scholarly journals Successful Treatment of Massive Pulmonary Embolism with Rescue Fibrinolysis in Young Patient with Homocystinemia - Case Report

Author(s):  
Irena Mitevska ◽  
Irina Kotlar ◽  
Emilija Lazarova ◽  
Marijan Bosevski

Abstract Pulmonary embolism (PE) is the most frequently missed diagnosis in the urgent clinical department with serious consequences. Patients with unprovoked PE have increased risk of recurrent PE. Approximately 5 to 8% of PE patients have inherited thrombophilias. A solated homocystinemia is a rare cause of unprovoked acute pulmonary embolism. Timely diagnosis and proper treatment can prevent complications, costs and mortality and provide patient better quality of life. We are presenting a 42-year-old woman was admitted to our emergency department with the first episode of severe dyspnea and chest pain. She had no history of previous cardiovascular or respiratory disease and no history of previous pulmonary embolism (PE) or deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Urgent echocardiography showed indirect signs of pulmonary embolism which was confirmed by the pulmonary artery CT angiography performed one day after the patient’s admission. After two days of heparin infusion, she developed a hemodynamic instability with cardiogenic shock and was treated successfully with fibrinolysis. After the clinical stabilization, she was put on the rivaroxaban therapy, which was recommended for additional six months. The thrombophilia profile was done two weeks after stopping the therapy with rivaroxaban. The thrombophilia panel came back positive for high levels of homocysteine (67 μmol/L), with other thrombophilia results within normal limits. The patient was stable during the follow-up period. Pulmonary embolism should be always suspected in younger patients with acute severe dyspnea even without provocable risk factors. High suspicion level and fast diagnosis are lifesaving. In younger patients presented with unprovoked pulmonary embolism, clinicians should consider inherited prothrombotic factors and homocystinemia as a potential cause. Rescue fibrinolysis is a lifesaving therapy in hemodynamic worsening in intermediate high-risk PE patients. A longer anticoagulation therapy should be considered in these cases with novel oral anticoagulants that are recommended as safer and superior therapy.

2020 ◽  
Vol 121 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-48
Author(s):  
Elisavet Kaitalidou ◽  
Dimitrios Karapiperis ◽  
Vasileios Makrakis ◽  
Maria Kipourou ◽  
Dimitrios Petroglou

A male patient with a history of immobilization due to motor weakness, was transferred to our emergency department after syncope during physiotherapy, with recorded hypotension. Transthoracic echocardiography showed severe dilatation of the right ventricle (RV), with apex hypercontractility and almost akinetic RV free wall. The above findings, in addition to the unexpected visualization of a large, free-floating, right atrial thrombus, a rare finding associated with high mortality, readily confirmed the clinical suspicion of acute pulmonary embolism (PE) causing circulatory collapse. Intravenous fibrinolysis and vasopressor therapy were successfully administered, and hemodynamic instability was soon alleviated.


Circulation ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 132 (suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria Jacobs ◽  
Heidi T May ◽  
Tami L Bair ◽  
Jeffrey L Anderson ◽  
Brian G Crandall ◽  
...  

Introduction: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) are at an increased risk of developing dementia, and this risk appears sensitive to quality of warfarin control. Longstanding warfarin use predisposes AF patients to the development of microbleeds if they are over-anticoagulated and microemboli if they are under-anticoagulated. The novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) offer an alternative to warfarin with a predictable anticoagulant effect, and comparatively favorable intracranial bleeding and thrombosis rates which may lower the risk of dementia. Hypothesis: The use of NOACs will be associated with a lower risk of stroke, TIA, and dementia compared to warfarin. Methods: Patients receiving long-term anticoagulation therapy with either warfarin or a single NOAC for thromboembolism prevention were studied (June 2010-December 2014). NOAC and warfarin patients were matched 1:1 by index date (± 6 months) and propensity score (±0.01). Multivariable Cox hazard regression was performed to evaluate the association of NOAC compared to warfarin use for the composite outcome of dementia, stroke, and TIA. Results: A total of 5,254 (2,627 per group) patients were studied, and those receiving NOACs included: apixaban= 590 (22.5%), dabigatran=583 (22.2%), and rivaroxaban=1,454 (55.3%). Average age was 72.4±10.9 and 59.0% were male. The majority of patients were receiving long-term anticoagulation for AF (warfarin: 96.5% vs. NOAC: 92.7%, p<0.0001). History of a prior stroke/TIA were similar between the groups (warfarin: 10.7% vs. NOAC: 10.8%, p=0.89). Dementia incidence alone was lower in the NOAC group compared to the warfarin group (0.3% vs. 1.6%, p<0.0001). The composite outcome of dementia, stroke, and TIA occurred in 4.7% of warfarin patients and 1.8% of NOAC patients (p<0.0001). After adjustment, patients taking NOACs had a 51% decreased risk of dementia incidence or subsequent stroke or TIA compared to patients taking warfarin (HR=0.49 (0.35, 0.69), p<0.0001). Conclusions: This study shows the use of NOACs in a community setting to be superior to that of warfarin for the composite outcome of dementia, stroke, and TIA among patients receiving long-term oral anticoagulation.


VASA ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 313-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lea Weingarz ◽  
Marc Schindewolf ◽  
Jan Schwonberg ◽  
Carola Hecking ◽  
Zsuzsanna Wolf ◽  
...  

Abstract. Background: Whether screening for thrombophilia is useful for patients after a first episode of venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a controversial issue. However, the impact of thrombophilia on the risk of recurrence may vary depending on the patient’s age at the time of the first VTE. Patients and methods: Of 1221 VTE patients (42 % males) registered in the MAISTHRO (MAin-ISar-THROmbosis) registry, 261 experienced VTE recurrence during a 5-year follow-up after the discontinuation of anticoagulant therapy. Results: Thrombophilia was more common among patients with VTE recurrence than those without (58.6 % vs. 50.3 %; p = 0.017). Stratifying patients by the age at the time of their initial VTE, Cox proportional hazards analyses adjusted for age, sex and the presence or absence of established risk factors revealed a heterozygous prothrombin (PT) G20210A mutation (hazard ratio (HR) 2.65; 95 %-confidence interval (CI) 1.71 - 4.12; p < 0.001), homozygosity/double heterozygosity for the factor V Leiden and/or PT mutation (HR 2.35; 95 %-CI 1.09 - 5.07, p = 0.030), and an antithrombin deficiency (HR 2.12; 95 %-CI 1.12 - 4.10; p = 0.021) to predict recurrent VTE in patients aged 40 years or older, whereas lupus anticoagulants (HR 3.05; 95%-CI 1.40 - 6.66; p = 0.005) increased the risk of recurrence in younger patients. Subgroup analyses revealed an increased risk of recurrence for a heterozygous factor V Leiden mutation only in young females without hormonal treatment whereas the predictive value of a heterozygous PT mutation was restricted to males over the age of 40 years. Conclusions: Our data do not support a preference of younger patients for thrombophilia testing after a first venous thromboembolic event.


2021 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
pp. 107602962110089
Author(s):  
Luis O. Bobadilla-Rosado ◽  
Santiago Mier y Teran-Ellis ◽  
Gabriel Lopez-Pena ◽  
Javier E. Anaya-Ayala ◽  
Carlos A. Hinojosa

Coagulation abnormalities have been reported in COVID-19 patients, which may lead to an increased risk of Pulmonary Embolism (PE). We aimed to describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 patients diagnosed with PE during their hospital stay. We analyzed patients with PE and COVID-19 in a tertiary center in Mexico City from April to October of 2020. A total of 26 (100%) patients were diagnosed with Pulmonary Embolism and COVID-19. We observed that 14 (54%) patients were receiving either prophylactic or full anticoagulation therapy, before PE diagnosis. We found a significant difference in mortality between the group with less than 7 days (83%) and the group with more than 7 days (15%) in Intensive Care Unit ( P = .004); as well as a mean of 8 days for the mortality group compared with 20 days of hospitalization in the survivor group ( P = .003). In conclusion, there is an urgent need to review antithrombotic therapy in these patients in order to improve clinical outcomes and decrease hospital overload.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eve Cariou ◽  
Kevin Sanchis ◽  
Khailène Rguez ◽  
Virginie Blanchard ◽  
Stephanie Cazalbou ◽  
...  

Background: Atrial arrhythmia (AA) is common among patients with cardiac amyloidosis (CA), who have an increased risk of intracardiac thrombus. The aim of this study was to explore the prognostic impact of vitamin K-antagonists (VKA) and direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) in patients with CA.Methods and Results: 273 patients with CA and history of AA with long term anticoagulation−69 (25%) light chain amyloidosis (AL), 179 (66%) wild-type transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTRwt) and 25 (9%) variant transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTRv)–were retrospectively included between January 2012 and July 2020. 147 (54%) and 126 (46%) patients received VKA and DOAC, respectively. Patient receiving VKA were more likely to have AL with renal dysfunction, higher NT-proBNP and troponin levels. Patients with ATTRwt were more likely to receive DOAC therapy. There were more bleeding complications among patients with VKA (20 versus 10%; P = 0.013) but no difference for stroke events (4 vs. 2%; P = 0.223), as compared to patients with DOAC. A total of 124 (45%) patients met the primary endpoint of all-cause mortality: 96 (65%) and 28 (22%) among patients with VKAs and DOACs, respectively (P &lt; 0.001). After multivariate analysis including age and renal function, VKA was no longer associated with all-cause mortality.Conclusion: Among patients with CA and history of AA receiving oral anticoagulant, DOACs appear to be at least as effective and safe as VKAs.


Thrombosis ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly M. Rudd ◽  
Elizabeth (Lisa) M. Phillips

Anticoagulation therapy is mandatory in patients with pulmonary embolism to prevent significant morbidity and mortality. The mainstay of therapy has been vitamin-K antagonist therapy bridged with parenteral anticoagulants. The recent approval of new oral anticoagulants (NOACs: apixaban, dabigatran, and rivaroxaban) has generated significant interest in their role in managing venous thromboembolism, especially pulmonary embolism due to their improved pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles, predictable anticoagulant response, and lack of required efficacy monitoring. This paper addresses the available literature, on-going clinical trials, highlights critical points, and discusses potential advantages and disadvantages of the new oral anticoagulants in patients with pulmonary embolism.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob A. Akoh ◽  
Tahawar A. Rana ◽  
Daniel Higgs

Background. The challenge in managing patients undergoing renal transplantation is how to achieve optimum levels of anticoagulation to avoid both clotting and postoperative bleeding. We report a rare case of severe postoperative retroperitoneal bleeding including psoas haematomata complicating renal transplantation.Case Report. SM, a 55-year-old female, had a past history of aortic valve replacement, cerebrovascular event, and thoracic aortic aneurysm and was on long-term warfarin that was switched to enoxaparin 60 mg daily a week prior to her living donor transplantation. Postoperatively, she was started on a heparin infusion, but this was complicated by a large retroperitoneal bleed requiring surgical evacuation on the first postoperative day. Four weeks later, she developed features compatible with acute femoral neuropathy and a CT scan revealed bilateral psoas haematomata. Following conservative management, she made steady progress and was discharged home via a community hospital 94 days after transplantation. At her last visit 18 months after transplantation, she had returned to full fitness with excellent transplant function.Conclusion. Patients in established renal failure who require significant anticoagulation are at increased risk of bleeding that may involve prolonged hospitalisation and more protracted recovery and patients should be carefully counselled about this.


2015 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 144 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.C. Easaw ◽  
M.A. Shea-Budgell ◽  
C.M.J. Wu ◽  
P.M. Czaykowski ◽  
J. Kassis ◽  
...  

Patients with cancer are at increased risk of venous thromboembolism (vte). Anticoagulation therapy is used to treat vte; however, patients with cancer have unique clinical circumstances that can often make decisions surrounding the administration of therapeutic anticoagulation complicated. No national Canadian guidelines on the management of established cancer-associated thrombosis have been published. We therefore aimed to develop a consensus-based, evidence-informed guideline on the topic.PubMed was searched for clinical trials and meta-analyses published between 2002 and 2013. Reference lists of key articles were hand-searched for additional publications. Content experts from across Canada were assembled to review the evidence and make recommendations.Low molecular weight heparin is the treatment of choice for cancer patients with established vte. Direct oral anticoagulants are not recommended for the treatment of vte at this time. Specific clinical scenarios, including the presence of an indwelling venous catheter, renal insufficiency, and thrombocytopenia, warrant modifications in the therapeutic administration of anticoagulation therapy. Patients with recurrent vte should receive extended (>3 months) anticoagulant therapy. Incidental vte should generally be treated in the same manner as symptomatic vte. There is no evidence to support the monitoring of anti–factor Xa levels in clinically stable cancer patients receiving prophylactic anticoagulation; however, levels of anti–factor Xa could be checked at baseline and periodically thereafter in patients with renal insufficiency. Follow-up and education about the signs and symptoms of vte are important components of ongoing patient care.


Open Heart ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. e001726
Author(s):  
Anthony P Carnicelli ◽  
Ruth Owen ◽  
Stuart J Pocock ◽  
David B Brieger ◽  
Satoshi Yasuda ◽  
...  

ObjectiveAtrial fibrillation (AF) and myocardial infarction (MI) are commonly comorbid and associated with adverse outcomes. Little is known about the impact of AF on quality of life and outcomes post-MI. We compared characteristics, quality of life and clinical outcomes in stable patients post-MI with/without AF.Methods/resultsThe prospective, international, observational TIGRIS (long Term rIsk, clinical manaGement and healthcare Resource utilization of stable coronary artery dISease) registry included 8406 patients aged ≥50 years with ≥1 atherothrombotic risk factor who were 1–3 years post-MI. Patient characteristics were summarised by history of AF. Quality of life was assessed at baseline using EQ-5D. Clinical outcomes over 2 years of follow-up were compared. History of AF was present in 702/8277 (8.5%) registry patients and incident AF was diagnosed in 244/7575 (3.2%) over 2 years. Those with AF were older and had more comorbidities than those without AF. After multivariable adjustment, patients with AF had lower self-reported quality-of-life scores (EQ-5D UK-weighted index, visual analogue scale, usual activities and pain/discomfort) than those without AF. CHA2DS2-VASc score ≥2 was present in 686/702 (97.7%) patients with AF, although only 348/702 (49.6%) were on oral anticoagulants at enrolment. Patients with AF had higher rates of all-cause hospitalisation (adjusted rate ratio 1.25 [1.06–1.46], p=0.008) over 2 years than those without AF, but similar rates of mortality.ConclusionsIn stable patients post-MI, those with AF were commonly undertreated with oral anticoagulants, had poorer quality of life and had increased risk of clinical outcomes than those without AF.Trial registration numberClinicalTrials: NCT01866904.


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