Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: A Randomized Pilot Study Comparing the Safety of DAbigatran and RIvaroxaban Versus NAdroparin in the Prevention of Venous Thromboembolism After Knee Arthroplasty Surgery
Brief Summary: Rationale:

After total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgery, patients are at risk to develop venous thromboembolism (VTE) or deep venous thrombosis (DVT) potentially resulting in a fatal pulmonary embolism (PE). Two novel agents, dabigatran and rivaroxaban, recently gained market authorisation for prevention of venous thromboembolism after knee arthroplasty.

However, there are no clinical trials with dabigatran and/or rivaroxaban and the comparator nadroparin.

Nadroparin is used in the most Dutch departments of orthopaedic surgery after total knee arthroplasty. Also safety of the new oral agents with long term use of 42 days is not available for total knee arthroplasty.

Our aim is to compare the long term use of dabigatran and rivaroxaban versus nadroparin on safety after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in a clinical explorative pilot study by observing the incidence of major bleeding and clinical relevant non-major bleeding using a standardized model of bleeding definitions.

Objective:

The primary objective of this study is to compare the clinical safety with long term use of the oral once daily unmonitored thrombin inhibitors dabigatran and rivaroxaban versus subcutaneous administered nadroparin by observing the incidence of major bleeding and clinical relevant non-major bleeding in patients after knee arthroplasty surgery.

The secondary objectives of this study are effectivity of the agents, compliance, hospital stay, re-hospitalisation, outpatient clinic visits and interventions following complications. Additionally, coagulation monitoring, knee flexion range of motion, Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), Knee Society Score (KSS) and relationship between health statuses and surgery parameters will be evaluated.

Study design:

The study is designed as non-inferiority randomized open label controlled pilot study. A total of 150 patients will be included, 50 patients in each treatment group (dabigatran, rivaroxaban and nadroparin).

Study population:

Patients ≥ 18 years and weighing more than 40 kg, participate in the 'joint care program' for primary elective total knee arthroplasty and want to provide signed informed consent are eligible for the study.

Intervention:

Patients receive subcutaneously nadroparin or oral rivaroxaban or oral dabigatran after knee replacement surgery.

Main study parameters/endpoints:

The primary safety outcome is the incidence of bleeding events occurring during the study period of 135 days (including follow-up). Major bleeding events and clinically relevant non-major bleeding events were defined according to accepted guidelines.


Options:
A: Inclusion criteria:

Inclusion_Criteria

* Acute symptomatic deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
* Pulmonary embolism (PE) 3-12 months prior to screening, which has been documented by objective testing

Exclusion criteria:

Exclusion_Criteria

* Symptomatic DVT or PE at screening Interruption of anticoagulant therapy for 2 or more weeks during the 3-12 months of treatment for the prior VTE.
* Patients who in the investigators judgement are perceived as having an excessive risk of bleeding Elevated Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) or Alanine tranminase (ALT) \> 2x ULN
* Severe renal impairment (estimated creatinine clearance \<= 30 ml/min)
B: Inclusion criteria Patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF), at moderate to high risk of stroke, or systemic embolism with at least one additional risk factor (i.e. previous ischemic stroke, TIA, or systemic embolism, left ventricular dysfunction, age \>=75 years, age \>=65 with either diabetes mellitus, history of coronary artery disease or hypertension)

Exclusion criteria

1. Prosthetic heart valves requiring anticoagulation per se, or hemodynamically relevant valve disease that is expected to require surgical intervention during the course of the study
2. Severe, disabling stroke within the previous 6 months, or any stroke within the previous 14 days
3. Conditions associated with an increased risk of bleeding
4. Contraindication to warfarin treatment
5. Reversible causes of atrial fibrillation (e.g., cardiac surgery, pulmonary embolism, untreated hyperthyroidism).
6. Plan to perform a pulmonary vein ablation or surgery for cure of the AF
7. Severe renal impairment (estimated creatinine clearance \<=30 mL/min)
8. Active infective endocarditis
9. Active liver disease
10. Women who are pregnant, lactating, or of childbearing potential who refuse to use a medically acceptable form of contraception throughout the study
11. Anaemia (haemoglobin \<100g/L) or thrombocytopenia (platelet count \<100 x 109/L)
12. Patients who have developed transaminase elevations upon exposure to ximelagatran
13. Patients who have received an investigational drug in the past 30 days or are participating in another drug study
14. Patients considered unreliable by the investigator concerning the requirements for follow-up during the study and/or compliance with study drug administration, has a life expectancy less than the expected duration of the trial due to concomitant disease, or has any condition which in the opinion of the investigator, would not allow safe participation in the study (e.g., drug addiction, alcohol abuse)
15. Any known hypersensitivity to galactose if the warfarin used contains galactose.
C: Inclusion Criteria:

Patients \> 18 years and weighing more than 40 kg who are scheduled for primary elective total knee arthroplasty according to the 'joint care program' and want to provided signed informed consent are eligible for the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

* a known inherited or acquired clinically significant active high risk of bleeding or bleeding disorder;
* major surgery, trauma, uncontrolled severe arterial hypertension, or myocardial infarction within the last 3 months;
* history of acute intracranial disease or hemorrhagic stroke;
* gastrointestinal or urogenital bleeding or ulcer disease within the last 6 months;
* cirrhotic patients with moderate hepatic impairment (aspartate or alanine aminotransferase (AST, ALT) levels higher than 2x the upper limit of the normal range (ULN) within the last month);
* severe renal insufficiency (creatinine clearance \< 30 mL/min);
* treatment with anticoagulants during study drug treatment;
* active malignant disease;
* pregnancy or breastfeeding;
* and unable to give informed consent.
D: Inclusion Criteria:

* Male or female subjects older than the minimum legal adult age (country specific);
* Acute symptomatic proximal DVT and/or symptomatic PE confirmed at the site by appropriate diagnostic imaging;
* Able to provide written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

* thrombectomy, insertion of a caval filter, or use of a fibrinolytic agent to treat the current episode of DVT and/or PE;
* More than 48 hours pre-treatment with anticoagulant therapy prior to randomization;
* Calculated Creatinine clearance (CrCL) \< 30 mL/min;
* significant liver disease (e.g., acute hepatitis, chronic active hepatitis, cirrhosis) or alanine transaminase (ALT) \>\\= 2 times the upper limit of normal (ULN), or total bilirubin (TBL) x 1.5 times the ULN;
* patients with active cancer for whom long term treatment with (LMW) heparin is anticipated;
* active bleeding or high risk for bleeding contraindicating treatment with (LMW) heparin or warfarin;
* chronic treatment with non-aspirin non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs);
* treatment with aspirin in a dosage of more than 100 mg/per day or dual antiplatelet therapy;
* concurrent treatment with potent P-gp inhibitors;
* subjects with any condition that, as judged by the investigator, would place the subject at increased risk of harm if he/she participated in the study

Answer: C