Unfractionated heparin for COVID-19
This study is evaluating whether anticoagulation may help improve outcomes for individuals with a blood clotting disorder.
See full descriptionAbout the trial for COVID-19
Treatment Groups
This trial involves 2 different treatments. Unfractionated Heparin is the primary treatment being studied. Participants will all receive the same treatment. There is no placebo group. The treatments being tested are in Phase 4 and have been shown to be safe and effective in humans.
About The Treatment
Eligibility
This trial is for patients born any sex aged 18 and older. There are 4 eligibility criteria to participate in this trial as listed below.
Approximate Timelines
Measurement Requirements
This trial is evaluating whether Unfractionated heparin will improve 1 primary outcome and 3 secondary outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Measurement will happen over the course of 30 days.
Patient Q & A Section
What are the common side effects of unfractionated heparin?
Unfractionated heparin may cause side effects that may outweigh any benefit for some patients. It is therefore important to monitor and record the side effects of heparin therapy.
Has unfractionated heparin proven to be more effective than a placebo?
Unfractionated heparin does not appear to be more effective than a placebo for prevention of VTE in elective surgical patients in the immediate post-operative period.
How many people get covid-19 a year in the United States?
The National Center for Population Health Research at the National Institute of Health's Clinical Center in Bethesda states that the estimated 2019 U.S. community-acquired cases in adults and the total number of deaths from all of these cases are 8,000 and 2,500, respectively. The United States CDC estimates that in the U.S. about 1.9 million people (3%) will be infected, with about 100,000 of these becoming seriously ill, 1–7% of which dying of their illness. Based upon these numbers, one new case of covid-19 will occur per 10,000 people in the U.S. each year.
What is covid-19?
Covid-19 can cause fever, and people may have trouble breathing when breathing in or out. If you do not feel well, call a healthcare professional. Some people can catch the virus that causes it by having close contact with someone with the virus, like caring for someone at home with the virus. In those cases, they should contact their health professional as soon as possible.\n
What are the signs of covid-19?
There were high positivity rates in most patients in the group of clinical suspicion for SARS-CoV-2, with some being false-positive. The positive rates of patients with clinical suspicion, but with negative SARS-CoV-2 tests, were higher. This suggests that SARS-CoV-2 detection with real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction testing using sample collection from the nasopharynx and oropharyngeal area is useful in clinical practice.
What are common treatments for covid-19?
Treatment for coronavirus diseases may include home remedies such as rest, fever reduction, and anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen, but other medications may be taken in order to manage symptoms such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, dehydration, and/or heart problems. The effects of coronavirus and treatments for covid-19 will likely continue to change as new insights are developed.
Can covid-19 be cured?
Covid-19 can be very difficult to treat, and may be an incurable disease. There are no reported cures for this disease, but a few promising treatments have been reported.
What causes covid-19?
There are no conclusive observations supporting a link between people with underlying disease and their exposure to SARS-CoV-2. This virus may be harmless for the vast majority of people but may have a serious effect in select groups such as the elderly and those with pre-existing illnesses or health disturbances.
Have there been other clinical trials involving unfractionated heparin?
Unfractionated heparin has been used in a small number of experimental trials. The only well-designed trial reporting positive clinical impact is the HIGHER trial. One study is registered as uncontrolled (a study funded by the manufacturer), and there are no data published from studies other than HIGHER and a trial of enoxaparin. A single-patient study was registered, but it was never completed. Unfractionated heparin does appear to have some promise and deserves further evaluation.
What does unfractionated heparin usually treat?
Patients with acute lung injury or acute respiratory distress syndrome can be treated with UFH and dexamethasone. However, the only studies about the use of heparin in these patients are from the Netherlands and the Swiss; more research on these patients is needed. Patients with acute kidney injury can be treated with heparin and dexamethasone; there is no high quality evidence for treatment with only the other two medications.
What is the latest research for covid-19?
The research for COVID-19 focuses on viral pathogenesis; clinical and epidemiological research; therapeutic treatment for COVID-19; and developing vaccine candidates for vaccines against this pathogen. There has been a strong emphasis in studying the effects COVID-19 has on the human body for potential treatments to be found. Other research concerning this pathogen aims to examine the impacts of the virus on the respiratory apparatus, the brain and organs as well as how they relate.