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Low molecular weight heparin dosing and monitoring in solid organ transplant recipients
Author(s) -
Moten Misbah A.,
Gaber A. Osama,
Putney David,
Patel Samir J.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
clinical transplantation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.918
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1399-0012
pISSN - 0902-0063
DOI - 10.1111/ctr.12240
Subject(s) - medicine , dosing , low molecular weight heparin , population , heparin , retrospective cohort study , cohort , transplantation , dose , lung transplantation , creatinine , surgery , environmental health
Anti‐Xa monitoring for low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) is currently recommended in obese, renally impaired, and pregnant patients. Substantial evidence indicates that solid organ transplant (SOT) patients are at an increased risk of renal impairment, thus representing a population at risk of LMWH accumulation. The purpose of this study was to review our experience with LMWH dosing and monitoring in a cohort of transplant recipients. This was a retrospective, single‐center review of 96 SOT patients receiving enoxaparin treatment and anti‐Xa monitoring. The percent of patients with supratherapeutic anti‐Xas (>1 IU/mL) was determined, as was the relationship between enoxaparin dosages and anti‐Xa levels and bleeding. The cohort had a mean age of 62 yr and creatinine clearance of 59 mL/min and was primarily lung transplant recipients (73%). The mean enoxaparin dose was 0.82 mg/kg, which resulted in a mean anti‐Xa level of 0.98 IU/mL. Despite the reduced enoxaparin dose, 44% of patients experienced a supratherapeutic anti‐Xa level. Patients with supratherapeutic anti‐Xas had higher doses than those within the therapeutic range (0.89 mg/kg vs. 0.77 mg/kg; p = 0.002). No major bleeds occurred. Supratherapeutic anti‐Xa levels are common in transplant patients receiving enoxaparin therapy. Empirically reduced dosing of enoxaparin and monitoring may warrant consideration in this population.