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Anticoagulation Among Patients Hospitalized for COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Prospective Meta-analysis
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Anticoagulation Among Patients Hospitalized for COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Prospective Meta-analysis

WHO Rapid Evidence Appraisal for COVID-19 Therapies (REACT) Working Group, Claire L Vale, Peter J Godolphin, David J Fisher, Julian PT Higgins, Alexandra Mcaleenan, Francesca Spiga, Tobias Tritschler, Pedro Gabriel Melo Silva, David D Berg, …
Annals of internal medicine, Vol.178(1), pp.59-69
01/2025
DOI: 10.7326/ANNALS-24-00800
PMID: 39715559
url
https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/files/452922265/manuscript_AAM.pdfView
Open Access

Abstract

Background: Reported results of clinical trials assessing higher-dose anticoagulation in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 have been inconsistent. // Purpose: To estimate the association of higher- versus lower-dose anticoagulation with clinical outcomes. // Data Sources: Randomized trials were identified from the World Health Organization's International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and ClinicalTrials.gov with no restriction by trial status or language. // Study Selection: Eligible randomized trials assigned patients hospitalized for COVID-19 to higher- versus lower-dose anticoagulation. // Data Extraction: 20 eligible trials provided data in a prospectively agreed format. Two further studies were included based on published data. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality 28 days after randomization. Secondary outcomes were progression to invasive mechanical ventilation or death, thromboembolic events, and major bleeding. // Data Synthesis: Therapeutic- compared with prophylactic-dose anticoagulation with heparins reduced 28-day mortality (OR, 0.77 [95% CI, 0.64 to 0.93]; I 2 = 29%; 11 trials, 6297 patients, of whom 5456 required low or no oxygen at randomization). The ORs for 28-day mortality were 1.21 (CI, 0.93 to 1.58; I 2 = 0%) for therapeutic-dose compared with intermediate-dose anticoagulation (6 trials, 1803 patients, 843 receiving noninvasive ventilation at randomization) and 0.95 (CI, 0.76 to 1.19; I 2 = 0%; 10 trials, 3897 patients, 2935 receiving no or low oxygen at randomization) for intermediate- versus prophylactic-dose anticoagulation. Treatment effects appeared broadly consistent across predefined patient subgroups, although some analyses were limited in power. Higher- compared with lower-dose anticoagulation was associated with fewer thromboembolic events, but a greater risk for major bleeding. // Conclusion: Therapeutic-dose compared with prophylactic-dose anticoagulation reduced 28-day mortality. Mortality was similar for intermediate-dose compared with prophylactic-dose anticoagulation and higher for therapeutic-dose compared with intermediate-dose anticoagulation, although this comparison was not estimated precisely. // Primary Funding Source: No direct funding. (PROSPERO: CRD42020213461)
 Clinical Trials Anticoagulants Cardiology and cardiovascular diseases COVID-19 Hemorrhage Hospital medicine Mortality Prophylaxis Randomized trials Vascular medicine

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