A comparison of bivalirudin to heparin with protamine reversal in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass: The EVOLUTION-ON study

Procedural success. Procedural success, defined as the freedom from death, Q-wave MI, stroke, or revascularization, was not significantly different between groups at 7 days, 30 days, or 12 weeks after surgery.

Perioperative MI. Although fewer patients receiving bivalirudin had an MI, the study was not adequately powered to detect a difference in rates of MI between groups. The incidence of perioperative Q-wave and non–Q-wave MI was not significantly different between patients receiving with heparin (Hep) or bivalirudin (Biv) anticoagulation.

Postoperative chest tube output. Median and mean postoperative chest tube output was higher for the bivalirudin treatment group at 2 hours (P = .0009) and was not significantly different between groups at 24 hours (P = .13), although significant variability existed and outliers were present in both groups.