Comparison of Anti-factor Xa Levels in Female and Male Patients with Obesity After Enoxaparin Application for Thromboprophylaxis

PURPOSE: Venous thromboembolic events (VTEs) are common complications after bariatric surgery, and enoxaparin is commonly used to prevent VTEs. The risk for VTEs is sex-specific. Whether enoxaparin application results in similar anti-factor Xa activities (aFXa) in males and females with obesity remains to be determined. We investigated whether our dosage regimen of enoxaparin resulted in similar serum aFXa levels in female and male patients undergoing bariatric surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We administered enoxaparin twice daily in patients undergoing bariatric surgery. Patients with a body mass index (BMI) > 60 kg/m(2) (n = 11) received 60 mg enoxaparin (group 2), and patients with lower BMI (n = 86) received 40 mg per dose (group 1). Peak aFXa levels were measured 3 days after surgery. The primary outcome was the aFXa level. As a secondary outcome, we detected VTEs and major bleeding events and explored the possible influencing factors of aFXa. RESULTS: Women had higher aFXa than men, but after matching for anthropometric values, the two groups were similar (females: 0.17 ± 0.08 U/ml; males: 0.18 ± 0.08 U/ml). Linear regression revealed a moderate relationship between weight and aFXa levels. The 3-month follow-up was attended by 94.9%, at which one patient had pulmonary embolism. CONCLUSION: Individual enoxaparin dosage regimens for men and women do not seem to be required. Weight-based dosing regimen seems to be a more reasonable choice. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: [Image: see text]