Reassessing the Pediatric Dosing Recommendations for Unfractionated Heparin Using Real-World Data: a Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic Modeling Approach.

Optimal pediatric dosing of unfractionated heparin (UFH) is challenging due to paucity of clinical outcome and pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) studies in pediatrics. This study aimed to: (i) develop a PK/PD model for UFH, quantified by anti-factor Xa assay and the UFH effect measured by activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) (ii) evaluate pediatric UFH infusions in achieving anti-factor Xa (0.3 - 0.7 IU/mL) therapeutic target by simulations. Electronic health record data were retrospectively collected from 633 patients 1 year old) showed that anti-factor Xa therapeutic target was achieved only in 15.3%, 14.6%, 36.9% and 45.11% of subjects in the age groups of < 1 year, 1-6 years, 6-12 years, and 12-19 years, respectively. In conclusion, the UFH anti-factor Xa target is not achieved initially especially in young pediatrics, suggesting the need to optimize UFH dosing to achieve higher therapeutic success. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.