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BivaLirudin versUS Heparin in Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation

BivaLirudin versUS Heparin in ECMO - A Registry-embedded, Randomised, Open Label, Feasibility Trial Comparing Two Anticoagulation Strategies in Patients on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO)

Status
Recruiting
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT05959252
Acronym
BLUSH
Enrollment
80
Registered
2023-07-25
Start date
2024-05-01
Completion date
2026-09-01
Last updated
2026-05-08

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Complication

Keywords

ECMO, Bivalirudin, Heparin, Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation

Brief summary

The goal of this open label randomised clinical trial is to compare Bivalirudin versus Heparin for anticoagulation in patients requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support. The main question it aims to answer are include the ability to maintain anticoagulation within defined therapeutic range, bleeding and thrombotic complications and a comparison of the total cost of anticoagulation care. Participants will be randomised to either anticoagulation with Bivalirudin or anticoagulation with Unfractionated Heparin.

Detailed description

Rationale: Anticoagulation whilst on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is required. Bleeding and thrombotic complications whilst on ECMO are common and may effect the patient outcome. The optimal anticoagulant for ECMO patients is not clear and there exists no randomised control trial data comparing anticoagulants on ECMO. This Phase 2b trial will provide data to enable larger definitive phase III trials to determine the best anticoagulant whilst on ECMO. Hypothesis: Hypothesis: In adults ECMO patients'; anticoagulation with Bivalirudin results in more samples within therapeutic range than unfractionated Heparin. Total anticoagulation costs with Bivalirudin are similar to unfractionated Heparin. The objectives of this study is to assess anticoagulation protocol of bivalirudin versus unfractionated heparin and assess the to the cost of each protocol.

Interventions

DRUGUnfractionated heparin

Unfractionated Heparin protocol with target anti-Xa of 0.3-0.5 IU/mL

DRUGBivalirudin

Bivalirudin protocol with target aPTT 50-70 seconds

Sponsors

Sydney Local Health District
Lead SponsorOTHER_GOV

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Patients receiving ECMO * Age: 18 years or older * Ability to randomise the patient within 4 hours of ECMO support initiation

Exclusion criteria

* Post-cardiotomy ECMO patients * Contraindication to heparin or bivalirudin at time of randomisation e.g., active bleeding * Heparin induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia syndrome * Where the patient is expected to be disconnected from ECMO in the next day after cannulation. * Limitations of care put in place either through patient wishes or the treating medical teams * Other reason where the treating physician deems the study is not in the patient's best interest * Patients who are suspected or confirmed to be pregnant * Inherited bleeding or thrombotic disorders, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus patients

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Time in therapeutic range30 daysProportion of monitoring samples within therapeutic range

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Enrolment rate30 daysEnrolment rate
Reasons for non-enrolment30 daysReasons for non-enrolment of eligible patients into the study
Crossover between arms30 daysThe number of cross over patients between arms of the study
Circuit changes30 daysThe number of circuit changes and length of circuit life
Daily mean aPTT and anti-Xa30 daysDaily mean aPTT and anti-Xa versus stated range
Serious adverse events (SAEs)30 daysNumber of SAEs
Protocol violations30 daysNumber of protocol violations
Thrombotic events30 daysNumber of deep vein thrombosis identified by ultrasound or CT
Major bleeding events defined by International Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH)30 daysMajor bleeding was defined according to the criteria as clinically overt bleeding which was fatal or associated with any of the following: (a) a fall in hemoglobin level of 2 g/dL or more or documented transfusion of at least 2 units of packed red blood cells, (b) involvement of a critical anatomical site (intracranial, spinal, ocular, pericardial, articular, intramuscular with compartment syndrome, retroperitoneal)
Bleeding events defined by Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC)30 daysNumber of bleeding events as per BARC Hemorrhagic complications assessed and adapted as per Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) Type 0: No bleeding Type 1: Bleeding requiring transfusion of packed red blood cells (PRBC) or reduction of unfractionated heparin Type 2: Bleeding requiring transfusion of PRBC and reduction of unfractionated heparin Type 3: Life-threatening bleeding requiring, transfusion of PRBC, surgical intervention or discontinuation of ECMO Type 4: Any fatal bleeding
Survival to Intensive care Unit (ICU) discharge30 daysSurvival to discharge from ICU (percentage of patients surviving to ICU discharge)
Survival to hospital discharge30 daysHospital Survival (percentage of patients surviving hospital discharge)
Blood product usage30 daysTotal amount of red blood cells (RBC), platelets, plasma and blood products used during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support
Cost30 daysTotal cost of of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support that includes blood products, blood tests and complications (measured in United States dollars)

Countries

Australia

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: May 9, 2026