scholarly journals Left Atrial Appendage Thrombus Prior to Atrial Fibrillation Ablation in the Era of Direct Oral Anticoagulants

2018 ◽  
Vol 82 (11) ◽  
pp. 2715-2721 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masahide Harada ◽  
Masayuki Koshikawa ◽  
Yuji Motoike ◽  
Tomohide Ichikawa ◽  
Kunihiko Sugimoto ◽  
...  
2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 724-728
Author(s):  
E. S. Mazur ◽  
V. V. Mazur ◽  
N. D. Bazhenov ◽  
Yu. A. Orlov

Aim. Compare the incidence of the left atrial appendage (LAA) thrombus dissolution in patients with persistent nonvalvular atrial fibrillation receiving warfarin and direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC).Materials and methods. 68 patients with persistent nonvalvular atrial fibrillation were included in a retrospective study (age was 59.7±9.8 years, 60.3% men), in whom at least one repeated transesophageal echocardiographic examination was performed after detecting a thrombus. After detecting a thrombus in the LAA, 37 (54.4%) patients started or continued taking warfarin in doses that ensure the INR maintenance at the level of 2-3, 14 (20.6%) started or continued taking dabigatran at a dose of 150 mg 2 times/day, 14 (20.6%) started or continued taking rivaroxaban 20 mg 1 time/day and 3 (4.4%) started or continued taking apixaban 5 mg 2 times/day. Repeated transesophageal echocardiographic examination was performed on average 33.3±14.2 days after the first one.Results. Dissolution of a previously identified thrombus was found in 26 (83.9%) of 31 patients receiving DOAC and in 19 (51.4%) of 37 patients receiving warfarin (p=0.011). The logistic regression analysis showed that the chances of a thrombus dissolution in LAA while taking DOAC are 14.8 times (95% confidence interval [CI] was 2.469-88.72) higher than while taking warfarin. The size and the rate at which blood is expelled from the LAA also have an independent influence on the chances of thrombus dissolution. An increase in the size of a thrombus by 1 mm reduces the chances of a thrombus dissolution by 1.136 (95% CI was 1.040-1.244) times, and an increase in the rate of blood expulsion from the LAA by 1 cm/sec increases these chances by 1.105 (95% CI was 1.003-1.219) times.Conclusion. In the present study, the incidence of the LAA thrombus dissolution in patients with persistent nonvalvular atrial fibrillation while receiving DOAC was higher than while receiving warfarin.


Medicine ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 99 (25) ◽  
pp. e20570
Author(s):  
Anna Michalska ◽  
Iwona Gorczyca ◽  
Magdalena Chrapek ◽  
Agnieszka Kapłon-Cieślicka ◽  
Beata Uziębło-Życzkowska ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (8) ◽  
pp. 01-09
Author(s):  
Fabricio Vassallo

Introduction: Left atrial appendage (LAA) thrombus in atrial tachyarrhythmias is one of the principal causes of stroke. Prevalence and strategies to thrombus resolution has recently been described in the era of the direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC). The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence and strategies to resolve previous LAA thrombus during regular oral antithrombotic therapy in preparation to perform atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation and/or LAA closure. Methods: Between January 2011 and December 2020 we prospectively followed 23 patients (5.39%) that showed LAA thrombus formation. Persistent AF occurred in 13 (56.52%), median age 72.39 years, 15 (65.22%) females, median CHA2DS2VASC of 4.13, HASBLED of 2.28, 17 (73.91%) with hypertension, (52.17%) with coronary disease, 9 (39.13%) had priors’ thromboembolic events, 7 (30.43%) with heart failure and Diabetes. Diagnosis was by transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) in 20 (86.96%) and the rest by computed angiotomography. Rivaroxaban was used in 11 (47.83%), Dabigatran in 6 (26.09%), 5 (21.74%) with therapeutic range Warfarin and 1 (4.34%) with Apixaban. Main strategy of treatment was to change mechanism of action of antithrombotic medication in association to an antiplatelet drug, Clopidogrel 75mg a day, and perform a TEE at 90 days after. Results: Complete resolution of the LAA thrombus was achieved in 18 (78.26%) patients in first medical therapeutic change. Of the remaining a second approach with medical therapy adjustment with off-label dose prescription associated with Clopidogrel showed complete resolution in 3 (13.04%) totalizing a success rate of 91.30% for all patients (p value of 0.001 for treatment success). The failure of the antithrombotic plus antiplatelet therapy occurred in 2 (8.7%) patients, one with LAA sludge and other with a huge thrombus in all LAA and part of left atrium. Conclusion: Modification of the mechanism of action of direct oral anticoagulants in association with Clopidogrel demonstrates to be successful in a large number of patients with previous resistant left atrial thrombus with and secure since the low adverse event rates.


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