Peyronie’s Disease: CCh Injections Safe For Men on Antiplatelet/Anticoagulant Therapy
Injections of Collagenase Clostridium histolyticum (CCh) can be an effective way to treat men with Peyronie’s disease. But in the past, researchers were not sure if the therapy was safe for men who take antiplatelets or anticoagulants.
A recent Journal of Sexual Medicine study suggests that it is safe.
Affecting the penis, Peyronie’s disease is marked by distinct areas of scar tissue called plaques that form just under the skin’s surface. These areas are hard, and as a result, the penis bends when erect. Some men with Peyronie’s disease have difficulty with intercourse because their curve is so severe. Many experience pain, and the situation can become quite distressing.
Antiplatelets (such as heparin or warfarin) and anticoagulants (such as aspirin) are blood-thinning medications. People take them to prevent blood clots and to keep existing clots from worsening. Using them can reduce a person’s risk for heart attacks and strokes.
Past clinical trials of CCh injections haven’t included men taking antiplatelets or anticoagulants. While men taking low doses of aspirin have been included, scientists haven’t analyzed specific outcomes for this group.
For this study, researchers examined medical records of 187 men who had CCh therapy from January 2016 through April 2019. Sixty-five percent of the men had already completed the typical 8 injection course, and 24% were in the middle of their treatment.
The researchers looked for four different complications in the men’s records: swelling, bruising, hematoma (bleeding under the skin at the injection site), and corporal rupture (loss of erections along with swelling and bruising).
Almost 18% of the men were taking antiplatelets or anticoagulants during their therapy course. About three-quarters of this group was taking aspirin, either on its own or with an antiplatelet drug. The men had been instructed to keep taking their medicines as prescribed while they underwent CCh therapy.
Complication rates were similar for the two groups. For example, 6% of the men who took blood thinners had hematomas, compared to 7% of the men who did not take these drugs. Even when men who took aspirin on its own were taken out of the analysis, the rates remained similar.
The authors explained that the participants had a low rate of complications, and larger studies might have different results.
They also recommended further clinical trials to confirm their findings.
Resources
The Journal of Sexual Medicine
Amighi, Arash, BS, et al.
“Safety of Collagenase Clostridium histolyticum Injection Therapy for Peyronie Disease in Patients Continuing Antiplatelet or Anticoagulant Therapy”
(Full-text. Published: December 20, 2019)
https://www.jsm.jsexmed.org/article/S1743-6095(19)31521-8/fulltext
MedlinePlus.gov
“Blood Thinners”
(Page last updated: August 7, 2020)
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