Mika Skeppholm1, Paul Hjemdahl2, Jovan P Antovic3, Josephine Muhrbeck4, Jaak Eintrei3, Yuko Rönquist-Nii5, Anton Pohanka5, Olof Beck5, Rickard E Malmström2. 1. Department of Medicine Solna, Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Karolinska Institutet & Clinical Pharmacology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Cardiology, Danderyd Hospital & Department of clinical sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: mika.skeppholm@ds.se. 2. Department of Medicine Solna, Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Karolinska Institutet & Clinical Pharmacology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. 3. Department of Coagulation Research, Institute for Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Department of Clinical Chemistry, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. 4. Department of Cardiology, Danderyd Hospital & Department of clinical sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. 5. Department of Laboratory Medicine Huddinge, Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Karolinska Institutet & Clinical Pharmacology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The oral direct thrombin inhibitor dabigatran is increasingly used to prevent thromboembolic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Routine laboratory monitoring is currently not recommended, but measurements of dabigatran and/or its effect are desirable in certain situations. We studied dabigatran exposure and compared different tests for monitoring of dabigatran in a real-life cohort of AF patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ninety AF patients (68 ± 9 years, 67% men, mean CHADS2 score 1.5) were treated with dabigatran 150 (n=73) or 110 mg BID (n=17). Trough plasma concentrations of total and free dabigatran by liquid chromatography-tandem mass-spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) were compared to indirect measurements by Hemoclot thrombin inhibitors (HTI) and Ecarin clotting assay (ECA), as well as PT-INR and aPTT. RESULTS: Total plasma dabigatran varied 20-fold (12-237 ng/mL with 150 mg BID) and correlated well with free dabigatran (r(2)=0.93). There were strong correlations between LC-MS/MS and HTI or ECA (p<0.001) but these assays were less accurate with dabigatran below 50 ng/mL. The aPTT assay was not dependable and PT-INR not useful at all. There were weak correlations between creatinine clearance (Cockcroft-Gault) and LC-MS/MS, HTI and ECA (p<0.001 for all). A high body weight with normal kidney function was associated with low dabigatran levels. CONCLUSIONS: HTI and ECA reflect the intensity of dabigatran anticoagulation, but LC-MS/MS is required to quantify low levels or infer absence of dabigatran. Most real life patients with a normal creatinine clearance had low dabigatran levels suggesting a low risk of bleeding but possibly limited protection against stroke.
INTRODUCTION: The oral direct thrombin inhibitor dabigatran is increasingly used to prevent thromboembolic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Routine laboratory monitoring is currently not recommended, but measurements of dabigatran and/or its effect are desirable in certain situations. We studied dabigatran exposure and compared different tests for monitoring of dabigatran in a real-life cohort of AFpatients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ninety AFpatients (68 ± 9 years, 67% men, mean CHADS2 score 1.5) were treated with dabigatran 150 (n=73) or 110 mg BID (n=17). Trough plasma concentrations of total and free dabigatran by liquid chromatography-tandem mass-spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) were compared to indirect measurements by Hemoclot thrombin inhibitors (HTI) and Ecarin clotting assay (ECA), as well as PT-INR and aPTT. RESULTS: Total plasma dabigatran varied 20-fold (12-237 ng/mL with 150 mg BID) and correlated well with free dabigatran (r(2)=0.93). There were strong correlations between LC-MS/MS and HTI or ECA (p<0.001) but these assays were less accurate with dabigatran below 50 ng/mL. The aPTT assay was not dependable and PT-INR not useful at all. There were weak correlations between creatinine clearance (Cockcroft-Gault) and LC-MS/MS, HTI and ECA (p<0.001 for all). A high body weight with normal kidney function was associated with low dabigatran levels. CONCLUSIONS: HTI and ECA reflect the intensity of dabigatran anticoagulation, but LC-MS/MS is required to quantify low levels or infer absence of dabigatran. Most real life patients with a normal creatinine clearance had low dabigatran levels suggesting a low risk of bleeding but possibly limited protection against stroke.
Authors: H M H Spronk; T Padro; J E Siland; J H Prochaska; J Winters; A C van der Wal; J J Posthuma; G Lowe; E d'Alessandro; P Wenzel; D M Coenen; P H Reitsma; W Ruf; R H van Gorp; R R Koenen; T Vajen; N A Alshaikh; A S Wolberg; F L Macrae; N Asquith; J Heemskerk; A Heinzmann; M Moorlag; N Mackman; P van der Meijden; J C M Meijers; M Heestermans; T Renné; S Dólleman; W Chayouâ; R A S Ariëns; C C Baaten; M Nagy; A Kuliopulos; J J Posma; P Harrison; M J Vries; H J G M Crijns; E A M P Dudink; H R Buller; Y M C Henskens; A Själander; S Zwaveling; O Erküner; J W Eikelboom; A Gulpen; F E C M Peeters; J Douxfils; R H Olie; T Baglin; A Leader; U Schotten; B Scaf; H M M van Beusekom; L O Mosnier; L van der Vorm; P Declerck; M Visser; D W J Dippel; V J Strijbis; K Pertiwi; A J Ten Cate-Hoek; H Ten Cate Journal: Thromb Haemost Date: 2018-01-29 Impact factor: 5.249
Authors: Samuel J Stellpflug; Michael E Bond; Keith D Henry; Kristin M Engebretsen; Nicole D Zantek Journal: Indian J Hematol Blood Transfus Date: 2020-06-22 Impact factor: 0.900