Joel M Baumgartner1, Shonté McKenzie2, Shanna Block3, Todd W Costantini4, Andrew M Lowy5. 1. Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, UC San Diego, UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, La Jolla, California. Electronic address: j1baumgartner@ucsd.edu. 2. Department of Anesthesiology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico. 3. Department of Pharmacology, UC San Diego, La Jolla, California. 4. Division of Trauma, Department of Surgery, Surgical Critical Care, Burns and Acute Care Surgery, UC San Diego, San Diego, California. 5. Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, UC San Diego, UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, La Jolla, California.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The incidence of venous thromboembolism has increased in patients following cancer surgery despite the increased use of prophylactic anticoagulants, suggesting standard doses may be inadequate. We sought to determine the adequacy of enoxaparin prophylaxis in patients undergoing abdominal cancer surgery. METHODS: Peak and trough anti-Xa levels were measured in patients receiving enoxaparin thromboprophylaxis (40 mg daily or 30 mg twice daily, at the surgeon's discretion) after undergoing open abdominal cancer surgery at a single institution. RESULTS: Fifty-five patients received enoxaparin 40 mg daily (group 1), 18 received 30 mg twice daily (group 2; total n = 73). There were no significant differences in gender, age, body mass index, creatinine clearance, diagnosis, or procedure between the two groups. Thirty-nine patients (53.4%) had inadequate peak anti-Xa levels (<0.2 IU/mL) and 69 patients (94.5%) had inadequate trough levels (≤0.1 IU/mL). Group 2 had lower mean peak levels (0.14 ± 0.02 IU/mL) than group 1 (0.22 ± 0.01, P = 0.003), and higher mean trough levels (0.06 ± 0.017) than group 1 (0.02 ± 0.004, P = 0.033). Group 2 had lower incidence of adequate peak anti-Xa levels than group 1 when adjusting for gender, age, body mass index, and preoperative creatinine clearance (OR 0.23, P = 0.039). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of patients had inadequate anti-Xa levels following abdominal cancer surgery, calling into question standard prophylactic enoxaparin dosing.
BACKGROUND: The incidence of venous thromboembolism has increased in patients following cancer surgery despite the increased use of prophylactic anticoagulants, suggesting standard doses may be inadequate. We sought to determine the adequacy of enoxaparin prophylaxis in patients undergoing abdominal cancer surgery. METHODS: Peak and trough anti-Xa levels were measured in patients receiving enoxaparin thromboprophylaxis (40 mg daily or 30 mg twice daily, at the surgeon's discretion) after undergoing open abdominal cancer surgery at a single institution. RESULTS: Fifty-five patients received enoxaparin 40 mg daily (group 1), 18 received 30 mg twice daily (group 2; total n = 73). There were no significant differences in gender, age, body mass index, creatinine clearance, diagnosis, or procedure between the two groups. Thirty-nine patients (53.4%) had inadequate peak anti-Xa levels (<0.2 IU/mL) and 69 patients (94.5%) had inadequate trough levels (≤0.1 IU/mL). Group 2 had lower mean peak levels (0.14 ± 0.02 IU/mL) than group 1 (0.22 ± 0.01, P = 0.003), and higher mean trough levels (0.06 ± 0.017) than group 1 (0.02 ± 0.004, P = 0.033). Group 2 had lower incidence of adequate peak anti-Xa levels than group 1 when adjusting for gender, age, body mass index, and preoperative creatinine clearance (OR 0.23, P = 0.039). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of patients had inadequate anti-Xa levels following abdominal cancer surgery, calling into question standard prophylactic enoxaparin dosing.
Authors: Christopher J Pannucci; Kory I Fleming; Corinne B Bertolaccini; Ann Marie Prazak; Lyen C Huang; T Bartley Pickron Journal: JAMA Surg Date: 2019-08-01 Impact factor: 14.766