Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia after cardiac surgery: an observational study of 1,722 patients

To assess the characteristics and prognosis of patients in whom heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) was confirmed (HIT+) among suspected HIT patients after having cardiac surgery and to assess the accuracy of two HIT scoring systems.

An observational prospective study.

A cardiac surgery unit of a tertiary center from November 2005 to September 2007.

Of the 1,722 patients who underwent cardiac surgery, 63 were suspected of HIT based on a platelet count <100 × 10(9)/L, a decrease in platelet count of >30%, or the occurrence of a thrombotic event.

The HIT criteria were as follows: (1) the absence of another cause of thrombocytopenia, (2) positive antiplatelet factor 4 (PF4) antibodies (>0.5 optical density [OD]/mn) on enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay, and (3) recovery in platelet count after the discontinuation of heparin and substitution by danaparoid sodium.

HIT was confirmed in 24 patients (1.4% [0.8%-1.9%]); 23 belonged to the 984 treated by intravenous unfractionated heparin (IVUH) (2.3% IQ [1.4%-3.3%]) and 1 to the 738 treated by low-molecularweight heparin (0.14% [0.13%-0.4%]) (OD = 17.6; 95% confidence interval, 2.4-131; p < 0.0001). In the HIT+ patients compared with the unconfirmed HIT patients, thrombocytopenia occurred 7 (range, 6-9) days after surgery versus 3 (range, 3-5) days (p < 0.0001), and kinetics of platelet count showed a biphasic pattern. Six HIT+ patients (25% [7.7-42.3]) presented with an arterial thromboembolic event. Diagnosis performances of HIT scoring systems were low.

Confirmed HIT occurred predominantly in patients treated with IVUH. The timing of thrombocytopenia and the variation pattern of the postoperative platelet count are key factors in diagnosing HIT. The overall incidence of intracardiac thrombotic events was noted to be high.