, respectively. By comparison, rates of these outcomes for DOAC/VKA-treated patients who need elective surgery are \~0.5-1.0%, \~1-3%, and \<0.5%, respectively. Most studies have focused on the perioperative anticoagulant management of patients who require an elective surgery/procedure. To the investigators' knowledge, few studies have focused on the assessment of adverse outcomes in an urgent/emergency perioperative setting among anticoagulated patients. Thus, this prospective registry study aims to 1) identify and compare determinants for perioperative adverse events in DOAC-treated and VKA-treated patients who require an urgent/emergency surgery, and to identify which of these are modifiable, and 2) describe and compare management of anticoagulant reversal (i.e., non-specific and specific reversal agents) and resource utilization (i.e., blood transfusion) in DOAC- and VKA-treated patients who need an urgent/emergency surgery. The data gained from this study will generate hypotheses for subsequent prospective studies that would potentially assess different management strategies in this clinical setting (e.g., use of DOAC antidote- vs. prothrombin complex concentrate-based management). Given the exploratory, hypothesis-generating nature of the proposed study, the sample size is one of convenience, comprising 200 DOAC- and 200 warfarin-treated patients. Patients will be recruited from 30 clinical sites in Canada, the US, and Europe. With 30 clinical sites, the investigators estimate that 3-5 patients/month (60-72/yr) per arm can be recruited, corresponding to an overall rate of 180-216 over 3 years. Each study patient will participate for approximately 4 weeks, with one follow-up phone call at 4 weeks post-procedure.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
242
Hamilton General Hospital
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Juravinski Hospital
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Number of patients who had arterial thromboembolism (ATE)
Any of the following: stroke, systemic arterial embolism, and/or myocardial infarction. * Ischemic stroke: any new focal neurologic deficit that persists for \>24 hours or any new focal neurologic deficit of any duration, that occurs with evidence of acute infarction on computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain. * Systemic embolism: symptomatic embolism to upper or lower extremity or abdominal organ, confirmed intraoperatively or by objective imaging (e.g., CT angiography). * Myocardial Infarction: Symptomatic myocardial ischemia, defined by pre-specified clinical and objective EKG- and/or troponin-related criteria.
Time frame: Each patient will be followed-up once 30±7-days post-operative
Number of patients who had venous thromboembolism (VTE)
Any of the following: symptomatic deep vein thrombosis and/or pulmonary embolism, confirmed by objective imaging studies (e.g., ultrasound, CT pulmonary angiogram, VQ scan).
Time frame: Each patient will be followed-up once 30±7-days post-operative
Number of patients who had major bleeding
As defined by the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH), ≥1 of the criteria below: * bleeding that is fatal or is symptomatic and retroperitoneal, intracranial, intraspinal, intraocular, pericardial, intramuscular with compartment syndrome, or intra-articular * non-surgical bleeding causing a drop in hemoglobin ≥20 g/L (1.24 mmol/L) or leading to transfusion ≥2 units whole blood or red cells within 48 hours of the bleed * surgical bleed that leads to intervention (e.g., re-operation) or has one of: (i) interferes with mobilization; (ii) leads to delayed wound healing; or (iii) leads to deep wound infection * surgical site bleeding that is unexpected and prolonged and/or sufficiently large to cause hemodynamic instability associated with: (i) drop in hemoglobin ≥20 g/L (1.24 mmol/L); or (ii) transfusion of ≥2 units whole blood or red cells within 48 hours of the bleed
Time frame: Each patient will be followed-up once 30±7-days post-operative
Number of patients who died
Death due to any cause
Time frame: Each patient will be followed-up once 30±7-days post-operative
Number of patients who received adjunctive hemostatic therapies
For example, prothrombin complex concentrates, FEIBA, tranexamic acid, etc.
Time frame: Each patient will be followed-up once 30±7-days post-operative
Number of patients who received specific anticoagulant reversal agents
For example, idarucizumab (for dabigatran), andexanet alfa (for factor Xa inhibitors), vitamin K (for VKA), prothrombin complex concentrates (for VKA) etc.
Time frame: Each patient will be followed-up once 30±7-days post-operative
Number of patients who received blood products
For example, packed red blood cells, platelets, plasma, cryoprecipitate, fibrinogen, etc.
Time frame: Each patient will be followed-up once 30±7-days post-operative
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.