Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in clinical practice.
During clinical development for the approved indications, 15,918 patients were exposed to enoxaparin sodium. These included 1,228 for prophylaxis of deep vein thrombosis following abdominal surgery in patients at risk for thromboembolic complications, 1,368 for prophylaxis of deep vein thrombosis following hip or knee replacement surgery, 711 for prophylaxis of deep vein thrombosis in medical patients with severely restricted mobility during acute illness, 1,578 for prophylaxis of ischemic complications in unstable angina and non
–Q-wave myocardial infarction, 10,176 for treatment of acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction, and 857 for treatment of deep vein thrombosis with or without pulmonary embolism. Enoxaparin sodium doses in the clinical trials for prophylaxis of deep vein thrombosis following abdominal or hip or knee replacement surgery or in medical patients with severely restricted mobility during acute illness ranged from 40 mg subcutaneously once daily to 30 mg subcutaneously twice daily. In the clinical studies for prophylaxis of ischemic complications of unstable angina and non
–Q-wave myocardial infarction doses were 1 mg/kg every 12 hours and in the clinical studies for treatment of acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction enoxaparin sodium doses were a 30 mg intravenous bolus followed by 1 mg/kg every 12 hours subcutaneously.
Hemorrhage
The following rates of major bleeding events have been reported during clinical trials with enoxaparin sodium (see Tables 2 to 7).
Table 2: Major Bleeding Episodes following Abdominal and Colorectal Surgery* | Indications | Dosing Regimen |
Enoxaparin Sodium
40 mg -daily subcutaneously
| Heparin
5000 U q8h subcutaneously
|
| Abdominal Surgery | n=555
23 (4%)
| n=560
16 (3%)
|
| Colorectal Surgery | n=673
28 (4%)
| n=674
21 (3%)
|
*Bleeding complications were considered major: (1) if the hemorrhage caused a significant clinical event, or (2) if accompanied by a hemoglobin decrease ≥2 g/dL or transfusion of 2 or more units of blood products. Retroperitoneal, intraocular, and intracranial hemorrhages were always considered major.
Table 3: Major Bleeding Episodes Following Hip or Knee Replacement Surgery* | Indications | Dosing Regimen |
Enoxaparin Sodium
40 mg daily subcutaneously
| Enoxaparin Sodium
30 mg q12h subcutaneously
| Heparin
15,000 U/24h subcutaneously
|
| Hip Replacement Surgery without Extended Prophylaxis† | – | n=786
31 (4%)
| n=541
32 (6%)
|
Hip Replacement Surgery with Extended Prophylaxis
Peri-operative Period
‡
Extended Prophylaxis Period
§ | – | – | – |
n=288
4 (2%)
| – | – |
n=221
0 (0%)
| – | – |
Knee Replacement Surgery
without Extended Prophylaxis† | – | n=294
3 (1%)
| n=225
3 (1%)
|
* Bleeding complications were considered major: (1) if the hemorrhage caused a significant clinical event, or (2) if accompanied by a hemoglobin decrease ≥2 g/dL or transfusion of 2 or more units of blood products. Retroperitoneal and intracranial hemorrhages were always considered major. In the knee replacement surgery trials, intraocular hemorrhages were also considered major hemorrhages.
† Enoxaparin sodium 30 mg every 12 hours subcutaneously initiated 12 to 24 hours after surgery and continued for up to 14 days after surgery
‡ Enoxaparin sodium 40 mg subcutaneously once a day initiated up to 12 hours prior to surgery and continued for up to 7 days after surgery
§ Enoxaparin sodium 40 mg subcutaneously once a day for up to 21 days after discharge
NOTE: At no time point were the 40 mg once a day pre-operative and the 30 mg every 12 hours postoperative hip replacement surgery prophylactic regimens compared in clinical trials.
Injection site hematomas during the extended prophylaxis period after hip replacement surgery occurred in 9% of the enoxaparin sodium patients versus 1.8% of the placebo patients.
Table 4: Major Bleeding Episodes in Medical Patients with Severely Restricted Mobility during Acute Illness* | Indication | Dosing Regimen |
Enoxaparin Sodium†
20 mg daily subcutaneously
| Enoxaparin Sodium†
40 mg daily subcutaneously
| Placebo† |
| Medical Patients during Acute Illness | n=351
1 (<1%)
| n=360
3 (<1%)
| n=362
2 (<1%)
|
* Bleeding complications were considered major: (1) if the hemorrhage caused a significant clinical event, (2) if the hemorrhage caused a decrease in hemoglobin of ≥2 g/dL or transfusion of 2 or more units of blood products. Retroperitoneal and intracranial hemorrhages were always considered major although none were reported during the trial.
† The rates represent major bleeding on study medication up to 24 hours after last dose.
Table 5: Major Bleeding Episodes in Deep Vein Thrombosis with or without Pulmonary Embolism Treatment* | Indication | Dosing Regimen† |
Enoxaparin Sodium
1.5 mg/kg daily subcutaneously
| Enoxaparin Sodium
1 mg/kg q12h subcutaneously
| Heparin
aPTT Adjusted Intravenous Therapy
|
| Treatment of DVT and PE | n=298
5 (2%)
| n=559
9 (2%)
| n=554
9 (2%)
|
*Bleeding complications were considered major: (1) if the hemorrhage caused a significant clinical event, or (2) if accompanied by a hemoglobin decrease ≥2 g/dL or transfusion of 2 or more units of blood products. Retroperitoneal, intraocular, and intracranial hemorrhages were always considered major.
† All patients also received warfarin sodium (dose-adjusted according to PT to achieve an INR of 2.0 to 3.0) commencing within 72 hours of enoxaparin sodium or standard heparin therapy and continuing for up to 90 days.
Table 6: Major Bleeding Episodes in Unstable Angina and Non−Q-Wave Myocardial Infarction | Indication | Dosing Regimen |
Enoxaparin Sodium*
1 mg/kg q12h subcutaneously
| Heparin*
aPTT Adjusted Intravenous Therapy
|
Unstable Angina and
Non−Q-Wave MI†,‡ | n=1578
17 (1%)
| n=1529
18 (1%)
|
* The rates represent major bleeding on study medication up to 12 hours after dose.
† Aspirin therapy was administered concurrently (100 to 325 mg per day).
‡ Bleeding complications were considered major: (1) if the hemorrhage caused a significant clinical event, or (2) if accompanied by a hemoglobin decrease by ≥3 g/dL or transfusion of 2 or more units of blood products. Intraocular
, retroperitoneal, and intracranial hemorrhages were always considered major.
Table 7: Major Bleeding Episodes in Acute ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction | Indication | Dosing Regimen |
Enoxaparin Sodium*
Initial 30 mg intravenous bolus followed by 1 mg/kg q12h subcutaneously
| Heparin*
aPTT Adjusted Intravenous Therapy
|
Acute ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction
Major bleeding (including ICH)
†
Intracranial hemorrhages (ICH)
| n=10176
n (%)
211 (2.1)
84 (0.8)
| n=10151
n (%)
138 (1.4)
66 (0.7)
|
* The rates represent major bleeding (including ICH) up to 30 days
† Bleedings were considered major if the hemorrhage caused a significant clinical event associated with a hemoglobin decrease by ≥5 g/dL. ICH were always considered major.
Elevations of Serum Aminotransferases
Asymptomatic increases in aspartate (AST [SGOT]) and alanine (ALT [SGPT]) aminotransferase levels greater than three times the upper limit of normal of the laboratory reference range have been reported in up to 6.1% and 5.9% of patients, respectively, during treatment with enoxaparin sodium.
Since aminotransferase determinations are important in the differential diagnosis of myocardial infarction, liver disease, and pulmonary emboli, elevations that might be caused by drugs like enoxaparin sodium should be interpreted with caution.
Local Reactions
Local irritation, pain, hematoma, ecchymosis, and erythema may follow subcutaneous injection of enoxaparin sodium.
Adverse Reactions in Patients Receiving Enoxaparin Sodium for Prophylaxis or Treatment of DVT, PE
Other adverse reactions that were thought to be possibly or probably related to treatment with enoxaparin sodium, heparin, or placebo in clinical trials with patients undergoing hip or knee replacement surgery, abdominal or colorectal surgery, or treatment for DVT and that occurred at a rate of at least 2% in the enoxaparin sodium group, are provided below (see Tables 8 to 11).
Table 8: Adverse Reactions Occurring at ≥2% Incidence in Enoxaparin Sodium-Treated Patients Undergoing Abdominal or Colorectal Surgery | Adverse Reaction | Dosing Regimen |
Enoxaparin Sodium
40 mg daily subcutaneously
n=1228
%
| Heparin
5000 U q8h subcutaneously
n=1234
%
|
| Severe | Total | Severe | Total |
| Hemorrhage | <1 | 7 | <1 | 6 |
| Anemia | <1 | 3 | <1 | 3 |
| Ecchymosis | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
Table 9: Adverse Reactions Occurring at ≥2% Incidence in Enoxaparin Sodium-Treated Patients Undergoing Hip or Knee Replacement Surgery Adverse
Reaction | Dosing Regimen |
Enoxaparin Sodium
40 mg daily subcutaneously
| Enoxaparin Sodium
30 mg q12h subcutaneously
| Heparin
15,000 U/24h
subcutaneously
| Placebo
q12h subcutaneously
|
Peri-operative Period
n=288*
%
| Extended Prophylaxis Period
n=131
†
%
|
n=1080
%
|
n=766
%
|
n=115
%
|
| Severe | Total | Severe | Total | Severe | Total | Severe | Total | Severe | Total |
| Fever | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | <1 | 5 | <1 | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| Hemorrhage | <1 | 13 | 0 | 5 | <1 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| Nausea | – | – | – | – | <1 | 3 | <1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Anemia | 0 | 16 | 0 | <2 | <1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | <1 | 7 |
| Edema | – | – | – | – | <1 | 2 | <1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Peripheral edema | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | <1 | 3 | <1 | 4 | 0 | 3 |
*Data represent enoxaparin sodium 40 mg subcutaneously once a day initiated up to 12 hours prior to surgery in 288 hip replacement surgery patients who received enoxaparin sodium peri-operatively in an unblinded fashion in one clinical trial.
†Data represent enoxaparin sodium 40 mg subcutaneously once a day given in a blinded fashion as extended prophylaxis at the end of the peri-operative period in 131 of the original 288 hip replacement surgery patients for up to 21 days in one clinical trial.
Table 10: Adverse Reactions Occurring at ≥2% Incidence in Enoxaparin Sodium-Treated Medical Patients with Severely Restricted Mobility During Acute Illness | Adverse Reaction | Dosing Regimen |
Enoxaparin Sodium
40 mg daily subcutaneously
n=360
%
| Placebo
daily subcutaneously
n=362
%
|
| Dyspnea | 3.3 | 5.2 |
| Thrombocytopenia | 2.8 | 2.8 |
| Confusion | 2.2 | 1.1 |
| Diarrhea | 2.2 | 1.7 |
| Nausea | 2.5 | 1.7 |
Table 11: Adverse Reactions Occurring at ≥2% Incidence in Enoxaparin Sodium- Treated Patients Undergoing Treatment of Deep Vein Thrombosis with or without Pulmonary Embolism | Adverse Reaction | Dosing Regimen |
Enoxaparin Sodium
1.5 mg/kg daily subcutaneously
n=298
%
| Enoxaparin Sodium
1 mg/kg q12h subcutaneously
n=559
%
| Heparin
aPTT Adjusted Intravenous Therapy
n=544
%
|
| Severe | Total | Severe | Total | Severe | Total |
| Injection Site Hemorrhage | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3 | <1 | <1 |
| Injection Site Pain | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Hematuria | 0 | 2 | 0 | <1 | <1 | 2 |
Adverse Events in Enoxaparin Sodium-Treated Patients with Unstable Angina or Non
−Q-Wave Myocardial Infarction
Non-hemorrhagic clinical events reported to be related to enoxaparin sodium therapy occurred at an incidence of ≤1%.
Non-major hemorrhagic events, primarily injection site ecchymoses and hematomas, were more frequently reported in patients treated with subcutaneous enoxaparin sodium than in patients treated with intravenous heparin.
Serious adverse events with enoxaparin sodium or heparin in a clinical trial in patients with unstable angina or non
−Q-wave myocardial infarction that occurred at a rate of at least 0.5% in the enoxaparin sodium group are provided below (see Table 12).
Table 12: Serious Adverse Events Occurring at ≥0.5% Incidence in Enoxaparin Sodium-Treated Patients with Unstable Angina or Non−Q-Wave Myocardial Infarction | Adverse Event | Dosing Regimen |
Enoxaparin Sodium
1 mg/kg q12h subcutaneously
n=1578
n (%)
| Heparin
aPTT Adjusted Intravenous Therapy
n=1529
n (%)
|
| Atrial fibrillation | 11 (0.70) | 3 (0.20) |
| Heart failure | 15 (0.95) | 11 (0.72) |
| Lung edema | 11 (0.70) | 11 (0.72) |
| Pneumonia | 13 (0.82) | 9 (0.59) |
Adverse Reactions in Enoxaparin Sodium-Treated Patients with Acute ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction
In a clinical trial in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, thrombocytopenia occurred at a rate of 1.5%.