Clinical trial NCT01051778: Low-molecular-weight Heparin (LMWH) Versus Unfractionated Heparin (UFH) in Pregnant Women With Recurrent Abortion Secondary to Antiphospholipid Syndrome
Official title: Low-molecular-weight Heparin Versus Unfractionated Heparin in Pregnant Women With History of Recurrent Abortion Secondary to Antiphospholipid Syndrome. A Randomized Controlled Trial
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: PHASE2
Conditions: Recurrent Abortion
Keywords: Recurrent abortion
Antiphospholipid syndrome
unfractionated heparin
Low Molecular Weight Heparin
Lead sponsor: Cairo University
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Ahmed Elgazzar Hospital
First posted: 2010-01-20
Enrollment: 60
Sex: FEMALE
Minimum age (years): 19
Maximum age (years): 37
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy and safety of Low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) plus low dose aspirin (LDA) with unfractionated heparin(UFH) plus LDA in women with recurrent pregnancy loss associated with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS).

Detailed description: Women with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) have live birth rates as low as 10% in pregnancies without pharmacological treatment. Low dose aspirin (LDA) ,unfractionated heparin(UFH) , Low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) , prednisone, and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) have been used either alone or in combination in order to improve the live birth rate in APS positive women with recurrent miscarriage. A Cochrane review of 13 randomized or quasi-randomized, controlled trials of various management options of pregnant women with a history of pregnancy loss and APL, revealed that combined UFH and aspirin was the treatment of choice which reduced pregnancy loss by 54% .

During the past decade , low molecular weight heparins were widely used in the prophylaxis and treatment of patients with venous or arterial thrombosis ,with an efficacy and safety superior or at least equivalent to that of UFH .Although recent studies reported the use of LMWH in the management of patients recurrent pregnancy loss secondary to antiphospholipid syndrome resulted in encouraging results . It is not clear whether the efficacy and safety of LMWH is equivalent to that of UFH .

Although LMWH is more expensive than UFH . LMWH has longer half life , greater bioavailability , more stable dose-response relationship than UFH and therefore can be administered once daily. Furthermore, LMWH requires less frequent monitoring than UFH and and has less adverse effect on bone mineral density and platelet count .These advantages make LMWH more attractive for the patients and physicians than UFH .

There are only two studies which compared the efficacy of LMWH plus LDA with that of UFH plus LDA in the management of pregnant women with recurrent pregnancy loss secondary to APS. In addition ,no randomized controlled study has yet compared the efficacy of LMWH plus LDA with UFH plus LDA.

The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy and safety of Low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) plus low dose aspirin (LDA) with unfractionated heparin(UFH) plus LDA in women with recurrent pregnancy loss associated with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS).

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients with a minimum of three consecutive pregnancy losses before 10 weeks gestation
* Positive lupus anticoagulant and/or anticardiolipin antibodies (IgG and IgM) on at least two occasions twelve weeks apart .
* Age between 19 - 37 years,
* Body mass index between 19-30

Exclusion Criteria:

* Parental chromosomal abnormalities
* Uterine abnormalities
* Luteal phase defect
* Systemic lupus erythematosus
* Previous thromboembolism
* Sensitivity to aspirin.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Live Birth Rate = (Number of Live Births / Total Number of Pregnancies)
timeFrame: pregnancy > 24weeks gestation
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Minor and Major Bleeding
timeFrame: Duration of pregnancy and puerperium
measure: Thrombocytopenia
timeFrame: Duration of pregnancy and puerperium
measure: Preeclampsia
timeFrame: Pregnancy > 20 weeks gestation
measure: IUFD
timeFrame: Pregnancy >24 weeks gestation
measure: Preterm Delivery
timeFrame: 24 weeks gestation<Pregnancy <37weeks gestation
measure: Spontaneous Osteoporotic Fractures
timeFrame: Duration of pregnancy and puerperium
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Cairo
country: Egypt
facility: Ahmed Elgazzar hospital
city: Cairo
country: Egypt
facility: Cairo university hospital
Study officials:
affiliation: Lecturer of obstetrics and Gynecology , Cairo university
name: Usama M Fouda
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: Assistant professor of obstetrics and Gynecology , Cairo university.
name: Ahmed M Sayed
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Noble LS, Kutteh WH, Lashey N, Franklin RD, Herrada J. Antiphospholipid antibodies associated with recurrent pregnancy loss: prospective, multicenter, controlled pilot study comparing treatment with low-molecular-weight heparin versus unfractionated heparin. Fertil Steril. 2005 Mar;83(3):684-90. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2004.11.002.
citation: Stephenson MD, Ballem PJ, Tsang P, Purkiss S, Ensworth S, Houlihan E, Ensom MH. Treatment of antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS) in pregnancy: a randomized pilot trial comparing low molecular weight heparin to unfractionated heparin. J Obstet Gynaecol Can. 2004 Aug;26(8):729-34. doi: 10.1016/s1701-2163(16)30644-2.
citation: Hamulyak EN, Scheres LJ, Marijnen MC, Goddijn M, Middeldorp S. Aspirin or heparin or both for improving pregnancy outcomes in women with persistent antiphospholipid antibodies and recurrent pregnancy loss. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020 May 2;5(5):CD012852. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD012852.pub2.
citation: Fouda UM, Sayed AM, Abdou AM, Ramadan DI, Fouda IM, Zaki MM. Enoxaparin versus unfractionated heparin in the management of recurrent abortion secondary to antiphospholipid syndrome. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2011 Mar;112(3):211-5. doi: 10.1016/j.ijgo.2010.09.010. Epub 2011 Jan 19.