Heparin News and Research

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Heparin, a highly-sulfated glycosaminoglycan, is widely used as an injectable anticoagulant, and has the highest negative charge density of any known biological molecule. It can also be used to form an inner anticoagulant surface on various experimental and medical devices such as test tubes and renal dialysis machines. Pharmaceutical grade heparin is derived from mucosal tissues of slaughtered meat animals such as porcine (pig) intestine or bovine (cow) lung.

Assessing the risks of thrombotic events post vaccination with ChAdOx1 and BNT162b2 vaccines in England

Researchers aim to better understand the population-level thrombotic risks post COVID-19 vaccination with both the ChAdOx1-S and BNT162b2 vaccines.

29 Aug 2021

Persistence of Anti-PF4 levels in VITT patients four months after AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine

A study published on medRxiv* preprint server reported the over-time changes in the ability of the serum to activate platelets in vitro.

25 Aug 2021

Therapeutic-dose anticoagulation benefits moderately ill COVID-19 patients

Moderately ill patients hospitalized with COVID-19 have better chances of survival if treated with therapeutic-dose anticoagulation, according to an international study involving 121 sites, including UT Southwestern Medical Center.

20 Aug 2021

New biocompatible glue could quickly seal injured tissues and stop bleeding

Inspired by the sticky substance that barnacles use to cling to rocks, MIT engineers have designed a strong, biocompatible glue that can seal injured tissues and stop bleeding.

9 Aug 2021

Full dose anticoagulation with heparin improves outcomes for moderately ill COVID-19 patients

Collaborative international clinical trials testing full dose anticoagulation with heparin (a blood thinner) in both moderately ill and critically ill patients has found the treatment improves outcomes and reduces the need for vital organ support such as mechanical ventilation in moderately ill patients.

6 Aug 2021

Initiating therapeutic anticoagulation benefits moderately ill COVID-19 patients, but not critically ill patients

A large clinical trial conducted worldwide shows that treating moderately ill hospitalized COVID-19 patients with a full-dose blood thinner reduced their need for organ support, such as mechanical ventilation, and improved their chances of leaving the hospital.

4 Aug 2021

Full intensity heparin has value in treating hospitalized COVID-19 patients

Results from the RAPID clinical trial suggest heparin may lower the risk of death from moderate COVID-19 infection by 78%. Heparin also significantly increased the number of days patients went without ventilation or requiring organ support.

14 Jul 2021

Early anticlotting therapy offers benefits for moderately ill patients with Covid-19

COVID-19 is marked by heightened inflammation and abnormal clotting in the blood vessels, particularly in the lungs, and is believed to contribute to progression to severe disease and death.

13 Jul 2021

Common anti-coagulant drug could treat emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2

QUT PhD researcher Zachariah Schuurs said the research team had identified a new binding site on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.

7 Jul 2021

New study reveals how heparan sulfate promotes amyloid deposition in various organs

Amyloid diseases, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, type-2 diabetes and other life-threatening diseases, involve pathologic deposits of normally soluble proteins or peptides as insoluble amyloid fibrils. When this happens in vital organs, such as the brain, kidney, liver and heart, it causes organ damage and, if left untreated, death. Unfortunately, the available treatment options are very limited.

29 Jun 2021

Green tea catechins might be useful as pan-coronavirus inhibitors

Scientists from the Queen’s University, Canada, have recently uncovered the broad-spectrum antiviral activity of epigallocatechin gallate, a bioactive compound from green tea, against highly pathogenic coronaviruses found in humans and animals. The compound prevents viral infection by interfering with virus-host cell attachment. The study is currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server.

24 Jun 2021

NCCN experts provide new guidance on COVID-19 vaccines for cancer patients

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®) today announced the publication of new guidance on COVID-19 vaccines for people with cancer, intended to clear up confusion for patients and caregivers. The new four-page patient guide is based on the latest expert review of evolving evidence.

11 Jun 2021

High baseline levels of inflammatory cytokines linked to thrombotic events in patients with COVID-19

In a recent open-access paper published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, researchers from Iran and Germany show that high baseline levels of inflammatory cytokines measured during admission put patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at increased risk of developing coagulopathy, thrombotic events – and even death.

6 Jun 2021

Study elucidates the use of anticoagulants to treat bleeding in patients with gastrointestinal cancers

A study by Mayo Clinic researchers provides some clarity in the use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC), such as apixaban and rivaroxaban, to treat acute venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with gastrointestinal cancers.

5 Jun 2021

Three cases of stroke reported in young adults following covid-19 vaccination

Clots in the arteries (arterial thrombosis) are the most common cause of stroke (ischemic stroke) and have been reported in detail for the first time in young adults who received the Oxford–AstraZeneca covid-19 vaccine in a letter from UK stroke specialists published online in Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.

4 Jun 2021

Little evidence for mRNA COVID-19 vaccine-associated thrombocytopenia, suggests new FDA study

Even as a host of vaccines have been rolled out to counter the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, some serious adverse effects have been reported, in the form of thrombocytopenia. A new study in the journal Vaccine reports the results of an evaluation of reported cases of this condition, using data from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS).

24 May 2021

Are COVID-19 medications safe in pregnancy?

Most medications being tested today in clinical trials for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been repurposed from other indications. These are typically not tested in pregnant women. A new study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, summarizes what is known about the safety of these drugs in this group.

24 May 2021

Investigators map how drugs were used on people hospitalized with COVID-19 infection

A record of medicine utilization patterns assembled by an interdisciplinary team of researchers at the University of California, Irvine and the UC San Diego School of Medicine reveals the thought, care and scientific rigor clinicians at UC Health medical centers applied in their treatment of patients with COVID-19 in 2020.

21 May 2021

Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination not associated with platelet activation in new study

Among the devastating complications of severe or critical coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), clot formation ranks high in the adverse impact it creates. An important question is whether SARS-CoV-2-spike-based vaccines also cause such coagulopathies. A new study, released as a preprint on the medRxiv* server, examines this risk for the first time.