Heparina nebulizada en insuficiencia respiratoria aguda grave: revisión narrativa desde la coagulopatía pulmonar local hacia la terapia fenotipo-dirigida
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65920/rpmed.202612.32Palabras clave:
heparina nebulizada, heparina inhalada, insuficiencia respiratoria agudaResumen
La insuficiencia respiratoria aguda grave y el síndrome de dificultad respiratoria aguda (SDRA) continúan siendo un problema central en la medicina de urgencias y cuidados críticos. La coagulopatía pulmonar local, el depósito intraalveolar de fibrina, la microtrombosis y la inflamación broncoalveolar han renovado el interés por terapias inhaladas capaces de modular mecanismos intrapulmonares. Esta revisión narrativa sintetiza críticamente la evidencia fisiopatológica, preclínica y clínica sobre heparina nebulizada en SDRA, COVID-19, injuria inhalatoria por humo o quemaduras y otros escenarios de pacientes críticos ventilados. La evidencia mecanística respalda efectos anticoagulantes y antiinflamatorios locales, mientras que los estudios clínicos muestran resultados heterogéneos: señales favorables en oxigenación, días libres de ventilador o progresión a la intubación en fenotipos seleccionados, junto con estudios negativos o limitados en SDRA general e injuria inhalatoria. La interpretación más consistente no es la de una terapia universal, sino la de una intervención adyuvante potencialmente útil en pacientes con coagulopatía alveolar, depósito de fibrina, microtrombosis, inflamación local u obstrucción broncoalveolar. Su implementación requiere selección fenotípica, inicio oportuno, estandarización de dosis y dispositivos, monitorización de seguridad y control de los circuitos ventilatorios.
Descargas
Referencias
1. Dixon B, Smith RJ, Campbell DJ, Moran JL, Doig GS, Rechnitzer T, et al. Nebulised heparin for patients with or at risk of acute respiratory distress syndrome: a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial. Lancet Respir Med. 2021;9(4):360-372. doi:10.1016/S2213-2600(20)30470-7.
2. Zhang Y, Li Q, Sun C, Gu Y, Qi Z, Li J. The effect of nebulized heparin on clinical outcomes in mechanically ventilated patients: a meta-analysis and review of the literature. J Int Med Res. 2023;51(10):3000605231201340. doi:10.1177/03000605231201340.
3. Juschten J, Tuinman PR, Juffermans NP, Dixon B, Levi M, Schultz MJ. Nebulized anticoagulants in lung injury in critically ill patients: an updated systematic review of preclinical and clinical studies. Ann Transl Med. 2017;5(22):444. doi:10.21037/atm.2017.08.23.
4. Chimenti L, Camprubi-Rimblas M, Guillamat-Prats R, Gomez MN, Tijero J, Blanch L, et al. Nebulized heparin attenuates pulmonary coagulopathy and inflammation through alveolar macrophages in a rat model of acute lung injury. Thromb Haemost. 2017;117(11):2125-2134. doi:10.1160/TH17-05-0347.
5. Camprubi-Rimblas M, Tantinya N, Guillamat-Prats R, Bringue J, Puig F, Gomez MN, et al. Effects of nebulized antithrombin and heparin on inflammatory and coagulation alterations in an acute lung injury model in rats. J Thromb Haemost. 2020;18(3):571-583. doi:10.1111/jth.14685.
6. van Haren FMP, Page C, Laffey JG, Artigas A, Camprubi-Rimblas M, Nunes Q, et al. Nebulised heparin as a treatment for COVID-19: scientific rationale and a call for randomised evidence. Crit Care. 2020;24(1):454. doi:10.1186/s13054-020-03148-2.
7. Mycroft-West CJ, Su D, Pagani I, Rudd TR, Elli S, Gandhi NS, et al. Heparin inhibits cellular invasion by SARS-CoV-2: structural dependence of the interaction of the spike S1 receptor-binding domain with heparin. Thromb Haemost. 2020;120(12):1700-1715. doi:10.1055/s-0040-1721319.
8. Tree JA, Turnbull JE, Buttigieg KR, Elmore MJ, Coombes N, Hogwood J, et al. Unfractionated heparin inhibits live wild type SARS-CoV-2 cell infectivity at therapeutically relevant concentrations. Br J Pharmacol. 2021;178(3):626-635. doi:10.1111/bph.15304.
9. Olapour A, Rashidi M, Hosseini N, Javaher Foroush F, Akhoondzadeh R. Effect of nebulized heparin on weaning off intubated patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) admitted to intensive care unit (ICU): a randomized clinical trial. Anesth Pain Med. 2021;11(5):e115938. doi:10.5812/aapm.115938.
10. Dixon B, Santamaria JD, Campbell DJ. A phase 1 trial of nebulised heparin in acute lung injury. Crit Care. 2008;12(3):R64. doi:10.1186/cc6894.
11. Ashoor TM, Hasseb AM, Esmat IM. Nebulized heparin and salbutamol versus salbutamol alone in acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease requiring mechanical ventilation: a double-blind randomized controlled trial. Korean J Anesthesiol. 2020;73(6):509-517. doi:10.4097/kja.19418.
12. Ramos da Silva Grillo VT, Bertanha M, da Silva Rodrigues L, de Lima MA, Mellucci Filho PL, Rahal Guaragna Machado R, et al. Nebulized enriched heparin improves respiratory parameters in patients with COVID-19: a phase I/II randomized and triple-blind clinical trial. Sci Rep. 2024;14(1):19902. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-70064-8.
13. DeNucci G, Wilkinson T, Sverdloff C, Babadopulos T, Woodcock A, Shute J, et al. Inhaled nebulised unfractionated heparin (UFH) for the treatment of hospitalised patients with COVID-19: a randomised controlled pilot study. Pulm Pharmacol Ther. 2023;80:102212. doi:10.1016/j.pupt.2023.102212.
14. van Haren FMP, van Loon LM, Steins A, Smoot TL, Sas C, Staas S, et al. Inhaled nebulised unfractionated heparin for the treatment of hospitalised patients with COVID-19: a multicentre case series of 98 patients. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2022;88(6):2802-2813. doi:10.1111/bcp.15212.
15. Gupta B, Chandrakar S, Gupta N, Jain G. Nebulized heparin to reduce COVID-19-induced acute lung injury: a prospective observational study. Indian J Crit Care Med. 2023;27(3):222-224. doi:10.5005/jp-journals-10071-24420.
16. Gupta B, Ahluwalia P, Gupta N, Gupta A. Role of nebulized heparin in clinical outcome of COVID-19 patients with respiratory symptoms: a systematic review. Indian J Crit Care Med. 2023;27(8):572-579. doi:10.5005/jp-journals-10071-24511.
17. Gong J, Nie N, Jiang M, Yang X, Wang Q, Deng J, et al. Efficacy and safety of combined nebulization of unfractionated heparin, acetylcysteine, budesonide and ipratropium bromide in hospitalised patients with COVID-19 pneumonia: a randomized controlled clinical trial. BMC Pulm Med. 2025;25(1):346. doi:10.1186/s12890-025-03824-5.
18. van Haren FMP, Valle SJ, Serpa Neto A, Schultz MJ, Laffey JG, Artigas A, et al. Efficacy of inhaled nebulised unfractionated heparin to prevent intubation or death in hospitalised patients with COVID-19: an investigator-initiated international meta-trial of randomised clinical studies. EClinicalMedicine. 2025;88:103339. doi:10.1016/j.eclinm.2025.103339.
19. Vilaseca A, Barbera R, Vidmar G, Beccari H, Mymicopulo Llambias A, Capmany C, et al. Nebulized heparin in COVID-19 pneumonia: efficacy and safety versus heparinoprophylaxis alone (HEPANEBU). Res Pract Thromb Haemost. 2023;7(Suppl 2):100890. doi:10.1016/j.rpth.2023.100890.
20. Elsharnouby NM, Eid HEA, Abou Elezz NF, Aboelatta YA. Heparin/N-acetylcysteine: an adjuvant in the management of burn inhalation injury: a study of different doses. J Crit Care. 2014;29(1):182.e1-182.e4. doi:10.1016/j.jcrc.2013.06.017.
21. McIntire AM, Harris SA, Whitten JA, Fritschle AC, Sood R, Walroth TA. Outcomes following the use of nebulized heparin for inhalation injury (HIHI Study). J Burn Care Res. 2017;38(1):45-52. doi:10.1097/BCR.0000000000000439.
22. Cox CL, McIntire AM, Bolton KJ, Foster DR, Fritschle AC, Harris SA, et al. A multicenter evaluation of outcomes following the use of nebulized heparin for inhalation injury (HIHI2 Study). J Burn Care Res. 2020;41(5):1004-1008. doi:10.1093/jbcr/iraa101.
23. Yahia A, Jaszcz S, Scipione MR, Laddaran L, White M. Efficacy of nebulized heparin in inhalation injury: 12 years single center experience. J Burn Care Res. 2025;46(Suppl 1):S156. doi:10.1093/jbcr/iraf019.199.
24. Zavala S, Chowdhury I, Moomey K, Liu YM. Duration of nebulized heparin for inhalation injury. J Burn Care Res. 2021;42(Suppl 1):S104. doi:10.1093/jbcr/irab032.165.
25. Glas GJ, Horn J, Binnekade JM, Hollmann MW, Muller J, Cleffken B, et al. Nebulized heparin in burn patients with inhalation trauma: safety and feasibility. J Clin Med. 2020;9(4):894. doi:10.3390/jcm9040894.
26. Risinger WB, Hammond VR, Uma CV, Sims BL, Keeven DD, Dye CN, et al. Nebulized heparin and N-acetylcysteine do not improve outcomes of intubated burn patients with grade II or III inhalation injuries. Am Surg. 2025;91(8):1392-1395. doi:10.1177/00031348251337148.
27. Bendstrup KE, Gram J, Jensen JI. Effect of inhaled heparin on lung function and coagulation in healthy volunteers. Eur Respir J. 2002;19(4):606-610. doi:10.1183/09031936.02.00105202.
Descargas
Publicado
Número
Sección
Categorías
Licencia
Derechos de autor 2026 EMERGENCIA

Esta obra está bajo una licencia internacional Creative Commons Atribución 4.0.





