Tranexamic acid as an aid to reducing blood transfusion requirements in gastric and duodenal bleeding. Tranexamic acid in massive haemorrhage from the upper gastrointestinal tract: a double-blind study. A randomized trial of tranexamic acid in combination with cell salvage plus a meta-analysis of randomized trials evaluating tranexamic acid in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. Tranexamic acid reduces postbypass blood use: a double-blinded, prospective, randomized study of 210 patients. Tranexamic acid compared with high-dose aprotinin in primary elective heart operations: effects on perioperative bleeding and allogeneic transfusions. Tranexamic acid and traumatic hyphaema. A prospective study. Tranexamic acid in patients with hemoptysis.
A prospective randomised double blind study examined the effect of the antifibrinolytic drug tranexamic acid compared with placebo in 154 patients bleeding from verified benign lesions in the stomach or duodenum or both. Three out of 72 patients receiving tranexamic acid underwent emergency surgery compared with 15 out of 82 given placebo (p = 0.010). Nineteen patients receiving placebo rebled during their admission as compared with 10 in the active treatment group (p = 0.097). Blood transfusion requirements were significantly reduced by tranexamic acid (p = 0.018). Side effects occurred in six patients, of which an uncomplicated deep venous thrombosis was the most severe. Tranexamic acid reduces the blood transfusion requirement and need for emergency surgery in patients bleeding from a benign gastric or duodenal lesion. In a double-blind trial of tranexamic acid in massive upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage, 76 patients were treated with the active drug and 73 patients with placebo. The doses were 1 g intravenously six times daily for a maximum of 3 days, followed by 1.5 g orally four times daily for a maximum of 4 days. The treatment group and the placebo group were comparable with respect to mean age, diagnoses and laboratory tests but differed slightly with respect to sex and alcohol consumption. The transfusion requirement in the treatment group was less than in the placebo group during the first days after admission, the difference being significant on the second day after admission. Ten patients in the treatment group and 18 patients in the placebo group were operated on. Eleven patients in the treatment group and 12 patients in the placebo group died. In the tranexamic-acid-treated group fewer operations were performed and significantly less blood was needed. It therefore seems highly likely that tranexamic acid has a beneficial effect, although small. We sought to evaluate the effectiveness of tranexamic acid in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting surgery, either when used in combination with mechanical cell salvage or when used alone.
                One hundred patients were randomized to either 2 g of tranexamic acid as an intravenous bolus before sternotomy or to placebo. Intraoperative and postoperative cell salvage was used in all patients. The primary end point was early postoperative blood loss (within 4 hours). To evaluate the efficacy of tranexamic acid in isolation, we also performed a meta-analysis of 4 randomized trials identified from a systematic literature search. The primary end point of the meta-analysis was red cell transfusion.
                In our randomized trial patients in the tranexamic acid group had a significant reduction in early postoperative blood loss, (median difference, 50 mL; 95% confidence interval, 15-100 mL; P < .01); however, there was no reduction in the frequency of blood component transfusion. Patients in the placebo group received a significantly larger volume of autotransfused red cells (median difference, 120 mL; 95% confidence interval, 0-220 mL; P = .02). The meta-analysis demonstrated a significant reduction in red cell transfusions in patients receiving tranexamic acid compared with those receiving placebo (risk ratio, 0.48; 95% confidence interval, 0.24-0.97; P = .041). There was also a reduction in the frequency of any allogeneic blood component transfusion, as well as a highly significant reduction in postoperative blood loss, in patients receiving tranexamic acid (P < .001).
                Tranexamic acid reduces blood loss and transfusion requirements in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting surgery. A reduction in allogeneic blood transfusion was not evident in the presence of perioperative cell salvage. These data support the routine use of tranexamic acid in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting surgery. Pharmacologic intervention to minimize postbypass bleeding and blood product transfusions has received increasing attention for both medical and economic reasons.
                Two hundred ten patients were entered into a double-blinded, prospective, randomized study to receive either 10 g of fibrinolytic inhibitor tranexamic acid before incision (n = 104) or 250 mL of placebo saline solution (n = 106). All subjects requiring cardiopulmonary bypass were deemed suitable, including those having first-time coronary bypass grafting, valve replacement, and reoperation.
                There were no statistically significant differences between the groups with respect to demographic or operative characteristics. The tranexamic acid group had a 48% reduction in 24-hour blood drainage (p < 0.001) and received 69% fewer total units of packed red blood cells, 83% fewer total units of plasma, and 75% fewer platelet transfusion units than controls. Only 13 of 104 tranexamic acid patients received blood products versus 33 of 106 controls (p < 0.001). The incidences of thrombotic complications, perioperative myocardial infarction, renal failure, and neurologic complications were not significantly different between the two groups. The tranexamic acid group had 0% mortality versus 1.9% for controls (not significant).
                Tranexamic acid is safe and effective in reducing blood loss and blood use in a wide variety of cardiac surgical patients. Since excessive fibrinolysis during cardiac surgery is frequently associated with abnormal perioperative bleeding, many authors have advocated prophylactic use of antifibrinolytic drugs to prevent hemorrhagic disorders. We compared the effects of tranexamic acid (a synthetic antifibrinolytic drug) with aprotinin (a natural derivative product with antifibrinolytic properties) on perioperative bleeding and the need for allogeneic transfusions.
                In a single-center prospective randomized unblinded trial, 1040 consecutive patients undergoing primary, elective cardiac operations with cardiopulmonary bypass received either high-dose aprotinin or tranexamic acid. The aprotinin group (518 patients) received 280 mg in 20 minutes before the skin incision, 280 mg in the priming solution of the extracorporeal circuit, and a continuous infusion of 70 mg/h throughout the operation. The tranexamic acid group (522 patients) received 1 g in 20 minutes before the skin incision, 500 mg in the priming solution of the extracorporeal circuit, and a continuous infusion of 400 mg/h during the operation. Postoperative bleeding, perioperative transfusions, and hematologic variables were evaluated at fixed times. Postoperative thrombotic complications, intubation time, intensive care unit stay, and hospital stay were recorded.
                Postoperative bleeding was similar in the 2 groups: aprotinin 250 mL (150-400 mL) versus tranexamic acid 300 mL (200-450 mL) (median and 25th-75th quartiles), median difference of 50 mL (95% confidence intervals, 0-50 mL). The number of transfusions and the outcome did not differ.
                Tranexamic acid and aprotinin show similar clinical effects on bleeding and allogeneic transfusion in patients undergoing primary elective heart operations. Since tranexamic acid is about 100 times cheaper than aprotinin, its use is preferable in this type of patient. 112 patients with traumatic hyphaema were investigated prospectively over a period of 3 years. 53 had conservative treatment and 59 tranexamic acid treatment. They were hospitalized, but fully mobilized. Both groups were given supplementary local therapy with glucocorticoids and mydriatics as well as monocular patching. In neither group was any re-bleeding seen. The resorption of blood was delayed in the tranexamic treated patients, which may be taken as indirect proof of the efficacy of the treatment. The longer persistence of blood in the anterior chamber in the tranexamic acid treated group caused no complication. The treatment was well tolerated. In both departments treatment with tranexamic acid had replaced the bed rest treatment. Hemoptysis is a common respiratory symptom leading to admission to hospital. The main management of hemoptysis depends on treating the underlying cause. The use of tranexamic acid is recommended by many doctors without much information available.
                This study was a randomized double blinded placebo controlled trial in using tranexamic acid (Transamine) in hemoptysis patients. The study period was one week. Patients with hemoptysis were separated into 3 groups depending on the amount of blood. Group 1 consisted of patients with blood streak sputum. Group 2 coughed up less than 20 ml of frank blood. Patients in Group 3 were those who coughed up 20-500 ml of blood per day. A record of the amount of bleeding and drug side effects was done.
                From June 1994 to May 1997, 46 patients with hemoptysis completed the study. There were 21 in the tranexamic acid group and 25 in the placebo group. The placebo group had a tendency not to have underlying lung disease and more patients who had a normal chest X-ray. The benefit of tranexamic acid in shortening the days of hemoptysis is not shown in this study. There was a low incidence of side effects of tranexamic acid in this study.
                This randomized double blinded placebo controlled trial could not demonstrate the benefit of tranexamic acid in shortening the days of hemoptysis and confirm the low incidence of side effects of this drug.
Considering the internal and external validity of the evidence, tranexamic acid cannot be recommended for routine use. Additional trials in which tranexamic acid is used in combination with the currently recommended interventions are required.