Dosing lepirudin in patients with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and normal or impaired renal function: a single-center experience with 68 patients

Tschudi, Martina; Lämmle, Bernhard; Alberio, Lorenzo (2009). Dosing lepirudin in patients with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and normal or impaired renal function: a single-center experience with 68 patients. Blood, 113(11), pp. 2402-9. Washington, D.C.: American Society of Hematology 10.1182/blood-2008-07-162271

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The recommended dose (bolus 0.4 mg/kg followed by 0.15 mg/kg per hour) of lepirudin, a direct thrombin inhibitor licensed for treatment of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), is too high. Starting in 2001, we omitted the bolus and reduced maintenance dose by at least one-third. Analyzing 53 HIT patients treated between January 2001 and February 2007, we observed that therapeutic anticoagulation intensity already 4 hours after lepirudin start had been reached with the following initial lepirudin doses (median): 0.078 mg/kg per hour [creatinine clearance (CrCl) more than 60 mL/min], 0.040 mg/kg per hour (CrCl 30-60 mL/min), and 0.013 mg/kg per hour (CrCl < 30 mL/min). The efficacy of this treatment was documented by increasing platelets and decreasing D-dimers. Based on this experience, we derived a lepirudin dosing regimen, which was prospectively evaluated treating 15 HIT patients between March 2007 and February 2008. We show that omitting the initial lepirudin bolus and administering 0.08 mg/kg per hour in patients with CrCl more than 60 mL/min, 0.04 mg/kg per hour in patients with CrCl 30-60 mL/min, and 0.01 to 0.02 mg/kg per hour in those with CrCl less than 30 mL/min is efficacious and safe, as documented by increasing platelet counts, decreasing D-dimer levels, and rare thrombotic (1 of 46) and major bleeding (4 of 46) complications.

Item Type:	Journal Article (Original Article)
Division/Institute:	04 Faculty of Medicine > Department of Haematology, Oncology, Infectious Diseases, Laboratory Medicine and Hospital Pharmacy (DOLS) > Clinic of Haematology and Central Haematological Laboratory
UniBE Contributor:	Lämmle, Bernhard, Alberio, Lorenzo
ISSN:	0006-4971
ISBN:	19059879
Publisher:	American Society of Hematology
Language:	English
Submitter:	Factscience Import
Date Deposited:	04 Oct 2013 15:02
Last Modified:	05 Dec 2022 14:19
Publisher DOI:	10.1182/blood-2008-07-162271
PubMed ID:	19059879
Web of Science ID:	000264110600007
URI:	https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/26903 (FactScience: 97178)