The effect of dabigatran on the kaolin-activated whole blood thromboelastogram

This study examines whether there is a consistent effect of dabigatran on the thromboelastogram (TEG) and whether this correlates with the effects of dabigatran on traditional coagulation parameters. Twenty patients taking dabigatran had blood sampled for kaolin-activated whole blood TEG analysis and routine coagulation testing. There was a statistically significant correlation between thrombin clotting time (TCT) and R-time (R=0.77,P=0.0001) and between activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and R-time (R=0.68,P=0.0013), but not between TCT and alpha-angle (R= -0.4232,P=0.071). Despite the moderate to high correlation between the TEG R-time and the TCT and APTT, there appeared to be no consistent effect of dabigatran on the TEG. These findings suggest that use of kaolin-activated whole blood TEG does not add additional benefit to traditional coagulation tests when monitoring the effect of dabigatran.
Source: Anaesthesia and Intensive Care - Category: Anesthesiology Source Type: research