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Int J Angiol 1998; 7(3): 231-233
DOI: 10.1007/BF01617400
Original Articles

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Anticoagulant effects of argatroban on the pre-DIC state in patients with an aortic aneurysm: A comparative study of heparin

Junichi Utoh, Hiraaki Goto, Tomomi Hirata, Ryuji Kunitomo, Masahiko Hara, Nobuo Kitamura
  • First Department of Surgery, Kumamoto University School of Medicine, Kumamoto, Japan
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Publication Date:
23 April 2011 (online)

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Abstract

We compared the efficacy of argatroban, a new synthetic thrombin-specific inhibitor, with that of heparin in pre-DIC state patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). A pre-DIC state was diagnosed by a detection of soluble fibrin monomer complex (FM) and increased levels of thrombin-antithrombin III complex (TAT) of more than 20 ng/ml. Twelve patients showing a pre-DIC condition were treated with argatroban (40 mg/day, n = 6) or heparin (10,000 U/day, n = 6) for 5 days. Coagulation and fibrinolytic profiles were analyzed before and after drug administration. FM became negative in two (33%) patients after the argatroban treatment and in all (100%) of the heparin-treated patients. Plasma levels of TAT were significantly decreased after the heparin treatment, however, there was no significant alteration in this parameter after the argatroban treatment. In conclusion, the anticoagulant effects of heparin were superior to those of argatroban in controlling the pre-DIC state associated with AAA.

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