deamino-arginine-vasopressin and Gaucher-Disease

The risk of bleeding during dental procedures may be increased in patients with Gaucher disease. We aimed to evaluate potential coagulation and platelet function abnormalities and targeted therapy accordingly. Patients with type 1 Gaucher disease who were treated at the Oral and Maxilo-Facial surgery clinic at Sheba Medical Center between 2003 and 2010 comprised the study cohort. Data collected included disease history, enzyme treatment, platelet counts, dental therapy and outcome. Bleeding was defined as excessive bleeding during or immediately following procedure. Coagulation studies and platelet function tests including aggregometry were performed on all patients. Dental procedures (n = 14, including eight teeth extractions, two crown lengthening procedures, one cyst enucleation and three deep dental scaling) of seven patients were studied. Mean platelet count prior to procedure was 73 K ± 14.8 mm(3). Patients bleeding risk score was calculated according to previous history of bleeding tendency, degree of thrombocytopenia, presence of comorbid coagulopathy and the type of dental procedure. Two patients with highest risk score received prophylactic platelet transfusions, three patients (medium-risk) received DDAVP preprocedure and all received systemic tranexamic acid, which was the only systemic therapy for low-risk patients. Meticulous surgical local haemostasis was applied. No excessive intra-operative or postoperative bleeding occurred. Patients with Gaucher disease who have thrombocytopenia and abnormal platelet function tests may be safely treated if meticulous haemostasis is applied along with systemic therapy as required. Platelet transfusions are not mandatory and should be applied considering the procedure-related risk and the patient's calculated haematological risk for bleeding.

Topics: Adult; Antifibrinolytic Agents; Cohort Studies; Deamino Arginine Vasopressin; Dental Care; Female; Gaucher Disease; Hemostatics; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Oral Hemorrhage; Oral Surgical Procedures; Platelet Function Tests; Postoperative Hemorrhage; Predictive Value of Tests; Risk Factors; Thrombocytopenia; Tooth Extraction; Young Adult

As part of an investigative protocol requiring serial liver biopsies in patients with Type I Gaucher's disease who were receiving enzyme replacement therapy, we gave 11 patients a total of 15 infusions of DDAVP (0.3 micrograms/kg IV) and measured the Simplate bleeding time pre- and postin-fusion. All patients were thrombocytopenic (one patient 100-150,000; seven 66-99,000; and three 50-65,000/microliters). Nine of 15 infusions resulted in at least a 2-min shortening of the bleeding time; in 6/11 infusions in which the platelet count was greater than 65,000, the bleeding time shortened to less than or equal to 10 min, in 1/11 it shortened greater than or equal to 2 min but not to less than or equal to 10 min. In only 2/4 infusions given to patients with platelet counts less than 65,000 did the bleeding time demonstrate any significant shortening. None of the six liver biopsies performed in the patients whose bleeding time shortened to less than or equal to 10 min resulted in any significant bleeding; blood products were not transfused either pre- or postprocedure. These limited data demonstrate that a high percentage of patients with platelet counts of 65-100,000/microliters can manifest a significant shortening of bleeding time following a standard infusion of DDAVP, and that in approximately half of these patients the bleeding time will shorten enough to safely allow the performance of a liver biopsy without the need for prophylactic transfusion of blood products.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Biopsy; Bleeding Time; Child; Deamino Arginine Vasopressin; Female; Gaucher Disease; Humans; Male; Platelet Count