Abstract
Aims
Left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) is a therapeutic option for patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) and high risk of bleeding. This study reports outcomes of patients enrolled in the prospective multicentre, investigator initiated real life registry in the Free State of Saxony (saxOnian RegIstry analyzinG and followINg left atrial Appendage cLosure).
Methods and results
Data of all consecutive 521 patients (64.7% adult males, 35.3% adult females, mean age: 75.1 (SD 7.9) years with non-valvular atrial fibrillation undergoing interventional left atrial appendage occlusion procedure in the ORIGINAL prospective registry were analysed. The CHA2DS2-VASc and HAS-BLED scores were 4.3 (SD 1.5) and 3.7 (SD 1.1), respectively. 78.9% of the patients had a history of bleeding. 89.3% of the patients were considered as non-eligible for long term oral anticoagulation. A left atrial appendage occlusion device was successfully implanted in 97.5% of cases. A mean follow-up of 463 days could be reached in 386 patients. Among these, the distribution of the follow-up length reached was as follows: 1 year 205, 2 years 118, 3 years 65 and 4 years 17 patients. In the follow-up the annual frequency of stroke was very low (0.4%), which resulted in the 4.98% absolute risk reduction in the amount of thromboembolic strokes, which would have been expected according to the calculated CHA2DS2-VASc score in the hypothetic group not receiving any anticoagulant therapy. The occurrence of major and minor bleeding in the follow-up was 1.55% and 3.37% respectively.
Conclusions
In this prospective multicentre study we included the patients who are at high risk of stroke and bleeding. The annual ischemic stroke rate was 0.4%, the LAA could be sealed in 97.5%. Six months after the LAA closure only 3.63% of all patients were further on treated using oral anticoagulation. Considering the stroke reduction rates, the implantation of an LAAO device proves to be effective and safe in the clinical routine in the studied population.
Acknowledgement/Funding
None
Barriers for a Wider Use of Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion as an Alternative to Oral Anticoagulation
