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Biomedical subjects

Monika Girisch

Publications and source records attributed to Monika Girisch.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Safety and efficacy of danaparoid (Orgaran) use in children.

Immune-mediated heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is an uncommon but serious complication of therapy with heparins. It affects all ages and requires replacement of the causative anticoagulant. However, information on alternative antithrombotic use in children with HIT is limited. This paper reviews 27 published and 7 unpublished case reports of children aged 2 weeks to 17 years treated with danaparoid. Thirty-three suffered from HIT or suspected HIT, and 1 child without HIT had a high bleeding risk. All children had severe underlying problems increasing their thrombotic and/or bleeding risk. HIT diagnosis was confirmed serologically or clinically in 26 cases (78.8%). Danaparoid regimens were similar to those used in adults, but in general, younger children needed higher daily doses of danaparoid to achieve the same target plasma anti-Xa levels than teenagers or adults. Of those with a known outcome 28/33 children (84.8%) survived, 7 having suffered from a serious adverse event. Five deaths occurred including 1 thrombotic and 2 major bleeds. Three of the in total 4 major bleeding events occurred in children undergoing surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. We conclude that despite the reported adverse events danaparoid can be used as an alternative antithrombotic for children who are intolerant of the heparins, except in cases requiring cardiopulmonary bypass surgery.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Prophylaxis of thromboembolic complications after the Fontan operation (total cavopulmonary anastomosis).

OBJECTIVES: Thrombotic events have been reported as a major cause of morbidity after the Fontan procedure. There is no consensus concerning the postoperative mode and duration of anticoagulation prophylaxis. In a retrospective study, we evaluated the results of a prophylactic regimen on the basis of the surgical technique, potentially predisposing risk factors, and specific sequelae. METHODS: We evaluated 142 surviving patients after total cavopulmonary anastomosis (mean follow-up was 91.1 +/- 43.9 months). Prophylactic antithrombotic treatment was initiated in 86 patients with partial prosthetic venous pathway with acetylsalicylic acid; 45 patients with complete autologous tissue venous pathway or partial prosthetic venous pathway received no anticoagulation, and 11 patients received warfarin sodium (Coumadin). During long-term follow-up, 22 patients (12 after acetylsalicylic acid medication) crossed over to warfarin. RESULTS: Thrombotic events occurred in 10 patients (7%), with systemic venous thrombus formation in 8 (5.6%), stroke in 2 (1.4%), and a peak incidence during the first postoperative year. Eight of 10 patients were receiving heparin therapy mainly for prolonged postoperative immobilization. During follow-up, none of the 74 patients receiving acetylsalicylic acid and 1 of 40 patients without medication presented with thrombus formation. Under warfarin medication, 1 of 28 patients had an asymptomatic thrombus. Expected freedom from a thromboembolic event was 92% at 5 years and 79% at 10 years. There was no association with coagulation factor abnormalities. Protein-losing enteropathy was present in 4 of 10 patients. CONCLUSION: A prophylactic anticoagulation strategy that considers the surgical technique and potential predisposing circumstances proved effective in the prevention of late thrombotic complications after total cavopulmonary anastomosis. There is no need for routine anticoagulation during long-term follow-up after Fontan-type surgery in pediatric patients.

Anticoagulants↗
PubMed2004

Laterality of the aortic arch and anomalies of the subclavian artery-reliable indicators for 22q11.2 deletion syndromes?

UNLABELLED: A variety of cardiac defects, encompassing truncus arteriosus, tetralogy of Fallot, pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect and interrupted aortic arch, are generally summarised as conotruncal malformations. Patients with these cardiac defects were frequently found to have a common microdeletion on chromosome 22, the so-called monosomy 22q11.2. The aim of our study was to determine whether the laterality of the aortic arch or the presence of subclavian artery anomalies (SAA) represent markers for monosomy 22q11.2 in these patients. 170 patients with these cardiac anomalies were recruited at presentation in the paediatric cardiology units of two tertiary referral centres from 1994 until 2003. Of the 170 children and young adults, 33 had interrupted aortic arch, 35 tetralogy of Fallot, 31 truncus arteriosus communis and 71 pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect. All were screened for monosomy 22q11.2 and the results were correlated with the laterality of the aortic arch and the presence of SAA contralateral to the aortic arch (aberrant origin from the descending aorta, isolation, distal ductal origin from the pulmonary artery and cervical origin of the right subclavian artery). Monosomy 22q11.2 was present in 59/170 patients (35%). A left aortic arch (LAA) was found in 118 (69%), a right aortic arch (RAA) in 52 (31%) patients. Almost 50% of the patients with RAA (46%), but only 30% of the patients with LAA had monosomy 22q11.2 ( P=0.054). A total of 47 patients (28%) had an anomaly of the subclavian artery, 81% of whom had monosomy 22q11.2. This deletion was found in decreasing percentage in patients with LAA+SAA (85%) >RAA+SAA (75%) >RAA without SAA (28%) >LAA without SAA (13%). CONCLUSION: In patients with conotruncal malformations, anomalies of the subclavian arteries are the most important anatomical marker for the presence of monosomy 22q11.2, independent of the laterality of the aortic arch. Therefore, we recommend cytogenetic testing for this microdeletion in all patients with subclavian artery anomalies and conotruncal malformations.

Adolescent↗