Recombinant factor VIIa for warfarin-associated intracranial bleeding.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To examine the efficacy of recombinant factor VIIa (rVIIa) in reversing warfarin-induced coagulopathy in trauma patients presenting with intracranial hemorrhage (ICH).

DESIGN: Retrospective, cohort-controlled database review.

SETTING: Level 1, university-affiliated trauma center.

PATIENTS: 54 patients presenting with ICH associated with chronic warfarin therapy, 30 of whom were treated with rVIIa, and the other 24 patients treated conventionally.

MEASUREMENTS: We examined initial and subsequent coagulation studies (prothrombin time, international normalized ratio [INR]), blood product requirement, and clinical outcome, including time to reverse anticoagulation, duration of reversal, and subsequent mortality.

MAIN RESULTS: Patients treated with rVIIa required significantly less plasma (4 vs 7 units) to correct their INR, and corrected in a much shorter period of time (2.4 vs 10 hrs). The duration of corrected INR after rVIIa was dose-dependent.

CONCLUSIONS: Factor rVIIa provides prompt correction of the INR of dose-dependent duration in patients with ICH intracranial hemorrhage associated with warfarin use.