Low incidence of thrombocytopenia with porcine mucosal heparin. A prospective multicenter study
Rao, A.K.; White, G.C.; Sherman, L.; Colman, R.; Lan, G.; Ball, A.P.
Archives of Internal Medicine 149(6): 1285-1288
1989
ISSN/ISBN: 0003-9926 PMID: 2658898 Document Number: 333201
We treated 193 patients either intravenously (94) or subcutaneously (99) for at least 5 days with porcine intestinal mucosal heparin and followed them up prospectively with frequent platelet counts to determine the incidence of heparin-related thrombocytopenia and arterial thrombosis. None of the patients in the study developed severe thrombocytopenia (platelet count, < 100 .times. 109/L) or arterial thrombosis. Eight patients had a platelet count of 100 to 140 .times. 109/L on one occasion, with a count of > 140 .times. 109/L on the subsequent measurement. The mean (.+-. SD) values of the initial and lowest platelet counts during therapy in all patients were 288 .+-. 100 .times. 109/L and 253 .+-. 88 .times. 109/L, respectively, with the lowest counts occurring on day 4.1 .+-. 4.2. A least-squares line was computed for each patient to fit the day and counts; the slopes were significantly different from zero and negative in 7.8% of patients and positive in 14.5%. This multicenter study confirms the reports that the incidence of heparin-related severe thrombocytopenia and arterial thrombosis is distinctly low in patients treated with porcine-mucosal heparin.