Low molecular weight heparin for the prevention of severe preeclampsia: where next?

Kelsey McLaughlin; Ralph R Scholten; John D Parker; Enrico Ferrazzi; John C P Kingdom

doi:10.1111/bcp.13483

Low molecular weight heparin for the prevention of severe preeclampsia: where next?

Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2018 Apr;84(4):673-678. doi: 10.1111/bcp.13483. Epub 2018 Jan 29.

Authors

Kelsey McLaughlin^{1

2}, Ralph R Scholten³, John D Parker², Enrico Ferrazzi⁴, John C P Kingdom^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ The Centre for Women's and Infant's Health at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health System, Canada.
² Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Sinai Health System, University of Toronto, Canada.
³ Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Sinai Health System, University of Toronto, Canada.
⁴ Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Buzzi Children's Hospital, University of Milan, Italy.

Abstract

Low molecular weight heparin has been extensively evaluated for the prevention of preeclampsia in high-risk pregnant women; however, the results from these trials have been conflicting. This review discusses the potential mechanisms of action of low molecular weight heparin for the prevention of severe preeclampsia, how to optimize the selection of high-risk women for participation in future trials, and the importance of trial standardization.

Keywords: anticoagulants; cardiology; clinical trials; gynaecology/obstetrics; hypertension; pregnancy.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Anticoagulants / administration & dosage*
Clinical Trials as Topic / standards
Female
Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight / administration & dosage*
Humans
Patient Selection
Pre-Eclampsia / prevention & control*
Pregnancy
Risk Factors
Severity of Illness Index

Substances

Anticoagulants
Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight