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Overview
The HALT-IT Trial was an international, multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled trial. The trial assessed whether early administration of tranexamic acid (TXA) in people with acute gastrointestinal bleeding can reduce their risk of dying in the hospital. The trial also measured the effects of the treatment on re-bleeding, non-fatal vascular events, blood transfusion, surgical intervention and general health status.
The trial, which published its results in 2020, found that TXA did not reduce death from gastrointestinal bleeding. On the basis of our results, tranexamic acid should not be used for the treatment of gastrointestinal bleeding outside the context of a randomised trial.
Gastrointestinal bleeding
Gastrointestinal bleeding is a common emergency with a 10-15% death rate. An effective treatment could save thousands of lives worldwide.
In the CRASH-2 Trial, we showed that, if given within one hour, TXA reduces mortality in bleeding trauma patients.
Specifically, TXA reduces the risk of bleeding to death by about one third, with no increase in side effects. If TXA was shown to have similar effects in gastrointestinal bleeding, this would be a major advance.
Trial in numbers
12,009
Participants recruited
15
Recruiting countries
164
Hospitals
Full publication
Our funders
Latest news
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