To Tranexamic Acid or Not to Tranexamic Acid? Accuracy of Antifibrinolytic Administration at Altitude

Tranexamic acid (TXA) has demonstrated a reduction in all-cause mortality in trauma patients with hemorrhage. Administering TXA in the prehospital setting presents unique challenges because the identification of bleeding is based on clinical suspicion without advanced imaging or diagnostic tools. The objective of this study was to examine whether prehospital suspicion of bleeding is validated by in-hospital computed tomographic imaging and examination and to determine if patients received TXA in the absence of hemorrhage. The study was conducted at a level 1 trauma center supported by air medical transport services.

This is a retrospective cohort study examining 88 trauma patients receiving prehospital TXA to treat suspected hemorrhage. Adult trauma patients who received TXA during the study period and were transported to our level 1 trauma center were included. A panel of trauma surgeons reviewed CT imaging and examination findings to retrospectively identify significant hemorrhage.

Forty-three percent of patients who received TXA during air medical transport did not have confirmed hemorrhage upon arrival.

TXA was given to a significant number of patients who did not have confirmed hemorrhage upon arrival. We recommend that institutions using TXA perform this internal validation to ensure they are accurately identifying hemorrhage in the prehospital setting.