COMPARATIVE-STUDY ON THE ANTITHROMBOTIC EFFICACY OF HIRUDIN, HEPARIN AND A LOW-MOLECULAR-WEIGHT HEPARIN IN PREVENTING EXPERIMENTALLY-INDUCED VENOUS THROMBOSIS

In a random, blind study, we compared the antithrombotic potential of unfractioned heparin, a low-molecular weight heparin (LMWH) and a reco mbinant hirudin (r-hirudin) given subcutaneously in a jugular vein thr ombosis model in rabbits. All drugs and placebo were injected subcutan eously 2 h before inducing experimental thrombosis. A good thromboprop hylactic effect was obtained with either LMWH and rhirudin as compared with placebo. By contrast, no significant differences were found betw een groups in bleeding time. We also found a small (non-significant) p rolongation of the activated partial thromboplastin time in the r-hiru din-treated animals. As for thrombin time, r-hirudin-treated rabbits e xhibited too much sensitivity, with noncoagulable end-points. In our s tudy, r-hirudin at the dose used seemed to be as effective as LMWH is in the prophylaxis of venous thrombosis.