New Anticoagulants in Neonates, Children, and Adolescents

Susan Halimeh1, Christoph Male2, Ulrike Nowak-Goettl3

  • 1Gerinnungszentrum Rhein Ruhr, Duisburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

Hamostaseologie
|April 29, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) like dabigatran and rivaroxaban are now recommended for pediatric thrombosis. Recent clinical trials show these medications are safe and effective for children, overcoming limitations of older treatments.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Hematology
  • Cardiovascular Research
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Pediatric thrombosis presents a growing clinical challenge.
  • Current anticoagulant therapies in children have notable drawbacks.
  • Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) offer potential advantages over traditional treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the latest clinical trial evidence on DOACs for pediatric thrombosis.
  • To assess the efficacy and safety of DOACs in pediatric patients.
  • To determine if DOACs can be recommended for treating childhood thrombosis.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of clinical trials on DOACs for pediatric thrombosis.
  • Analysis of studies published from clinicaltrials.gov.
  • Focus on pivotal Phase III studies for treatment recommendations.

Main Results:

  • Thirteen current studies with published results were identified.
  • Successful Phase III trials for dabigatran and rivaroxaban in pediatric populations were found.
  • These trials led to regulatory approval for using these two DOACs in children.

Conclusions:

  • Rivaroxaban and dabigatran are now approved for pediatric use in thrombosis.
  • These DOACs can be recommended for both prophylaxis and treatment of thrombotic events in children.
  • DOACs represent a significant advancement in managing pediatric thrombosis.

Related Concept Videos

Anticoagulant Drugs: Low-Molecular-Weight Heparins01:30

Anticoagulant Drugs: Low-Molecular-Weight Heparins

Hemostasis is a crucial process that prevents excessive blood loss from damaged blood vessels. It involves various mechanisms such as vasoconstriction, platelet adhesion and activation, and fibrin formation. The importance of each mechanism depends on the type of vessel injury. In contrast, thrombosis is the abnormal formation of a blood clot within the blood vessels, leading to potential complications if the clot obstructs blood flow. Thrombosis can be caused by increased coagulability of the...
948
Anticoagulant Drugs: Vitamin K Antagonists and Direct Oral Anticoagulants01:18

Anticoagulant Drugs: Vitamin K Antagonists and Direct Oral Anticoagulants

Oral anticoagulants are vital tools in preventing and treating blood clotting disorders. This diverse class of medications can be categorized as vitamin K antagonists, exemplified by warfarin, and direct thrombin inhibitors (DTIs), such as dabigatran, as well as factor Xa inhibitors, including rivaroxaban.
Warfarin, a prominent vitamin K antagonist family member, exerts its effect by inhibiting the enzyme VKORC1 (vitamin K epoxide reductase complex 1). By hindering this enzyme, warfarin...
1.3K
Venous Thrombosis III: Interprofessional Care01:29

Venous Thrombosis III: Interprofessional Care

Venous thrombosis requires effective prevention and treatment strategies to improve patient outcomes and reduce potential complications.Prevention StrategiesHealthcare providers must prioritize preventing venous thromboembolism (VTE) for all adult patients upon admission. Interventions depend on bleeding and thrombosis risk, medical history, current medications, diagnoses, planned procedures, and patient preferences. Patients on bed rest should change positions every two hours and, if not...
34
Antiplatelet Drugs: Prostaglandin Synthesis, P2Y12 and Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitors01:20

Antiplatelet Drugs: Prostaglandin Synthesis, P2Y12 and Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitors

Antiplatelet drugs emerge as frontline defenders against the insidious threat of thromboembolic diseases, where abnormal clots obstruct vital blood vessels. These drugs stand as bulwarks, inhibiting platelet aggregation and clot formation, thereby mitigating the risk of life-threatening conditions like myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, and thrombotic strokes.
Prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors, exemplified by the widely known aspirin, wield their power by irreversibly acetylating...
660
Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class I Agents as Sodium Channel Blockers01:22

Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class I Agents as Sodium Channel Blockers

Class I antiarrhythmic drugs are used to treat various types of arrhythmias or irregular heart rhythms. These drugs block the sodium (Na+) channels in the cardiac cells, thereby affecting the movement of electrical impulses across the heart. Class I antiarrhythmic drugs are divided into three subgroups: Class IA, Class IB, and Class IC, each with distinct mechanisms of action and effects on the heart.
Class 1A Antiarrhythmic Drugs: These drugs work by moderately blocking sodium channels,...
1.8K
Factors Affecting Drug Response: Overview01:21

Factors Affecting Drug Response: Overview

When it comes to infants and young children, they are typically administered smaller doses of medication in comparison to adults. This is primarily because their organ functions still need to fully develop, meaning their bodies are not as efficient at metabolizing or eliminating drugs. Additionally, their blood-brain barrier is more permeable than in adults. As a result, high concentrations of drugs can easily penetrate the central nervous system (CNS), potentially leading to neurological...
2.4K