Hemodynamics, fluids & transfusion
Thromboelastography to monitor anticoagulation in intensive care unit (ICU) patients receiving a continuous infusion of unfractionated heparin
Authors' conclusion
In ICU patients receiving UFH infusion, TEG R-based measurements have limited correlation and concordance with anti-Xa and aPTT for defined therapeutic ranges and do not help resolve their discordance.
Study context
- Population
- ICU patients receiving continuous unfractionated heparin (UFH) infusion136 samples
- Participants
- 24 patients
- Exposure
- Thromboelastography (TEG) R-based measurements vs activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and anti-Xa
- Outcome
- Concordance for therapeutic ranges between aPTT, anti-Xa, and CKR or R-difference or R-ratio; correlation between UFH dose and R-difference
Methodological detailssimultaneous triple-paired samples, Median APACHE III score 50; median UFH dose 14.6 [10.5, 18.3] units/kg/h
- Simultaneous triple-paired samples
- Median APACHE III score 50; median UFH dose 14.6 [10.5, 18.3] units/kg/h
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- R-difference increase per 1 unit/kg increase in UFH dose (min)
- 2
- 95% CI
- 0.23-3.7
- P
- p < 0.05
- Correlation UFH dose–R-difference (R2)
- 0.1
- Cohen's kappa CKR-aPTT
- 0.39
- Cohen's kappa CKR-anti-Xa
- 0.17
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Factors associated with TEG R-based measurements (multivariate analysis)
- CKR, R-difference and R-ratio independently positively associated with UFH dose and APACHE III score, negatively with iCa
Original publication
Thromboelastography to monitor anticoagulation in ICU patients receiving a continuous infusion of unfractionated heparin. J Crit Care. Published 25 February 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →