Anticoagulation therapy for thromboembolism prevention: a case of warfarin-induced skin necrosis in the setting of protein C deficiency

Abstract

Patients with protein C deficiency are at increased risk for thrombolic diseases. Non-vitamin K antagonist anticoagulant options should be considered in patients with warfarin-induced skin necrosis (WISN) in the setting of protein C. We report a 41-year-old African American male patient with WISN and protein C deficiency who was treated with rivaroxaban followed by dabigatran. After 1 month on rivaroxaban, he began experiencing blood in his stools, unrelenting pain in his lower extremities, found it difficult to obtain medication despite having insurance and as a result did not maintain compliance. He was then assessed at the hospital, symptomatically treated and discharged on dabigatran. After 6 weeks, he reported symptomatic relief and less side effects. This case involved a head-to-head clinical comparison of rivaroxaban and dabigatran as alternatives to warfarin anticoagulation therapy.