Blood thinners help moderate COVID cases, trials show
Canadian scientists believe findings may reduce strain on ICUs
Canadian scientists say blood thinners appear to prevent some moderate COVID-19 patients from deteriorating further, offering a “massive” advance in treatment they expect will ease suffering and lesson strain on hospital ICUs.
University Health Network scientist Ewan Goligher said Friday that blood thinners could soon be part of standard care after the interim results of global trials showed Heparin reduced the probability of requiring life support by about a third.
Considering how many people around the world end up in intensive care because of COVID-19, Goligher said this finding is “massive.”
“They’re very, very ill, they’re often in the ICU for a long time. It’s a devastating life event,” Goligher, a critical care physician at Toronto General Hospital, said of the patients he sees.
“Even if they do survive, it means immense suffering, and to prevent people from becoming critically ill is huge.”
Interim results of clinical trials spanning five continents in more than 300 hospitals suggest full-dose blood thinners could significantly reduce the number of severe cases that are now straining health-care systems.
The study involved more than 1,300 moderately ill patients admitted to hospital, including hundreds of people admitted to hospitals across Canada.
Researchers found the full dose was more effective than the lower dose typically administered to prevent blood clots in hospitalized patients.
Goligher, co-chair of the therapeutic anticoagulation domain of the trial, said he expected patients at his downtown hospital would be on routine blood thinners “imminently,” and “fully expected” hospitals around the world will soon add it to standard care.
“Before people change their practice they’re going to want to see the full paper published so we’re working very hard now to write up the results and get them published in a high impact journal,” he said.
“One of the exciting things about this treatment is that Heparin is already cheap, widely available, and available in low and middle-income countries, as well as countries like Canada and the United States. So this is a cheap therapy that can make a significant impact on outcomes for patients.”
Goligher said research into other questions surrounding blood thinners will continue, such as whether to continue treatment if a moderately ill patient develops severe COVID-19, and whether adding an antiplatelet agent would help.
Doctors noticed early in the pandemic that COVID-19 patients suffered an increased rate of blood clots and inflammation. This led to complications including lung failure, heart attack and stroke.
Back in December, investigators found that giving full-dose blood thinners to critically ill ICU patients did not help and was actually harmful.
However, Goligher noted there have been other drugs that appear to ease mortality in severe cases, expecting more trials to release promising data soon.
Goligher was heartened by the news that blood thinners could soon ease a devastating winter surge of infections.
“I personally find the thought that this treatment will prevent (patients) from getting to this state incredibly gratifying. It’s even better than if it was an effective treatment for severe COVID-19, to be able to prevent people from becoming severe is huge.”
The trials are supported by international funding organizations including the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the NIH National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute in the United States, the National Institute for Health Research in the United Kingdom, and the National Health and Medical Research Council in Australia.
Meanwhile, U.S. drugmaker Eli Lilly said this week that its antibody drug bamlanivimab — developed in partnership with Vancouver’s AbCellera Biologics — can prevent COVID-19 illness in nursing home residents and staff.
Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam said Friday that Health Canada relies on clinical experts “on the ground” treating patients “to decide what’s best for them.”