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CanadaTo cite this article: Avila ML, Shah V, Brandão LR. Systematic review on heparin-induced thrombocytopenia in children: a call to action. J Thromb Haemost 2013; 11: 660-9.Summary. Background: Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) has increasingly been reported in children as an indication for use of new alternative anticoagulant drugs (NAADs). Objectives: To systematically review the literature regarding: (i) the incidence and prevalence of seroconversion and HIT and (ii) the clinical/laboratory findings and management of HIT in children. Design/ Methods: MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched for studies that reported pediatric cases of HIT. Methodological reliability assessment of studies was performed with the Loney scale. Results: The incidence of seroconversion in neonates ranged between 0% and 1.7%. There were no cases of neonatal HIT in the included cohorts. The incidence range of seroconversion in the non-neonatal population was 1.3-52%. The incidence of HIT in non-neonates after cardiopulmonary bypass was 0.33% (95%CI, < 0.01-2.04). Whereas more than half of pediatric cases labeled as HIT (30/52) did not include pivotal features of this syndrome, 80% of them received NAADs. Conclusion: The incidence of HIT is likely to have been overestimated in children, leading to potential misuse of NAADs in many cases. Clinical findings and laboratory assessment of pediatric cases are poorly described in the literature at present. Thorough laboratory investigation, proper reporting of cases and adequate design of studies are mandatory to elucidate the clinical/laboratory picture of pediatric HIT.

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Background Complications associated with peripherally placed percutaneous central venous catheters (PCVC) in neonates include mechanical complications (catheter thrombosis, occlusion or dislodgement) and infection. Strategies to prevent catheter thrombosis and occlusion include the use of heparin. However, heparin is known to be associated with complications such as bleeding and thrombocytopenia. Objectives Primary objective: To assess the effectiveness of heparin for prevention of catheter related thrombosis. Secondary objectives: To assess the effectiveness of heparin on catheter occlusion, duration of catheter patency, catheter related sepsis and complications associated with the use of heparin. Search strategy A literature search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL from their inception to December 2007, The Cochrane Library (Issue 4, 2007) and abstracts from the annual meetings of the Pediatric Academic Societies was performed without language restrictions. Selection criteria Randomized or quasi‐randomized clinical trials of neonates where heparin infusion was compared to placebo or no treatment for prevention of any of the complications related to peripherally placed PCVC were included. Data collection and analysis The methodological quality of included trials was assessed using criteria for masking of randomization, masking of intervention, completeness of follow‐up and masking of outcome measurement. Data on relevant outcomes were extracted and the effect size was estimated by calculating relative risk (RR), risk difference (RD) and associated 95% confidence intervals (CI). Main results Three randomized trials were identified. Two trials of adequate methodology met the eligibility criteria. These studies included 267 neonates. There was reduced risk of catheter occlusion (typical RR 0.28, 95% CI 0.15, 0.53, NNT 5, 95% CI 3, 8). There was no statistically significant difference in the duration of catheter patency when analyzed as continuous data; however, in one study survival analyses identified benefit with heparin (adjusted hazard ratio 0.55, 95% CI 0.36, 83); (Shah 2007). This could be due to higher incidence of elective removal of catheters in neonates at the completion of therapy in the heparin group (63% vs. 42%; p = 0.002) (Shah 2007). There was no statistically significant differences in the risk of thrombosis (typical RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.58, 1.51), catheter related sepsis (typical RR 1.96, 95% CI 0.50, 7.60), or extension of intraventricular hemorrhage (typical RR 0.87, 95% CI 0.25, 3.03) between the two groups. Authors' conclusions Implications for practice: Prophylactic use of heparin for peripherally placed PCVC allows a greater number of infants to complete their intended use (complete therapy) by reducing occlusion. Evidence from this systematic review support the prophylactic use of heparin for PCVC in neonates at a dose of 0.5 IU/kg/hr. Implications for research: None of these studies was powered to evaluate a lower incidence rate of adverse events. If this therapy is adopted in routine pract...

This study reports the age at hospital discharge of 233 survivors and age at death of 209 infants who were born at 23-28 weeks gestation over a 10 year period, 1977-86. The mean duration of hospitalization of survivors was 95 days and was inversely related to maturity at birth; those born at 23-25 weeks remained in hospital on average 1-2 weeks beyond term while those born at 26-28 weeks went home on average at term or 1 week before term. The mean age at death was 12 days: 53% within 1 day, 23% between 2 and 7 days, 15% between 8 and 28 days and 9% between 28 days and 1 year. The proportions of death in the post-neonatal period for infants born at 23-24 weeks, 25-26 weeks and 27-28 weeks were 2, 9 and 16% respectively. There was no significant trend in prolonged hospitalization of survivors or postponement of neonatal deaths to the post-neonatal period over the 1977-86 period. Nevertheless, both neonatal and post-neonatal mortality should continually be monitored in this extremely preterm group.

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