gms | German Medical Science

15th Annual Meeting of the German Drug Utilisation Research Group (GAA)

Gesellschaft für Arzneimittelforschung und Arzneimittelepidemiologie

20.11. - 21.11.2008, Bonn

Trend of Heparin-induced Thrombocytopenia Type II (HIT-II) in Berlin – Data from the National Pharmacovigilance Center Berlin (PVZ-FAKOS)

Entwicklung der Heparin-induzierten Thrombozytopenie Typ II (HIT-II) in Berlin. Daten vom nationalen Pharmakovigilanz-Zentrum Berlin (PVZ-FAKOS)

Meeting Abstract

  • corresponding author Elisabeth Bronder - PVZ-FAKOS Pharmakovigilanz-Zentrum Berlin, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
  • Andreas Klimpel - PVZ-FAKOS Pharmakovigilanz-Zentrum Berlin, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
  • Michael Thomae - PVZ-FAKOS Pharmakovigilanz-Zentrum Berlin, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
  • Frank Andersohn - PVZ-FAKOS Pharmakovigilanz-Zentrum Berlin, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
  • Edeltraut Garbe - PVZ-FAKOS Pharmakovigilanz-Zentrum Berlin, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany

Gesellschaft für Arzneimittelanwendungsforschung und Arzneimittelepidemiologie e.V. (GAA). 15. Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für Arzneimittelanwendungsforschung und Arzneimittelepidemiologie. Bonn, 20.-21.11.2008. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2008. Doc08gaa21

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.egms.de/en/meetings/gaa2008/08gaa21.shtml

Published: November 6, 2008

© 2008 Bronder et al.
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Outline

Text

Background and aim: The incidence of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia type II (HIT-II) has been reported to be significantly higher in patients treated with unfractionated heparin (UFH) than in those treated with low molecular weight heparin (LMWH). The increased in-hospital use of LMWH instead of UFH might thus have led to a reduction of the number of patients with HIT-II, but data on this hypothesis are lacking.

Material and method: Using an active case surveillance approach, the national Pharmacovigilance Center Berlin (PVZ-FAKOS) identifies cases of HIT-II occurring in Berlin. Each diagnosis is validated. A standardized interview is conducted with each patient, Heparin therapy and other hospital medication is documented, and a medical documentation is filled in by the physician to ascertain comorbidity and other possible risk factors.

Results: A total of 202 patients with validated HIT-II were identified between Jan 2001 and Dec 2007, with N=145 (71.8%) caused by UFH; N=36 (17.8%) caused by LMWH; and N=21 (10.4%) who had used both types of heparin in the last 3 days before occurrence of HIT-II. The number of cases decreased substantially between 2001 (N=60) and 2007 (N=16). This trend was similarly observed for UFH (42 vs. 11 cases) and LMWH (13 vs. 2 cases).

Conclusion: The number of cases of HIT-II in Berlin decreased between 2001 and 2007. As this decrease was evident not only for UFH but also for LMWH, reasons beyond replacement of UFH by LMWH might play a role.

Acknowledgement: PVZ-FAKOS is being funded by the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices, Germany.