Early and Systematic Administration of Fibrinogen Concentrate in Postpartum Haemorrhage Following Vaginal Delivery: The FIDEL Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE To assess the benefits and safety of early human fibrinogen concentrate in postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) management. DESIGN Multicentre, double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial. SETTING 30 French hospitals. POPULATION patients with persistent PPH after vaginal delivery requiring a switch from oxytocin to prostaglandins. METHODS Within 30 min after introduction of prostaglandins, patients received either 3 g fibrinogen concentrate or placebo. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Failure as composite primary efficacy endpoint: at least 4 g/dL of haemoglobin decrease and/or transfusion of at least 2 units of packed red blood cells within 48h following investigational medicinal product administration. Secondary endpoints: PPH evolution, need for haemostatic procedures, and maternal morbidity-mortality within 6±2 weeks after delivery. RESULTS 437 patients were included : 224 received FC and 213 placebo. At inclusion, blood loss (877 ± 346mL) and plasma fibrinogen (4.1 ± 0.9g/L) were similar in both groups (mean ± SD). Failure rates were 40.0% and 42.4% in the Fibrinogen and placebo groups, respectively (OR=0.99) after adjustment for centre and baseline plasma fibrinogen; (95%CI: [0.66;1.47]; p=0.96). No significant differences in secondary efficacy outcomes were observed. The mean plasma FG was unchanged in the Fibrinogen group and decreased by 0.56 g/L in the placebo group. No thromboembolic or other relevant adverse effects were reported in the Fibrinogen group, versus two in the placebo group. CONCLUSIONS As previous placebo-controlled studies findings, early and systematic administration of 3 g fibrinogen concentrate did not reduce blood loss, transfusion needs, and postpartum anaemia, but prevented plasma fibrinogen decrease without any subsequent thromboembolic events.