Synthetic Antithrombotic for Treating Pulmonary Embolism

A large, multicenter study has found that a synthetic antithrombotic agent is at least as effective and safe as unfractionated heparin (UFH) for treating pulmonary embolism but requires no monitoring and is simpler and more convenient to use. The results were published in the October 29, 2003, issue of The New England Journal of Medicine.

The study, called MATTISE PE, involved 2,213 patients in 20 countries worldwide with symptomatic pulmonary embolism (PE), a life-threatening clinical condition that contributes to 5-10% of deaths among hospitalized patients. Patients in the trial were randomly assigned to have traditional treatment with intravenous UFH or selective factor Xa inhibitor fondaparinux (Arixtra) administered subcutaneously for at least five days. Results showed that during a three-month follow-up period, 3.8% of patients randomized to fondaparinux had recurrent thromboembolic events, compared to 5% of patients randomized to UFH.

"After 50 years of using unfractionated heparin acute antithrombotic therapy, the MATISSE PE study shows that pulmonary embolism can now be treated with an agent that can be administered subcutaneously immediately upon diagnosis with no need for monitoring or dose adjustment,” said Harry Buller, M.D., professor of vascular medicine, Academic Medical Center University of Amsterdam (The Netherlands) and chairman of the steering committee for the study.




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