Left atrial appendage closure in patients with atrial fibrillation in whom warfarin is contra-indicated: initial South African experience

Abstract

Atrial fibrillation is a common cause of cardiac embolic events, especially stroke. Oral anticoagulation therapy is used to reduce these events. Many patients however are unable to take such therapy. Percutaneous occlusion of the left atrial appendage (the source of 90% of these emboli) is an option in these patients. Presented here are the first 12 patients to have this procedure done in South Africa.     

Duration of warfarin sodium therapy prior to electrical cardioversion of atrial fibrillation

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the duration of anticoagulation treatment with warfarin sodium before elective DC-cardioversion and to identify clinical variables predicting short-term versus long-term waiting times. DESIGN: Retrospective. SUBJECTS: Patients with a known start date for warfarin sodium, a known duration of atrial fibrillation (AF) and who underwent DC-cardioversion were included. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Duration of treatment with warfarin sodium prior to DC-cardioversion. METHODS: The hospital records of 288 consecutive patients with AF scheduled for elective cardioversion at two hospitals in Stockholm were reviewed. Only patients with a known start date for warfarin sodium and known duration of AF were included in the study. RESULTS: The median age was 70 (26-85) years and the duration of AF at time of cardioversion were 18 weeks (5-273) weeks. The median treatment duration prior to cardioversion with warfarin sodium was 12 weeks. Sinus rhythm was established in 224 (78%) patients of which 90 (40%) remained in sinus rhythm 1 month after cardioversion. In multivariate analysis, the only independent predictor of short waiting times for cardioversion (8 vs. 15 weeks) was if a cardiologist instituted the treatment with warfarin sodium (P < 0.001, 95% CI 5.0-9.0). CONCLUSION: The average waiting time from start of warfarin sodium treatment to elective cardioversion exceeds by far the recommended 3-4 weeks on therapeutic international normalized ratio (INR). In order to minimize the time period until cardioversion significant changes in the out-of-hospital care logistics has to be undertaken.     

不同抗凝强度华法林对非瓣膜病房颤患者血栓栓塞的预防作用

目的 观察阿司匹林和不同抗凝强度的华法林对非瓣膜病性房颤患者血栓栓塞并发症的预防效果和安全性.方法 将确诊的非瓣膜病房颤患者135例,随机分为阿司匹林组、低强度华法林抗凝组和中强度华法林抗凝组,观察三组栓塞、出血和上腹部不适的发生率.结果 低、中强度华法林抗凝组栓塞及上腹部不适的发生率明显低于阿司匹林组（P＜0.05）;不同强度华法林抗凝组血栓栓塞率比较差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）;低强度华法林抗凝组轻微出血发生率明显低于中强度华法林抗凝组（P＜0.05）;三组均无严重出血发生.结论 低强度华法林抗凝能降低非瓣膜病房颤血栓栓塞发生率,出血发生率低,安全性好.     

低强度华法林抗凝治疗高出血风险房颤患者的有效性及安全性临床研究

目的：应用2010年欧洲心脏病学协会（ESC）房颤新指南提出的新的评分系统卒中危险评分（CHA2DS2-VASc）和首次推出的出血风险评分法（HAS-BLED）,观察CHA2DS2-VASc积分≥1分且HAS-BLED出血风险积分≥3分时,低强度华法林抗凝治疗高出血风险房颤患者的抗栓疗效和安全性。方法2011年1月至2012年1月我院非瓣膜性房颤患者99例,其CHA2DS2-VASc卒中危险评分≥1分且HAS-BLED出血风险积分≥3分。全部病例分成两组,标准强度华法林治疗组[2.0＜国际标准化比值（INR）≤3.0]和低强度华法林治疗组（1.6≤INR≤2.0）。观察两组患者的血栓栓塞率及出血发生率。结果卡方检验结果显示,两组患者的血栓栓塞率差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）;标准强度华法林治疗组的出血发生率高于低强度华法林治疗组患者,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。结论 CHA2DS2-VASc卒中危险评分≥1分且HAS-BLED出血风险积分≥3分的高出血风险的房颤患者可以采用低强度华法林抗凝,能有效减少血栓栓塞事件的发生,同时不增加严重出血事件,使用安全可靠。     

低强度抗凝合用洛伐他汀预防房颤患者脑卒中的研究

目的前瞻性研究低强度华法林抗凝合用洛伐他汀对非瓣膜性心房颤动患者脑卒中的预防作用。方法将自愿接受脑卒中预防的628例非瓣膜性心房颤动患者随机分为实验组和对照组各314例。对照组维持目标抗凝强度凝血活酶臣际标准化比率（INR）2．0～3．0;实验组维持目标抗凝强度INR1．5～1．9．并加用洛伐他汀20mg／d,随访7～56个月。结果与对照组比较,实验组出血事件和缺血性卒中的发生率明显降低．5a生存率明显提高。结论低强度华法林抗凝合用洛伐他汀能有效降低非瓣膜性心房颤动患者脑卒中发生率,降低华法林抗凝引起出血的危险性,提高长期生存率。     

A warfarin induction regimen for out-patient anticoagulation in patients with atrial fibrillation

Currently available protocols for induction of warfarin anticoagulation employ initial doses of 10 mg and are best suited to in-patient use. However, with the increasing number of elderly patients with atrial fibrillation requiring anticoagulation, there is a need for a less intense regimen which could be used for out-patients. We have established such a regimen and report on its prospective evaluation in 37 patients referred for out-patient initiation of warfarin, and a non-randomized comparison with 37 in-patients, with similar diagnoses, commenced on a traditional warfarin protocol. After exclusion of five patients on amiodarone, all of whom experienced supratherapeutic International Normalized Ratio (INR) results, the new out-patient regimen, employing an initial 5 mg dose, resulted in a lower maximum INR during the first 21 d therapy (median 2.9 v 4.0; P  = 0.0001) and fewer INRs > 4.5 (2/36 v 9/33) compared to the traditional 10 mg regimen. Time to reach stable anticoagulation was similar with each regimen; however, the 5 mg regimen gave a more accurate prediction of maintenance dose (correlation coefficient for predicted versus actual maintenance dose, r  = 0.985). In comparison to a traditional 10 mg protocol, the proposed 5 mg warfarin induction regimen proved both safer and more reliable for initiation of prophylactic anticoagulation in patients with atrial fibrillation.     

高龄持续性心房纤颤患者不同剂量阿司匹林与华法林抗栓疗效及安全性比较

目的观察在持续性心房纤颤（房颤）的高龄患者中,不同剂量阿司匹林及华法林的疗效和安全性。方法选取年龄≥75岁的持续性房颤患者217例,分为4组,华法林高抗凝组『2．0〈国际标准化比率（international normalized ratio,INR）≤3．0154例,华法林低抗凝组（1．6≤INR≤2．0）53例,阿司匹林组（325mg／d）47例,阿司匹林组（200mg／d）63例,观察各组中血栓栓塞和出血事件的发生率。结果华法林高抗凝组与低抗凝组血栓栓塞发生率明显低于阿司匹林组（325mg／d）,差异有统计学意义（矿=6．487,P=O．011;矿=7．929,P=O．005;r=6．354,P=O．012;r=7．771,P=O．005）;华法林高抗凝组出血发生率明显高于低抗凝组和阿司匹林组（200mg／d）,差异有统计学意义（14.8％＇US．0m0,P〈0．05）;华法林高抗凝组与阿司匹林组（325mg／d）出血发生率比较,差异无统计学意义（P〉O．05）。结论对于年龄≥75岁的老年持续性房颤患者,低抗凝强度华法林（1．6≤INR≤2．0）安全有效,其疗效优于阿司匹林。     

持续性心房颤动患者使用华法林抗凝治疗稳定性影响因素的临床研究

目的:探索影响心房颤动(房颤)患者在使用华法林抗凝治疗过程中稳定性达标的因素,以期为改善华法林的抗凝质量提供参考.方法:选取2019年1月-2019年12月就诊于南昌大学附属九江医院(九江市第一人民医院)的337例使用华法林抗凝治疗的持续性房颤患者,计算分析华法林真实抗凝世界的稳定性达标率等参数,并分析包括年龄、性别、...     

老年非瓣膜性房颤患者华法林抗凝强度的研究进展

流行病学调查显示房颤的发病率逐年上升,尤其在老年人中,年龄越大,其发病率和死亡率越高。多个临床试验显示,目前华法林仍是治疗房颤的主要药物。欧美国家的房颤指南建议将国际标准化比值(INR)控制在2.0～3.0,但亚洲和欧美人群之间存在种族差异,应适当降低华法林抗凝强度,尤其是对于有高卒中、高出血风险的老年非瓣膜性房颤(NVAF)患者,INR控制在1.5～2.5是安全有效的,但这一结论仍缺乏大量的临床试验及循证医学依据。     

75岁以上老年非瓣膜病心房颤动患者抗血栓治疗的应用现状

目的对于我院>75岁老年非瓣膜病心房颤动(房颤)患者抗血栓药物治疗的情况进行调查,了解用药现状。方法调查>75岁非瓣膜病房颤患者125例,对其危险因素及抗血栓药物使用情况进行分析。结果125例患者中,合并多种危险因素者多见,其中应用华法林者只有30例(24.0%),应用阿司匹林者54例(43.2%),其他抗血小板药物29例(23.2%),未应用抗血栓药物12例(9.6%)。阿司匹林及其他抗血小板口服药剂量为每天75~100 mg。结论>75岁老年非瓣膜病房颤患者华法林应用率低,抗血小板药使用率高,但用药剂量偏小。     

Stroke event rates in anticoagulated patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation

Aims. To test the hypothesis that stroke and systemic embolic events (SEE) in the stroke prevention using an oral thrombin inhibitor in atrial fibrillation (SPORTIF) III and V trials are different between paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods. Data analysis from two cohorts of patients enroled in the prospective SPORTIF III and V clinical trials (n = 7329); 836 subjects (11.4%) with paroxysmal AF [mean age 70.1 years (SD = 9.5)] were compared with 6493 subjects with persistent AF for this ancillary study. Results. The annual event rates for stroke/SEE are 1.73% for persistent AF and 0.93% for paroxysmal AF. In a multivariate analysis, after adjusting for stroke risk factors, gender and aspirin usage, the differences remained statistically significant with a higher hazard ratio (HR) for stroke/SEE in persistent AF [vs. paroxysmal AF, HR 1.87, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.04–3.36; P = 0.037]. In ‘high risk’ patients (with ≥2 stroke risk factors) annual event rates for stroke/SEE were 2.08% for persistent AF and 1.27% for paroxysmal AF (adjusted HR = 1.68, 95% CI 0.91–3.1, P = 0.098). Elderly patients had annual event rates for stroke/SEE of 2.38% for persistent AF and 1.13% for paroxysmal AF (adjusted HR = 2.27, 95% CI 0.92–5.59, P = 0.075). Vitamin K antagonist (VKA)‐naïve paroxysmal AF patients had a 1.89%/year stroke/SEE rate, compared with 0.61% for previous VKA takers (HR = 0.33, 95% CI 0.11–1.01, P = 0.052). Conclusion. In this large clinical trial cohort of anticoagulated AF patients, those with paroxysmal AF had stroke rates which were lower than for patients with persistent AF, although both groups had broadly similar stroke risk factors. Subjects with paroxysmal AF at ‘high risk’ had stroke/SEE rates that were not significantly different to persistent AF subjects.     

老年非瓣膜病性心房纤颤患者抗血栓治疗现状分析

目的分析空军总医院老年非瓣膜病性心房纤颤（NVAF）患者抗血栓药物治疗现状及未抗凝治疗的原因。方法调查老年NVAF患者109例,对其病因、血栓栓塞危险因素、抗血栓药物应用情况及未应用华法林抗凝治疗原因进行分析。应用CHADS卒中风险评分表对NVAF患者进行血栓栓塞危险评估。结果91.6%患者接受了抗血栓治疗。符合抗凝治疗指征患者68例,仅38.2%接受了华法林治疗,57.4%进行了抗血小板治疗阿司匹林剂量为（87±15）mg/d,4.4%未进行任何抗血栓治疗。而其中NVAF呈阵发性者仅5.0%应用了华法林抗凝治疗。未抗凝治疗者54例,其中存在抗凝禁忌证12例（15.0%）;严重出血而停用1例（1.3%）,不能凝血监测2例（2.5%）;担心出血拒绝8例（10.0%）;阵发性心房纤颤未抗凝治疗20例（25.0%）;冠脉支架术后双重抗血小板治疗而未抗凝治疗3例（3.75%）;原因不明9例（11.3%）。结论老年NVAF患者抗血栓治疗中华法林应用率低,而且阵发性心房纤颤的华法林应用率更低,抗血小板治疗中阿司匹林剂量不足。     

Development of a decision aid for patients with atrial fibrillation who are considering antithrombotic therapy

With patients demanding a greater role in the clinical decision-making process, many researchers are developing and disseminating decision aids for various medical conditions. In this article, we outline the essential elements in the development and evaluation of a decision aid to help patients with atrial fibrillation choose, in consultation with their physicians, appropriate antithrombotic therapy (warfarin, aspirin, or no therapy) to prevent stroke. We also outline possible future directions regarding the implementation and evaluation of this decision aid. This information should enable clinicians to better understand the role that decision aids may have in their interactions with patients. This study was supported by grants from the Medical Research Council of Canada, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (RO1 NS 24224), Bethesda, Md, and DuPont Pharma.     

Stroke prophylaxis in institutionalized elderly patients with atrial fibrillation

OBJECTIVES: To identify patterns and predictors of antithrombotic use and to evaluate the appropriateness of antithrombotic therapy for stroke prophylaxis in institutionalized elderly patients with atrial fibrillation. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Seventeen long-term care institutions in Edmonton, Alberta. SUBJECTS: Two hundred sixty-five long-term care residents, aged 65 and older, with atrial fibrillation. MEASUREMENTS: The proportion of patients who were prescribed warfarin, acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), both, or neither was determined. Odds ratios were calculated to identify risk factors for stroke and bleeding that are predictive of the receipt of anticoagulant therapy. Appropriateness of therapy was evaluated based on whether patients were prescribed antithrombotic therapy in accordance with their risk factors for stroke and bleeding. RESULTS: Warfarin was prescribed for 49% of patients, ASA for 22%, both for 8%, and neither for 20%. Nearly all patients (97%) were considered to be at high risk for stroke, with age being the predominant risk factor (88%>75), whereas about half were considered to be at low risk for bleeding. Multivariate analyses did not find any associations between individual risk factors for bleeding and anticoagulant treatment, with the exception of recent surgery (odds ratio=0.59, 95% confidence interval=0.37-0.94). Overall, 54.8% of patients received appropriate antithrombotic therapy. Of patients who were optimal candidates for anticoagulation, 60% received appropriate therapy (warfarin with or without ASA). CONCLUSION: Although warfarin was the most appropriate treatment in nearly all of this population at high risk for stroke, it was prescribed in fewer than two-thirds of patients. Antithrombotic therapy was not always prescribed in accordance with patients' risk factors for stroke and bleeding. There is a need for systematic identification of appropriate candidates for anticoagulation in the long-term care setting.     

新型抗凝药与华法林对非瓣膜性心房颤动患者抗凝效果的临床评价

[目的]研究利伐沙班、达比加群酯与华法林对非瓣膜性心房颤动抗凝效果。[方法]收集心内科接收的120例非瓣膜性心房颤动住院患者为研究对象,均服用单一抗凝药物,分为华法林组(40例)、利伐沙班组(40例)和达比加群酯组(40例),接受药物治疗6个月,比较治疗期间栓塞事件、出血事件发生率和血常规、肝肾功能及血栓弹力图指标情况。[结果]治疗6个月后,利伐沙班组和达比加群酯组栓塞事件发生率明显低于华法林组(P<0.05),而利伐沙班组与达比加群酯组比较差异无显著性(P>0.05);三组出血事件发生率、治疗前及治疗后6个月患者血常规指标(白细胞计数、血小板计数、血红蛋白)、肝肾功能指标(血清肌酐、谷丙转氨酶、血尿素氮)比较差异无显著性(P>0.05);治疗6个月后利伐沙班组与达比加群酯组血栓弹力图指标R值、K值、MA值均明显高于华法林组(P<0.05),但利伐沙班组与达比加群酯组比较差异无显著性(P>0.05)。[结论]利伐沙班、达比加群酯治疗非瓣膜性心房颤动相比华法林具有更优的抗凝效果,降低栓塞事件的发生,且对肝肾功能及血常规无明显影响,安全性高。