Reduced anticoagulation targets in extracorporeal life support (RATE): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Although life-saving in selected patients, ECMO treatment still has high mortality which for a large part is due to treatment-related complications. A feared complication is ischemic stroke for which heparin is routinely administered for which the dosage is usually guided by activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT). However, there is no relation between aPTT and the rare occurrence of ischemic stroke (1.2%), but there is a relation with the much more frequent occurrence of bleeding complications (55%) and blood transfusion. Both are strongly related to outcome.

Methods

We will conduct a three-arm non-inferiority randomized controlled trial, in adult patients treated with ECMO. Participants will be randomized between heparin administration with a target of 2-2.

SUBMITTER: van Minnen O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9108348 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature