• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Transfusion News
  • About Us
  • Topics
    • Adverse Events (non-infectious)
    • Blood Donation
    • Cell Therapy
    • Coagulation & Plasma Transfusion
    • Platelet Transfusion
    • Policy and Guidelines
    • Quality Control and Regulatory
    • RBC Transfusion
    • Serology/Genotyping
    • Special Transfusion Situations
    • Transfusion Transmitted Infections
  • Continuing Education
  • Archives
  • Podcasts
  • Question of the Day
  • Search
  • Subscribe to Email Alerts
  • Follow us on
  • Search
  • Subscribe to Email Alerts

Plasma Exchange for Refractory Vaccine-Induced Immune Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia

July 14, 2021

Vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) is a very rare side effect that can occur 5 to 30 days after immunization with the Astra Zeneca ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine.  VITT has a mortality rate of approximately 30-60%.  VITT is characterized by heparin-independent platelet factor 4 (PF4) antibodies, and first-line treatments include non-heparin anticoagulants and high dose intravenous immune globulin (IVIG).  As described in The New England Journal of Medicine, plasma exchange therapy may be beneficial for patients who do not respond to first-line treatments.  Three women (ages 45, 46, and 48 years old) with refractory VITT; all had thrombocytopenia and high D-dimer counts after treatment with IVIG.  Plasma exchange was initiated four to six days after diagnosis and failed treatment with IVIG.  Argatroban was also given before, during and after the plasma exchanges.  Two patients recovered, and the third survived but underwent a partial leg amputation.  Additional studies are needed to determine the best treatments for VITT, including the best anticoagulation regimen.  However, therapeutic plasma exchange may be beneficial to patients with refractory VITT.

Reference:

Patriquin CJ, Laroche V, Selby R, Côté B, and Carrier M. Therapeutic plasma exchange in vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia.  The New England Journal of Medicine 2021

Filed Under

  • News
  • Special Transfusion Situations

Recommended

  • Dithiothreitol (DTT)-based Method Validated for Blood Compatibility Testing in Patients Taking Daratumumab

  • Costs are High for Administrating Blood Transfusions

  • Safety and Effectiveness of Tranexamic Acid in Cardiac Surgery Patients

Show Comments

Comments on this article are closed.

Get the latest news. Subscribe to our mailing list. Sign Up

Primary Sidebar

Latest News

  • Artificial Intelligence to Predict Immunogenicity of Amino Acid Substitutions of Blood Group Antigens

  • Transfusion-related Alpha-Gal Syndrome

  • 2024 Serious Hazards of Transfusions (SHOT) Report in the U.K.

  • Machine Learning Model for Estimating Perioperative Transfusion Risks

    Question of the Day

    Copyright © 2025 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    Privacy Policy

    Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies Wiley