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Reversing Intracerebral Hemorrhage in Patients Taking VKA

An international analysis comparing FFP and PCC

A combination of fresh frozen plasma (FFP) and prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC) may be the best treatment strategy for reversing intracerebral hemorrhage in patients on vitamin K antagonists (VKA-ICH), according to an international study of 10,282 patients with intracerebral hemorrhage from 16 stroke registries.

Investigators included 1,547 patients with VKA-ICH who were treated with FFP, PCC, or both and found:

FFP

PCC

Both

Neither

n

377

585

131

454

Crude case Fatality

45.6%

37.3%

27.8%

61.7%

Adjusted HR

1.34

1.45

reference

2.54%

In addition, 4-factor PCC was associated with a 1.44 higher case fatality rate than 3-factor PCC.

Citation: Parry-Jones AR, Di Napoli M, Goldstein JN, et al. Reversal strategies for vitamin K antagonists in acute intracerebral hemorrhage. Ann Neurol. 2015. doi: 10.1002/ana.24416.