BACKGROUND: Various pharmacological treatments have been suggested to treat osteonecrosis of the femoral head. However, their practicability remains a controversial issue. METHODS: We systemically reviewed articles published during last 20 years to assess the efficacy and safety of the pharmacological treatments. RESULTS: To date, enoxaparin, statins, bisphosphonates, iloprost and acetylsalicylic acid have been practiced for the treatment of osteonecrosis. However, none of them were proven to be effective by high level studies, and most of them have adverse reactions. CONCLUSIONS: No pharmacological prevention or treatment of osteonecrosis is recommendable at this moment.
Aspirin ; Bone Remodeling ; Diphosphonates ; Drug Therapy ; Enoxaparin ; Head ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors ; Iloprost ; Osteonecrosis

OBJECTIVE: Despite limited evidence, electrical cardioversion of acute-onset atrial fibrillation (AAF) is widely performed in the emergency department (ED). The aim of this study was to describe the effectiveness and safety of electrical cardioversion of AAF performed by emergency physicians in the ED.METHODS: All episodes of AAF electrically cardioverted in the ED were retrieved from the database for a 10-year period. Most patients not already receiving anticoagulants were given enoxaparin before the procedure (259/419). Procedural complications were recorded, and the patients were followed-up for 30 days for cardiovascular and hemorrhagic complications.RESULTS: Four hundred nineteen eligible cases were identified; men represented 69%, and mean age was 61±13 years. The procedure was effective in 403 cases (96.2%; 95.4% in women, 96.5% in men), with considerable differences with respect to the age of the patients, the procedure being effective in 100% of patients aged 18 to 39 and only 68.8% in those >80 years. New ED visits (33/419) were identified within 30 days (31 due to atrial fibrillation/atrial flutter recurrence, 1 due to iatrogenic hypokalemia, 1 due to hypertensive emergency). No strokes, major bleeding, life-threatening arrhythmias or peripheral thromboembolism were recorded. Nine small and mild skin burns were observed.CONCLUSION: Electrical cardioversion is an effective and safe procedure in the vast majority of patients, albeit less effective in patients aged >80 years. It appears reasonable to avoid anticoagulation in low-risk patients with AAF and administer peri-procedural heparin to all remaining patients. Long-term anticoagulation should be planned on an individual basis, after assessment of thromboembolic and hemorrhagic risk.
Anticoagulants ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Atrial Fibrillation ; Atrial Flutter ; Burns ; Electric Countershock ; Emergencies ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Enoxaparin ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Heparin ; Humans ; Hypokalemia ; Male ; Recurrence ; Skin ; Stroke ; Thromboembolism

Adding to the complexity of caring for critically ill patients is the fact that many of them have a creatinine clearance that exceeds 130 mL/min/1.73 m². This phenomenon, termed augmented renal clearance (ARC), has only recently been widely recognized and its pathogenesis remains incompletely understood. However, ARC has been shown to result in increased dose requirements for drugs that are primarily eliminated by renal excretion, including many antimicrobial agents and enoxaparin. Recognition of ARC is hampered by the fact that the standard creatinine-based equations used to estimate renal function are not accurate in this clinical setting and the diagnosis is best established using both serum and urine creatinine measurements to calculate clearance. So a high index of clinical suspicion and awareness is usually required before this step is taken to confirm the diagnosis of ARC.
Anti-Infective Agents ; Creatinine ; Critical Illness ; Diagnosis ; Enoxaparin ; Humans ; Renal Elimination

Traumatic common carotid artery dissection (CCAD) is rare. To our knowledge, only 14 case reports have described traumatic CCAD previously. Here, we report a case of CCAD in a patient with severe trauma. A 50-year-old man was lying on the road after drinking alcohol when a car drove over him. Computed tomography (CT) revealed multiple rib fractures with hemopneumothorax, lung contusion, flail chest, large amount of hematoma with bladder rupture, and fractures on the C6 spinous process, sacral ala, iliac bone, and pubic ramus. Repair of the bladder rupture, exploratory thoracotomy, and open reduction of multiple rib fractures were performed. Right side hemiparesis was observed on hospital day 4. Brain CT showed a large acute left middle cerebral artery infarction. CT angiography showed focal carotid dissection at the left common carotid artery with intimal flap. The CCAD was located at the C6 level. Clexane (enoxaparin sodium) treatment was initiated. An abdominal CT scan revealed a huge retroperitoneal hematoma and increased amount of hematoma in the prevesical and perivesical space, 10 days later. The patient died two days later. Although traumatic CCAD is rare, this case report provides useful information for trauma surgeons regarding the treatment and diagnosis of similar cases.
Angiography ; Brain ; Carotid Artery, Common* ; Contusions ; Deception ; Diagnosis ; Drinking ; Enoxaparin ; Flail Chest ; Hematoma ; Hemopneumothorax ; Humans ; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery ; Lung ; Middle Aged ; Paresis ; Rib Fractures ; Rupture ; Surgeons ; Thoracotomy ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Urinary Bladder

BackgroundDespite its limitations, unfractionated heparin (UFH) has been the standard anticoagulant used during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This study compared the safety of low-dose UFH with sequential enoxaparin with that of UFH in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and complex coronary artery disease receiving elective PCI.

MethodsIn this retrospective study, 514 consecutive patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases and type 2 DM were admitted to the hospital and received selective PCI, from January 2013 to December 2015. All patients with PCI received low-dose UFH with enoxaparin (intraductal 50 U/kg UFH and 0.75 mg/kg enoxaparin, n = 254; UFH-Enox group) or UFH only (intraductal 100 U/kg UFH, n = 260; UFH group). The study endpoints were major adverse cardiac events (MACEs), namely death, myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, target-vessel immediate revascularization (TVR), and thrombolysis in MI (TIMI) major bleeding, within 30 days and 1 year after PCI. Any catheter thrombosis during the procedure was recorded.

ResultsOnly one patient had an intraductal thrombus in the UFH group. At the 30-day follow-up, no MACE occurred in any group; seven and five cases of recurrent angina and/or rehospitalization were reported in the UFH-Enox and UFH groups, respectively; there was no significant difference between the two groups (χ = 0.11, P = 0.77). There was no TIMI major bleeding in the groups. With respect to the 1-year endpoint, two cases of recurrent MI and two of TVRs were reported in the UFH-Enox group, whereas in the UFH group, one case of recurrent MI and three of TVRs were reported; no significant difference existed between the two groups (χ = 0, P = 0.99). There were 30 and 25 recurrent angina and/or rehospitalizations in the UFH-Enox and UFH groups, respectively; there was no significant difference between the two groups (χ = 0.37, P = 0.57).

ConclusionIn elective PCI, low-dose UFH with sequential enoxaparin has similar effects and safety to the UFH-only method.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anticoagulants ; therapeutic use ; Coronary Artery Disease ; drug therapy ; surgery ; Diabetes Mellitus ; drug therapy ; surgery ; Enoxaparin ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Heparin ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; methods ; Retrospective Studies

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is a surgical procedure for patients who want to lose weight. An acute porto-mesenteric vein thrombosis is an infrequent but not rare complication in patients who undergo laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. In this article, we present a 40-year-old male patient with body mass index of 47 kg/m² was admitted for laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. The surgery took about 130 minutes without any hemorrhage. Full enoxaparin prophylaxis, early and full mobilization, and intermittent pneumatic compression stockings were all applied to prevent venous thrombosis. Unfortunately, he applied to our emergency department and diagnosed to have porto-mesenteric vein thrombosis. There was an approximately 60 cm necrotic jejunal segment between 10th and 70th cm after Treitz ligament and was resected. He was discharged on sixth post operative day with prescription of oral warfarin.
Adult ; Bariatric Surgery ; Body Mass Index ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Enoxaparin ; Gastrectomy ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Intermittent Pneumatic Compression Devices ; Ligaments ; Male ; Obesity ; Prescriptions ; Thrombosis ; Veins ; Venous Thrombosis ; Warfarin

Acute cerebral infarctions are rare in children, however, they can occur as a complication of a Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) infection due to direct invasion, vasculitis, or a hypercoagulable state. We report on the case of a 5-year-old boy who had an extensive stroke in multiple cerebrovascular territories 10 days after the diagnosis of MP infection. Based on the suspicion that the cerebral infarction was associated with a macrolide-resistant MP infection, the patient was treated with levofloxacin, methyl-prednisolone, intravenous immunoglobulin, and enoxaparin. Despite this medical management, cerebral vascular narrowing progressed and a decompressive craniectomy became necessary for the patient's survival. According to laboratory tests, brain magnetic resonance imaging, and clinical manifestations, the cerebral infarction in this case appeared to be due to the combined effects of hypercoagulability and cytokineinduced vascular inflammation.
Brain ; Cerebral Infarction* ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Decompressive Craniectomy ; Diagnosis ; Enoxaparin ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; Inflammation ; Levofloxacin ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Mycoplasma pneumoniae* ; Mycoplasma* ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma* ; Stroke ; Thrombophilia ; Thrombosis ; Vasculitis

Oral anticoagulant therapy is frequently and increasingly prescribed for patients at risk of arterial or venous thromboembolism (VTE). Although elective surgical or invasive procedures have necessitated temporary interruption of anticoagulants, managing these patients has been performed empirically and been poorly investigated. This study was designed to evaluate the adequacy of perioperative anticoagulation using enoxaparin. This was a retrospective, single-center study that evaluated the efficacy and safety of therapeutic-dose enoxaparin for bridging therapy in patients on long-term warfarin at Soonchunhyang University Hospital in Korea between August 2009 and July 2011. Warfarin was discontinued 5 days before surgery, and enoxaparin was administered twice daily by subcutaneous injection at a dose of 1 mg per kg from 3 days before the procedure to the last dose 24 hours before the procedure. Anticoagulation was restarted if proper hemostasis had been confirmed. There were 49 patients, of whom 25 (51%) were men, and the mean age was 63 years. Thirty-four (69%) received warfarin therapy for VTE, and 9 (18%) for atrial fibrillation. Twenty-nine patients (59%) underwent major surgery and 20 (41%) minor surgery. The mean postoperative duration of enoxaparin was 4 days. No patients had thromboembolic complications through 30 days after the procedure. The overall 30-day mortality rate was 0%. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that bridging therapy with therapeutic-dose enoxaparin is feasible and associated with a low incidence of major bleeding and no thromboembolic complications. However, the optimal approach to managing patients perioperatively is uncertain and requires further evaluation.
Anticoagulants ; Atrial Fibrillation ; Enoxaparin* ; Hemorrhage ; Hemostasis ; Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight ; Humans ; Incidence ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Korea ; Male ; Minor Surgical Procedures ; Mortality ; Retrospective Studies ; Thromboembolism ; Venous Thromboembolism ; Warfarin

Acute cerebral infarctions are rare in children, however, they can occur as a complication of a Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) infection due to direct invasion, vasculitis, or a hypercoagulable state. We report on the case of a 5-year-old boy who had an extensive stroke in multiple cerebrovascular territories 10 days after the diagnosis of MP infection. Based on the suspicion that the cerebral infarction was associated with a macrolide-resistant MP infection, the patient was treated with levofloxacin, methyl-prednisolone, intravenous immunoglobulin, and enoxaparin. Despite this medical management, cerebral vascular narrowing progressed and a decompressive craniectomy became necessary for the patient's survival. According to laboratory tests, brain magnetic resonance imaging, and clinical manifestations, the cerebral infarction in this case appeared to be due to the combined effects of hypercoagulability and cytokineinduced vascular inflammation.
Brain ; Cerebral Infarction ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Decompressive Craniectomy ; Diagnosis ; Enoxaparin ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; Inflammation ; Levofloxacin ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Mycoplasma pneumoniae ; Mycoplasma ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma ; Stroke ; Thrombophilia ; Thrombosis ; Vasculitis

Adverse reactions of subcutaneous low molecular weight heparin or unfractionated heparin could be complications by bleeding, heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, drug-induced liver injury, osteoporosis, and cutaneous reactions. Heparin-induced skin lesions vary from allergic reactions like erythema, urticaria, eczema to intradermal microvascular thrombosis associated with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia. There is a rare cutaneous complication, called bullous hemorrhagic dermatosis. We experienced this rare case of the cutaneous complication caused by enoxaparin. Several tense bullous hemorrhagic lesions occurred after 3 days of enoxaparin in a known bullous pemphigoid patient who had aortic valve replacement surgery with a mechanical prosthesis. The bullous hemorrhagic lesions were regressed after the discontinuation of enoxaparin but recurred after re-administration. The lesions were controlled by the administration of systemic corticosteroid and alternative anticoagulant. To date, less than 20 cases have been reported worldwide. This is the first case of bullous hemorrhagic dermatosis induced by enoxaparin, a low-molecular-weight heparin in Korea. This is also the first case of bullous hemorrhagic dermatosis in a known bullous pemphigoid patient.
Aortic Valve ; Drug-Induced Liver Injury ; Eczema ; Enoxaparin ; Erythema ; Hemorrhage ; Heparin ; Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Korea ; Osteoporosis ; Pemphigoid, Bullous ; Prostheses and Implants ; Skin ; Skin Diseases ; Skin Diseases, Vesiculobullous ; Thrombocytopenia ; Thrombosis ; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation ; Urticaria