Evaluation of anticoagulant monitoring in pediatric patients receiving
enoxaparin for venous thrombosis treatment
Abstract
Background A venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a blood clot that occurs
secondary to vessel wall injury often from a central line insertion.
Enoxaparin is often considered a first line treatment in pediatrics for
VTE due to its favorable kinetic profile. Enoxaparin monitoring for
pediatric patients is accomplished through anti-Xa monitoring although a
correlation of efficacy and safety as yet to be established. The
objective of this study is to evaluate covariates in pediatric patients
to determine which variables are most likely to be associated with
enoxaparin dose changes. Methods A single center, retrospective chart
review was conducted in pediatric patients treated with enoxaparin for
VTE over a 10-year period were assessed to determine covariates that
lead to dose changes based off anti-Xa levels. Secondary outcomes
described monitoring patterns at the University of New Mexico Children’s
Hospital. Results Sixty eight patients met inclusion criteria in which
results showed that patients aged 2-5.9 months (p=0.026), critical care
status (p=0.009), and of Native American ethnicity (p = 0.016) were
likely to have an enoxaparin dose change at least once during their
treatment regimen. The mean number of levels drawn were 7.5 per patient
and doses were not frequently changed based off a confirmatory lab draw.
However, many doses were adjusted based off the week 1 post therapeutic
level. Conclusion In conclusion, we found that patients of Native
American ethnicity, younger than 6 months, and those admitted to the
pediatric intensive care unit were likely to have dose changes based on
anti-Xa levels.