Gandhi R, Evans HM, Mahomed SR, Mahomed NN Tranexamic acid and the reduction of blood loss in total knee and hip arthroplasty: a meta-analysis. BMC Res Notes. 2013 May 7;6:184. doi: 10.1186/1756-0500-6-184.
Robertshaw HJ An anti-inflammatory role for tranexamic acid in cardiac surgery? Crit Care. 2008;12(1):105. doi: 10.1186/cc6210. Epub 2008 Jan 16.
Sukeik M, Alshryda S, Haddad FS, Mason JM Systematic review and meta-analysis of the use of tranexamic acid in total hip replacement. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 2011 Jan;93(1):39-46. doi: 10.1302/0301-620X.93B1.24984. Review.
Williams-Johnson JA, McDonald AH, Strachan GG, Williams EW Effects of tranexamic acid on death, vascular occlusive events, and blood transfusion in trauma patients with significant haemorrhage (CRASH-2) A randomised, placebo-controlled trial. West Indian Med J. 2010 Dec;59(6):612-24.
Wind TC, Barfield WR, Moskal JT The effect of tranexamic acid on blood loss and transfusion rate in primary total knee arthroplasty. J Arthroplasty. 2013 Aug;28(7):1080-3. doi: 10.1016/j.arth.2012.11.016. Epub 2013 Mar 28.
Wind TC, Barfield WR, Moskal JT The effect of tranexamic acid on transfusion rate in primary total hip arthroplasty. J Arthroplasty. 2014 Feb;29(2):387-9. doi: 10.1016/j.arth.2013.05.026. Epub 2013 Jun 21.
Tranexamic Acid in Knee Joint Surgery - a Randomised Controlled Trial
Interventional studies are often prospective and are specifically tailored to evaluate direct impacts of treatment or preventive measures on disease.
Observational studies are often retrospective and are used to assess potential causation in exposure-outcome relationships and therefore influence preventive methods.
Expanded access is a means by which manufacturers make investigational new drugs available, under certain circumstances, to treat a patient(s) with a serious disease or condition who cannot participate in a controlled clinical trial.
Clinical trials are conducted in a series of steps, called phases - each phase is designed to answer a separate research question.
Phase 1: Researchers test a new drug or treatment in a small group of people for the first time to evaluate its safety, determine a safe dosage range, and identify side effects.
Phase 2: The drug or treatment is given to a larger group of people to see if it is effective and to further evaluate its safety.
Phase 3: The drug or treatment is given to large groups of people to confirm its effectiveness, monitor side effects, compare it to commonly used treatments, and collect information that will allow the drug or treatment to be used safely.
Phase 4: Studies are done after the drug or treatment has been marketed to gather information on the drug's effect in various populations and any side effects associated with long-term use.