Publications by authors named "Heleen van Ommen"

Objectives: To determine if a priori standardization of outcome hemostatic definitions alone was adequate to enable useful comparison between two cohorts of pediatric extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) patients, managed according to local practice and protocol.

Design: Comparison of two separate prospective cohort studies performed at different centers with standardized outcome definitions agreed upon a priori.

Setting: General and cardiac PICUs at the Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) in Melbourne, Australia, and the Sophia Children's Hospital (SCH) in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

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Background: Arterial thrombosis is increasingly recognized in children and is most commonly related to the presence of an arterial catheter. Diagnosis and treatment of arterial thrombosis in children varies widely and consists of commonly available anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugs. No evidence-based guidelines exist for management strategies of catheter related arterial thrombosis (CAT).

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Background: Postthrombotic syndrome (PTS) is a chronic condition following deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and is associated with pain, swelling, and restricted use of the affected limb. In pediatric age groups, its incidence and risk factors are not well-known.

Methods: This observational cohort study of all consecutive children (≤18 years) with DVT treated at the Emma Children's Hospital Amsterdam between January 2001 and January 2021 was conducted to identify incidence and risk factors for PTS in neonates aged ≤2 months and children aged >2 months.

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Adolescent venous thromboembolism (VTE) has unique challenges in management, complications, and compliance to anticoagulants. Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have been approved for pediatric VTE management, with an increasing use especially in adolescents. Primary objective is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of DOAC therapy in adolescent VTE.

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Article Synopsis
  • Bleeding and thrombotic complications are prevalent in ECMO patients, impacting mortality and morbidity; this study compares complication rates before and after a change in anticoagulation monitoring protocol.
  • A retrospective cohort study involved 250 adult ECMO patients, analyzing demographics, ECMO data, and coagulation tests to evaluate the effectiveness of the aPTT guided and multimodal protocols.
  • Results showed that complication rates were similar between the two protocols, and surgical interventions significantly increased the risk of both bleeding and thrombotic issues.
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The incidence of pediatric pulmonary embolism (PE) has increased by 200 % in the last decade, but at a single center, it is still infrequent. Given the unique epidemiologic features of pediatric PE, diagnosis is often delayed, and the management is empiric, based on individual physician experience or preference. Thus, there is a strong need for center-specific uniform management of pediatric PE patients.

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Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a rare and heterozygous disease in children. Management of VTE in children is complicated by age-related differences in epidemiology, recurrent VTE and bleeding risk, hemostatic proteins and pharmacokinetics of anticoagulants. Recently, the choice of anticoagulation has expanded to oral factor IIa and Xa inhibitors, which have been authorized for children for treatment of acute VTE and extended secondary prevention.

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Background: Direct oral anticoagulants are commonly prescribed for adults and increasingly also for children requiring anticoagulation therapy. While household medications should not be accessible to children, accidental, and intentional overdoses occur.

Key Clinical Question: How should apixaban overdose in children be managed?.

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Background: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is used in children with cardiopulmonary failure. While the majority of ECMO centers use unfractionated heparin, other anticoagulants, including factor XI and factor XII inhibitors are emerging, which may prove suitable for ECMO patients. However, before these anticoagulants can be applied in these patients, baseline data of FXI and FXII changes need to be acquired.

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Background: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) provides cardiopulmonary support for children with severe cardiac and/or pulmonary failure. The incidence of bleeding complications during ECMO support is high. Acquired von Willebrand disease (AVWD) might contribute to the development of bleeding complications.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study investigated how COVID-19 vaccination affects anticoagulation stability in adolescents and young adults (AYAs) who use vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) for blood thinning, revealing a 20.8% decrease in INRs within the therapeutic range after the first vaccination.
  • - Among the 101 AYAs included, there was a notable increase in supratherapeutic INRs (16.8%) after the first vaccination, while results after the second vaccination showed no significant changes compared to pre-vaccination levels.
  • - Although the stability of anticoagulation was reduced post-vaccination, the study concluded that this change was likely not clinically significant, as complications from bleeding were less frequent and no severe issues
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A neonate with pulmonary hypertension was supported with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). During ECMO support, the patient developed Enterococcus faecalis bacteremia, treated with targeted antibiotics. Despite the maximum dose of antibiotics, routine blood cultures remained positive throughout the ECMO treatment.

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Background: In critically ill (preterm) neonates, catheter-related venous thromboembolism (CVTE) can be a life-threatening complication. Evidence on optimal management in the literature is lacking. In the Netherlands, a consensus-based national management guideline was developed to create uniform CVTE management.

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Anticoagulant treatment of pediatric cancer-associated venous thromboembolism (VTE) has not been prospectively evaluated. Management of anticoagulation for cancer-associated VTE is often challenged by drug interactions and treatment interruptions. A total of 56 of the 500 children (11.

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Background And Aims: Thromboprophylaxis use in paediatric inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] is inconsistent. Current guidelines only support treating children with acute severe colitis with risk factors. We convened an international RAND panel to explore thromboprophylaxis in paediatric IBD inpatients in the context of new evidence.

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Objectives: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) involves complex coagulation management and frequent hemostatic complications. ECMO practice between centers is variable. To compare results between coagulation studies, standardized definitions and clear documentation of ECMO practice is essential.

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Background: Children with intestinal failure (IF) are at risk of loss of vascular access because of catheter-related venous thrombosis. Whether primary prophylactic anticoagulation is effective and safe in preventing catheter-related thrombosis is largely unknown. Our aim was to assess the incidences of catheter-related venous thrombosis and bleeding complications in children with IF receiving home parenteral nutrition (HPN) treated with primary prophylactic anticoagulation.

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Background: The incidence of hemostatic complications in pediatric patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is high. The optimal anticoagulation strategy in children undergoing ECMO is unknown.

Objectives: To study the association between hemostatic complications, coagulation tests, and clinical parameters in pediatric patients undergoing ECMO and their effect on survival.

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Pediatric thromboembolism is a rare and heterogenous disease. As a result, there is a paucity of knowledge with regard to natural history, management, and outcomes of most types of pediatric venous and arterial thromboembolism. International research collaboration is needed to fill these knowledge gaps.

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Despite advances in technology and clinical experience, the incidence of hemostatic complications, including bleeding and thrombosis, remains high in children supported with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). These hemostatic complications are important to prevent, since they are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. This systematic literature review aims to outline the most important risk factors for hemostatic complications in children undergoing ECMO treatment, to summarize the reported alternative anticoagulant drugs used in pediatric ECMO and to describe studied associations between coagulation tests and hemostatic complications.

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 Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is an important complication for treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in children. Especially, ALL treatment, with therapeutics such as asparaginase and steroids, increases the thrombotic risk by reduction in procoagulant and anticoagulant proteins. Replacement of deficient natural anticoagulants by administration of fresh frozen plasma (FFP) may have a preventive effect on the occurrence of VTE.

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Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is relatively common in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Thrombotic risk factors in ALL are asparaginase and steroids. However, within the ALL populations treated on the same regimen, it is less clear which other risk factors play a role.

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Background: Despite an increasing incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in pediatric patients in tertiary care settings, relatively few pediatric physicians have experience with antithrombotic interventions.

Objective: These guidelines of the American Society of Hematology (ASH), based on the best available evidence, are intended to support patients, clinicians, and other health care professionals in their decisions about management of pediatric VTE.

Methods: ASH formed a multidisciplinary guideline panel that included 2 patient representatives and was balanced to minimize potential bias from conflicts of interest.

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Aim: To study the effects of clinical and genetic factors on the phenprocoumon dose requirement in pediatric patients and to develop a dosing algorithm.

Methods: Pediatric patients who used phenprocoumon were invited to participate in a retrospective follow-up study. Clinical information and genotypes of genetic variations in CYP2C9, VKORC1, CYP4F2, CYP2C18 and CYP3A4 were collected and tested with linear regression for association with phenprocoumon dose requirement.

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The incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in children is rising. Hence, there is an increasing off-label use of low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH). There is little data about therapeutic and prophylactic LWMH dosages, and their safety and efficacy.

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