The effect of heparins on plasma concentration of heparin-binding protein: a pilot study

Background: Neutrophil-derived heparin-binding protein (HBP) plays a role in the pathophysiology of impaired endothelial dysfunction during inflammation. HBP has been suggested as a predictor of organ dysfunction and disease progression in sepsis. We investigated the effects of heparins on plasma concentrations of HBP in patients undergoing surgery. Methods: We studied three groups of patients receiving heparins during or after surgery. The vascular surgery group received 3000–7500 U, whereas the cardiac surgery group received 27 500–40 000 U. After major general surgery, the third group received 5000 U of low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) subcutaneously. Serial plasma HBP concentrations were measured after these treatments with two different methods: Axis-Shield ELISA and Joinstar FIC-Q100. In addition, plasma myeloperoxidase and syndecan-1 were measured in the cardiac surgery group. Results: During vascular surgery, heparin induced a six-fold increase in HBP within 2 min, from 3.6 (2.4–5.4) to 21.4 (9.0–35.4) ng ml−1 (P<0.001). During cardiac surgery, the higher dose of heparin elevated HBP concentrations from 5.3 (2.7–6.1) to 48.7 (38.4–70.1) ng ml−1 (P<0.0001) within 3 min. Patients receiving LMWH showed an increase from a baseline of 5.7 (3.7–12.1) ng ml−1 to a peak HBP concentration of 14.8 (9.5–18.1) ng ml−1 (P<0.0001) after 3 h. Plasma concentrations of myeloperoxidase, but not syndecan-1, also responded with a rapid increase after heparin. There was a strong correlation between the two methods for HBP analysis (r=0.94). Conclusions: Plasma concentrations of HBP increased rapidly and dose-dependently after heparin administration. Subcutaneous administration of LMWH increases plasma HBP, but to a lesser degree. Clinical trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04146493.