P. Feindt et al., IS THERE A PHASE OF HYPERCOAGULABILITY WHEN APROTININ IS USED IN CARDIAC-SURGERY, European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery, 8(6), 1994, pp. 308-313
To determine a possible phase of hypercoagulability after the use of h
igh-dose aprotinin, a prospective randomized double-blind study was pe
rformed. Twenty patients undergoing aortocoronary bypass surgery were
investigated, a placebo group P (n = 10) was compared to an aprotinin
group A (n = 10). Examining parameters of thrombin activation and fibr
inolysis, we found during extracorporeal circulation - under continuou
s aprotinin infusion - a significant inhibition of thrombin activation
and fibrinolysis in the aprotinin group (thrombin-antithrombin-III-co
mplexes: 95 +/- 23 mug/l, d-dimers: 448 +/- 60 ng/ml, plasminogen acti
vity: 33 +/- 3%, plasminogen activator inhibitor: 98 +/- 14 U/ml) comp
ared to the placebo group (thrombin-antithrombin-III-complexes: 143 +/
- 13 mug/l, d-dimers: 2755 +/- 430 ng/ml, plasminogen activity: 125 +/
- 15%, plasminogen activator inhibitor: 10 +/- 4 U/ml). In contrast, a
fter stopping the aprotinin infusion - from the end of extracorporeal
circulation until the morning of the first postoperative day - strong
thrombin activation took place in the aprotinin group (d-dimers increa
sed from 472 +/- 90 to 1607 +/- 140 ng/ml), while in the placebo group
a decrease could be registered. At this time, the fibrinolysis was st
ill reduced in the aprotinin group (plasminogen activity: 48 +/- 6% vs
85 +/- 16% in the placebo group). In conclusion, interference with th
e thrombohemorrhagic balance induces hypercoagulability after the use
of high-dose aprotinin, with elevated levels of thrombin-antithrombin-
III-complexes, d-dimers, and plasminogen and a decreased level of plas
minogen activator inhibitor. In our opinion, it is necessary to preven
t this counter-regulation. Because of the predominant activation of th
rombin during this period, heparin might be an effective therapy, prov
ided that its cofactor antithrombin III is kept in the normal range.