Lin, Yulia

ImportanceTranexamic acid reduces bleeding and blood transfusion in many types of surgery, but its effect in patients undergoing liver resection for a cancer-related indication remains unclear.ObjectiveTo determine whether tranexamic acid reduces red blood cell transfusion within 7 days of liver resection.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsMulticenter randomized clinical trial of tranexamic acid vs placebo conducted from December 1, 2014, to November 8, 2022, at 10 hepatopancreaticobiliary sites in Canada and 1 site in the United States, with 90-day follow-up. Participants, clinicians, and data collectors were blinded to allocation. A volunteer sample of 1384 patients undergoing liver resection for a cancer-related indication met eligibility criteria and consented to randomization.InterventionsTranexamic acid (1-g bolus followed by 1-g infusion over 8 hours; n = 619) or matching placebo (n = 626) beginning at induction of anesthesia.Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe primary outcome was receipt of red blood cell transfusion within 7 days of surgery.ResultsThe primary analysis included 1245 participants (mean age, 63.2 years; 39.8% female; 56.1% with a diagnosis of colorectal liver metastases). Perioperative characteristics were similar between groups. Red blood cell transfusion occurred in 16.3% of participants (n = 101) in the tranexamic acid group and 14.5% (n = 91) in the placebo group (odds ratio, 1.15 [95% CI, 0.84-1.56]; P = .38; absolute difference, 2% [95% CI, −2% to 6%]). Measured intraoperative blood loss (tranexamic acid, 817.3 mL; placebo, 836.7 mL; P = .75) and total estimated blood loss over 7 days (tranexamic acid, 1504.0 mL; placebo, 1551.2 mL; P = .38) were similar between groups. Participants receiving tranexamic acid experienced significantly more complications compared with placebo (odds ratio, 1.28 [95% CI, 1.02-1.60]; P = .03), with no significant difference in venous thromboembolism (odds ratio, 1.68 [95% CI, 0.95-3.07]; P = .08).Conclusions and RelevanceAmong patients undergoing liver resection for a cancer-related indication, tranexamic acid did not reduce bleeding or blood transfusion but increased perioperative complications.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02261415

Introduction Despite use of operative and non-operative interventions to reduce blood loss during liver resection, 20%–40% of patients receive a perioperative blood transfusion. Extensive intraoperative blood loss is a major risk factor for postoperative morbidity and mortality and receipt of blood transfusion is associated with serious risks including an association with long-term cancer recurrence and overall survival. In addition, blood products are scarce and associated with appreciable expense; decreasing blood transfusion requirements would therefore have health system benefits. Tranexamic acid (TXA), an antifibrinolytic, has been shown to reduce the probability of receiving a blood transfusion by one-third for patients undergoing cardiac or orthopaedic surgery. However, its applicability in liver resection has not been widely researched. Methods and analysis This protocol describes a prospective, blinded, randomised controlled trial being conducted at 10 sites in Canada and 1 in the USA. 1230 eligible and consenting participants will be randomised to one of two parallel groups: experimental (2 g of intravenous TXA) or placebo (saline) administered intraoperatively. The primary endpoint is receipt of blood transfusion within 7 days of surgery. Secondary outcomes include blood loss, postoperative complications, quality of life and 5-year disease-free and overall survival. Ethics and dissemination This trial has been approved by the research ethics boards at participating centres and Health Canada (parent control number 177992) and is currently enrolling participants. All participants will provide written informed consent. Results will be distributed widely through local and international meetings, presentation, publication and ClinicalTrials.gov. Trial registration number NCT02261415 .

Background: Patients with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) may require treatment to raise the platelet count before surgery. Intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) is commonly used for this purpose, but eltrombopag, an oral thrombopoietin receptor agonist, may be a good alternative. We compared perioperative eltrombopag or IVIG for the achievement of platelet count targets for major or minor surgery. Methods: We conducted a randomized, non-inferiority trial at 8 centers in Canada.ITP patients with a platelet count <100 x109/L or <50 x109/L before elective major or minor surgery, respectively, were assigned to receive daily oral eltrombopag starting 3 weeks preoperatively or IVIG 1 week preoperatively. Eltrombopag was discontinued 1 week after surgical hemostasis, and a repeat dose of IVIG was permitted up to 1 week after surgical hemostasis. The primary endpoint was the achievement of platelet count targets (90 x109/L for major surgery, or 45 x109/L for minor surgery) immediately before surgery and for 7 days after surgical hemostasis without rescue treatment. Intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses were done using a one-sided test for the difference in rates of achieving perioperative platelet count targets with a non-inferiority margin of 10% at a significance level of 0.05. Patients were followed for 4 weeks postoperatively. Secondary outcomes were thrombosis, adverse events and treatment satisfaction as measured using a validated patient questionnaire. Results: From 2013 to 2019, 38 patients were assigned to received eltrombopag and 36 patients were assigned to receive IVIG before major (n= 31) or minor (n= 43) surgery. Five patients did not complete the study. By intention to treat, 30/38 (78.9%) patients on eltrombopag achieved perioperative platelet count targets compared with 22/36 (61.1%) on IVIG (absolute risk difference, 17.8%; one-sided lower limit of the 95% confidence interval, 0.4%; p=0.005 for non-inferiority). Results were similar in the per protocol analysis (absolute risk difference: 15.8%; one-sided lower limit of the 95% CI, -2.1%; p=0.009). Eltrombopag was superior to IVIG in the intention-to-treat analysis (p=0.047) but not in the per-protocol analysis (p =0.074). One patient developed pulmonary embolism 14 days after minor surgery (skin biopsy) and 7 days after stopping eltrombopag when the platelet count was 135 x109/L. Of 18 patients who underwent splenectomy on study, marked post-splenectomy thrombocytosis (platelets >1,000 x109/L) occurred in 2 (11.1%) patients, both of whom were on eltrombopag. Global treatment satisfaction scores were higher for eltrombopag. Conclusion: Eltrombopag is non-inferior and may be superior to IVIG for achieving target platelet counts perioperatively for patients with ITP. Post-operative thromboprophylaxis should be considered with eltrombopag. Funding Source:This was an investigator-initiated trial funded by Novartis. Disclosures Arnold: Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; Rigel: Consultancy, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Principia: Consultancy. Heddle:Novartis: Research Funding. Hsia:Novartis: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pfizer: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Amgen: Honoraria; Jansen: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Sholzberg:Novartis: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria, Research Funding. Lin:Pfizer: Consultancy; Novartis: Research Funding; Octapharma: Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy. Larratt:Novartis: Honoraria. Amini:Amgen NL: Research Funding; Novartis NL: Research Funding. Schipperus:Novartis: Research Funding. Lim:Pfizer Canada: Consultancy, Honoraria; Portola Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria. OffLabel Disclosure: Eltrombopag is not licenced for perioperative treatment in patients with ITP.