Reversal of coagulopathy in critically ill patients with traumatic brain injury: recombinant factor VIIa is more cost-effective than plasma.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death and disability after trauma. Coagulopathy is common in this patient population and requires rapid reversal to allow for safe neurosurgical intervention and prevent worsening of the primary injury. Typically reversal of coagulopathy is accomplished with the use of plasma. Recombinant factor VIIa (rFVIIa; NovoSeven, Novo Nordisk, Bagsvaerd, Denmark) has become increasingly used "off-label" in patients with neurosurgical emergencies to rapidly reverse coagulopathy. We hypothesized that the use of rFVIIa in this patient population would prove to be cost-effective as well as demonstrate clinical benefit.

METHODS: The trauma registry at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center was used to identify all coagulopatic trauma patients admitted between January 2002 and December 2007 with relatively isolated TBI (head Abbreviated Injury Scale score of >or=4). The medical records of patients were reviewed and demographics, injury-specific data, medications administered, laboratory values, blood product utilization, neurosurgical procedures, length of stay (LOS), discharge disposition, and outcome data were abstracted. Patients who received rFVIIa for reversal of coagulopathy were compared against those who did not receive rFVIIa. t Tests were used to compare differences between continuous variables, and chi2 analysis was used to compare categorical variables. A p value of <0.05 was considered significant for all statistical tests.

RESULTS: During a 6-year period, there were 179 patients who met inclusion criteria. One hundred eleven patients (62.0%) were treated with conventional therapy alone whereas 68 (38.0%) received rFVIIa. Baseline characteristics between the two groups were similar except that Injury Severity Score and admission International normalized ratio were higher in the rFVIIa group and the rFVIIa group had a higher percentage of patients with head Abbreviated Injury Scale score of 5 injuries, patients who underwent neurosurgical procedures and patients with preinjury warfarin use. There was no difference in total charges between these groups (mean US $63,403 in the conventionally treated group vs. $66,086). When patients who required admission to the intensive care unit were analyzed (n = 110, 50% received rFVIIa), total mean charges and costs were significantly lower in the group that received rFVIIa (mean US $108,900 vs. $77,907). Hospital LOS, days of mechanical ventilation, and plasma utilization were lower in the rFVIIa group. Mortality and thromboembolic complication rates were not different between the two groups.

CONCLUSION: In this study, we were able to demonstrate a significant economic benefit of the use of rFVIIa for reversal of coagulopathy in severely injured patients with TBI. Not all patients with coagulopathy and an anatomic brain injury benefit, but in patients who are neurologically or physiologically compromised, using rFVIIa decreases total charges and costs of hospitalization. This decrease in overall cost is directly attributable to the significant decrease in LOS and decrease in the need for mechanical ventilation. This study demonstrates that in coagulopathic patients with TBI who require intensive care unit admission, rFVIIa is cost-effective and safe. Prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings and establish clinical effectiveness.