Epsilon aminocaproic acid prevents bleeding in severely thrombocytopenic patients with hematological malignancies. Issue 21 (6th August 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Antun, Ana G.; Gleason, Shannon; Arellano, Martha; Langston, Amelia A.; McLemore, Morgan L.; Gaddh, Manila; el Rassi, Fuad; Bernal‐Mizrachi, Leon; Galipeau, Jacques; Heffner, Leonard T.; Winton, Elliott F.; Khoury, Hanna J.
• Is Part Of: Cancer. Volume 119:Issue 21(2013)
• Page Start: 3784
• Page End: 3787
• Publication Date: 2013-08-06
• Subjects: Cancer -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Cytopathology -- Periodicals; 616.99405
• DOI: 10.1002/cncr.28253
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0008-543X

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="cncr28253-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>BACKGROUND</title> <p>Despite prophylactic platelet transfusions, bleeding remains a significant problem in thrombocytopenic patients.</p> </sec> <sec id="cncr28253-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>METHODS</title> <p>The antifibrinolytic agent epsilon aminocaproic acid (EACA) was administered to 44 chronically (median duration, 273 days) and severely (platelet count, 8 × 10<sup>9</sup>/L; range, 1 × 10<sup>9</sup>/L‐ 19 × 10<sup>9</sup>/L) thrombocytopenic patients with hematological malignancies. Prophylactic EACA at a dose of 1 g twice daily was orally administered for a median duration of 47 days (range, 7 days‐209 days) until the platelet count recovered to > 30; × 10<sup>9</sup>/L. Platelets were only transfused if bleeding occurred.</p> </sec> <sec id="cncr28253-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>RESULTS</title> <p>While receiving EACA, 59% of the patients did not bleed, 25% had 19 episodes of spontaneously resolving minor bleeding that did not require platelet transfusion, and 16% received a median of 4 platelet transfusions (range, 1 transfusion‐8 transfusions) for 1 major traumatic and 9 spontaneous grade 2 to grade 3 bleeding (based on the World Health Organization classification of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura). No EACA toxicities were noted, and venous thromboses were not observed.</p> </sec> <sec id="cncr28253-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>CONCLUSIONS</title> <p>EACA is well tolerated and is associated with a low risk of major bleeding in patients with hematological malignancies who are experiencing chronic severe thrombocytopenia. Cancer 2013;119:3784–3787. © 2013 American Cancer Society.</p> </sec> </abstract>