Anticoagulation in patients with cardiac manifestations of Chagas disease and cardioembolic ischemic stroke

ABSTRACT Objectives To describe anticoagulation characteristics in patients with cardiac complications from Chagas disease and compare participants with and without cardioembolic ischemic stroke (CIS). Methods A retrospective cohort of patients with Chagas disease, using anticoagulation, conducted from January 2011 to December 2014. Results Forty-two patients with Chagas disease who were using anticoagulation were studied (age 62.9±12.4 years), 59.5% female and 47.6% with previous CIS, 78.6% with non-valvular atrial fibrillation and 69.7% with dilated cardiomyopathy. Warfarin was used in 78.6% of patients and dabigatran (at different times) in 38%. In the warfarin group, those with CIS had more medical appointments per person-years of follow-up (11.7 vs 7.9), a higher proportion of international normalized ratios within the therapeutic range (57% vs 42% medical appointments, p = 0.025) and an eight times higher frequency of minor bleeding (0.64 vs 0.07 medical appointments). Conclusion Patients with Chagas disease and previous CIS had better control of INR with a higher frequency of minor bleeding.

Download Full-text

Safety and efficacy of rivaroxaban compared to warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation and advanced stages of chronic kidney disease

European Heart Journal ◽

10.1093/ehjci/ehaa946.3323 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽

Author(s):

M Chashkina ◽

D.A Andreev ◽

N.L Kozlovskaya ◽

Z.K Salpagarova ◽

A.A Bykova ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Ischemic Stroke ◽

Glomerular Filtration ◽

Oral Anticoagulants ◽

Minor Bleeding ◽

Safety And Efficacy ◽

Warfarin Group ◽

Secondary Endpoints ◽

Advanced Stages ◽

Group 1

Abstract Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common comorbidity in around 10–15% of patients (pts) with CKD, while 30% of those with AF have CKD. In pts with advanced stages of CKD, safety and efficacy profiles of novel oral anticoagulants, in particular rivaroxaban, have been understudied. Purpose To evaluate safety and efficacy of rivaroxaban in pts with stage 4 CKD or a transient reduction in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) to 15–29 ml/min/1.73 m2. Materials and methods Data of 3,500 pts with nonvalvular AF in cardiovascular units for the period from 2017 to 2019 were analyzed. Of these, 507 (15%) showed a decrease in GFR to 29–15 ml/min/1.73 m2. 109 (3.1%) pts enrolled in the study (in accordance with inclusion criteria) and were randomized in a 2: 1 fashion to either the 15 mg rivaroxaban (n=74) or warfarin (n=36) group. The pts had either not previously been taking anticoagulants, or TTR was <65% in the case of taking warfarin. The average follow-up period was 18 months. Visits took place every 3 months, when compliance, haemoglobin were checked and GFR calculation was carried out. Primary endpoint: development of major and minor bleeding on the BARC scale. Secondary endpoints: thromboembolic events, cardiovascular mortality and all-cause mortality. Results The pts were of similar clinical and demographic profile. The median age was 77 years with 32 men in the rivaroxaban group and 14 in the warfarin group. The average CHA2DS2-VASc score was 4.6 and 4.7 (n/s) in the rivaroxaban and warfarin group, respectively, while the average HAS-BLED score was 3 (n/s) in both. Pts taking warfarin were significantly more likely to develop minor bleedings: 26 (72%) vs 27 (37%) in the rivaroxaban group, p=0.001. There were not detected significant differences in the ratio of major bleedings (warfarin 3 (8.3%) versus rivaroxaban 2 (2.7%) cases, p=0.3). No significant differences at secondary endpoints were observed. In the warfarin group, 1 (2.8%) ischemic stroke and 1 fatal haemorrhagic stroke occurred. In the rivaroxaban group, 1 (1.4%) ischemic stroke occurred during a 5-day break in taking the anticoagulant. 5 (6.9%) pts in the rivaroxaban group developed ACS, vs 1 (2.8%) in the warfarin group (n/s). 2 (2.7%) pts died from myocardial infarction in the rivaroxaban group and 1 (2.8%) - in the warfarin group (n/s). Mortality from all causes was 5 (6.6%) in the rivaroxaban group and 3 (8.3%) in the warfarin group (n/s). In the rivaroxaban group, GFR (CG formula) improved significantly more since the 3rd month of observation (in the 18th month of observation, the median value was 35.0 [29.0; 39.5] ml/min/1.73 m2 vs 27.0 [21.5; 31.5] ml/min/1.73 m2 in the warfarin group, p<0.001). Conclusion Significantly more pts within the warfarin group had minor bleedings. Pts during warfarin and rivaroxaban therapy showed an improvement in glomerular filtration, which was more pronounced in the rivaroxaban group. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

Download Full-text

A single institution’s experience with using dabigatran, rivaroxaban and warfarin for prevention of thromboembolism in atrial fibrillation

Proceedings of Singapore Healthcare ◽

10.1177/2010105817719913 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 27 (1) ◽

pp. 20-25 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Li Xin Chan ◽

Yee May Wong ◽

Pow-Li Chia ◽

Zhen Liang Kek

Keyword(s):

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Adverse Events ◽

Oral Anticoagulants ◽

Tertiary Hospital ◽

Minor Bleeding ◽

Systemic Embolism ◽

Bleeding Events ◽

Warfarin Group ◽

One Year

Background: Although non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) are approved for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients, their use in the local clinical setting has not been well studied. This study aims to evaluate the clinical outcomes of dabigatran, rivaroxaban and warfarin in a tertiary hospital in Singapore. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study with one-year follow-up. A total of 383 patients recruited between June 2011 and December 2014 were studied. Incidents of stroke, systemic embolism and clinically relevant bleeding events were compared between dabigatran, rivaroxaban and warfarin. Results: Stroke rates were 5.47% per year with warfarin, 7.27% per year with dabigatran (HR=1.32; 95% CI 0.48−3.64; p=0.591) and 2.76% per year with rivaroxaban (HR=0.49; 95% CI 0.14−1.69; p=0.261). The warfarin group had significantly higher incidence of minor bleeding (62.4% vs 3.64% for dabigatran vs 13.79% for rivaroxaban; p<0.001), major bleeding (3.91% for warfarin, 0.91% for dabigatran, 0% for rivaroxaban; p=0.028) and other adverse events (51.18% for warfarin, 3.64% for dabigatran, 8.28% for rivaroxaban; p<0.001). Incidence of dyspepsia was higher in both NOAC groups compared to warfarin (0% for warfarin, 7.27% for dabigatran, 5.52% for rivaroxaban; p=0.003). Conclusion: Stroke and venous thromboembolism rates after one year were comparable among dabigatran, rivaroxaban and warfarin. Warfarin was associated with more bleeding and adverse events while both NOACs were associated with higher rates of dyspepsia. Further study is needed to assess the clinical benefit of NOACs in the Singaporean population.

Download Full-text

Dabigatran and warfarin in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter in outpatient clinic practice in Brazil

Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria ◽

10.1590/0004-282x20190005 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 77 (2) ◽

pp. 80-83 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jean Michell Correia Monteiro ◽

Daniel Lordelo San-Martin ◽

Beatriz Carneiro Gondim Silva ◽

Ian Felipe Barbosa Souza ◽

Jamary Oliveira Filho ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Atrial Flutter ◽

Major Bleeding ◽

Thromboembolic Event ◽

Minor Bleeding ◽

Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Warfarin Group ◽

Clinic Practice ◽

Prior Stroke

ABSTRACT Objectives: To compare warfarin and dabigatran for thromboembolic event prevention in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort of participants with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter using either warfarin or dabigatran in a reference center in Brazil. Results: There were 112 patients (mean age 65.5 years), with 55.3% using warfarin. The median duration of follow-up was 1.9 years for warfarin and 1.6 years for dabigatran (p = 0.167). Warfarin patients had a higher median of medical appointments per year (8.3 [6.8-10.4] vs 3.1 [2.3-4.2], p < 0.001) and the frequency of minor bleeding was more than four times higher (17.7% vs 4.0%, p = 0.035). Among patients with prior stroke, those using warfarin had 2.6 times more medical appointments for person-years of follow-up (8.5 vs 3.3). There was no major bleeding or embolic event during follow-up period. Conclusion: The dabigatran group had a lower frequency of minor bleeding and number of medical appointments than the warfarin group, without more embolic events or major bleeding.

Download Full-text

The Number of Concomitant Drugs and the Safety of Direct Oral Anticoagulants in Routine Care Patients with Atrial Fibrillation

TH Open ◽

10.1055/s-0040-1721499 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 04 (04) ◽

pp. e417-e426

Author(s):

Carline J. van den Dries ◽

Sander van Doorn ◽

Patrick Souverein ◽

Romin Pajouheshnia ◽

Karel G.M. Moons ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Ischemic Stroke ◽

Major Bleeding ◽

Oral Anticoagulants ◽

Direct Oral Anticoagulants ◽

Routine Care ◽

P Value ◽

Risk Of Mortality ◽

Mortality Effect

Abstract Background The benefit of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) versus vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) on major bleeding was less prominent among atrial fibrillation (AF) patients with polypharmacy in post-hoc randomized controlled trials analyses. Whether this phenomenon also exists in routine care is unknown. The aim of the study is to investigate whether the number of concomitant drugs prescribed modifies safety and effectiveness of DOACs compared with VKAs in AF patients treated in general practice. Study Design Adult, nonvalvular AF patients with a first DOAC or VKA prescription between January 2010 and July 2018 were included, using data from the United Kingdom Clinical Practice Research Datalink. Primary outcome was major bleeding, secondary outcomes included types of major bleeding, nonmajor bleeding, ischemic stroke, and all-cause mortality. Effect modification was assessed using Cox proportional hazard regression, stratified for the number of concomitant drugs into three strata (0–5, 6–8, ≥9 drugs), and by including the continuous variable in an interaction term with the exposure (DOAC vs. VKA). Results A total of 63,600 patients with 146,059 person-years of follow-up were analyzed (39,840 person-years of DOAC follow-up). The median age was 76 years in both groups, the median number of concomitant drugs prescribed was 7. Overall, the hazard of major bleeding was similar between VKA-users and DOAC-users (hazard ratio [HR] 0.98; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.87–1.11), though for apixaban a reduction in major bleeding was observed (HR 0.81; 95% CI 0.68–0.98). Risk of stroke was comparable, while risk of nonmajor bleeding was lower in DOAC users compared with VKA users (HR 0.92; 95% CI 0.88–0.97). We did not observe any evidence for an impact of polypharmacy on the relative risk of major bleeding between VKA and DOAC across our predefined three strata of concomitant drug use (p-value for interaction = 0.65). For mortality, however, risk of mortality was highest among DOAC users, increasing with polypharmacy and independent of the type of DOAC prescribed (p-value for interaction <0.01). Conclusion In this large observational, population-wide study of AF patients, risk of bleeding, and ischemic stroke were comparable between DOACs and VKAs, irrespective of the number of concomitant drugs prescribed. In AF patients with increasing polypharmacy, our data appeared to suggest an unexplained yet increased risk of mortality in DOAC-treated patients, compared with VKA recipients.

Download Full-text

Abstract 176: Long Term Mortality in Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients with Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation According to Location and Burden of Cerebral Microbleeds

Stroke ◽

10.1161/str.45.suppl_1.176 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 45 (suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Tae-Jin Song ◽

Jinkwon Kim ◽

Dongbeom Song ◽

Yong-Jae Kim ◽

Hyo Suk Nam ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Ischemic Stroke ◽

Acute Ischemic Stroke ◽

Hemorrhagic Stroke ◽

Independent Predictor ◽

Stroke Patients ◽

Risk Of Death ◽

Long Term Mortality

Background: Cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) were predictive of mortality in elderly and considered as a putative marker for risk of intracranial hemorrhage. Stroke patients with non valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) require anticoagulation, which increases the risk of hemorrhages. We investigated association of CMBs with the long term mortality in acute ischemic stroke patients with NVAF. Methods: During 6 years , consecutive ischemic stroke patients who had NVAF and who had undergone brain MRI with a gradient-recalled echo sequence were enrolled. Long-term mortality and causes of death were identified using data from Korean National Statistical Office. Survival analysis was performed whether the presence, number and location of CMBs were related with all causes, cardiovascular, and cerebrovascular mortality during follow-up. Results: Total 506 patients were enrolled during the study period and were followed up for median 2.5 years. CMBs were found in 30.8% of patients (156/506). Oral anticoagulation with warfarin was prescribed at discharge in 477 (82.7%) patients. During follow up, 177 (35%) patients died and cerebrovascular death was noted in 93 patients (81 ischemic stroke and 12 hemorrhagic stroke). After adjusting age, sex and significant variables in univariate analysis (p<0.1), multiple CMBs (≥5) were the independent predictor for all-cause, cardiovascular and ischemic stroke mortalities. The strictly lobar CMBs were associated with hemorrhagic stroke mortality in multivariate Cox regression analysis (HR 4.776, p=0.032) (Figure 1). Conclusions: Multiple CMBs were the independent predictor for the long term mortality in stroke patients with NVAF. Among them, patients with strictly lobar CMBs had a high risk of death due to hemorrhagic stroke. Our findings suggest that detection of CMBs in stroke patients with NVAF are of clinical relevance for predicting long term outcome and that particular concern is necessary in those with strictly lobar CMBs for their increased risk of death due to hemorrhagic stroke. Figure 1.

Download Full-text

Abstract 3681: Early Anticoagulation Is Not Associated With Hemorrhagic Transformation Of Ischemic Stroke In Patients With Atrial Fibrillation

Stroke ◽

10.1161/str.43.suppl_1.a3681 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 43 (suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

H. B Brouwers ◽

Svetlana Lorenzano ◽

Lyndsey H Starks ◽

David M Greer ◽

Steven K Feske ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Ischemic Stroke ◽

Acute Ischemic Stroke ◽

Clinical Data ◽

Infarct Volume ◽

Hemorrhagic Transformation ◽

P Value ◽

Long Term Outcome ◽

Nihss Score

Purpose: Hemorrhagic transformation (HT) is a common and potentially devastating complication of ischemic stroke, however its prevalence, predictors, and outcome remain unclear. Early anticoagulation is thought to be a risk factor for HT which raises the clinical question when to (re)start anticoagulation in ischemic stroke patients who have a compelling indication, such as atrial fibrillation. We conducted a prospective cohort study to address this question and to identify association of hemorrhagic transformation with outcome measures in patients with atrial fibrillation in the setting of acute ischemic stroke. Materials and Methods: We performed a prospective study which enrolled consecutive patients admitted with acute ischemic stroke presenting to a single center over a three-year period. As part of the observational study, baseline clinical data and stroke characteristics as well as 3 month functional outcome were collected. For this sub-study, we restricted the analysis to subjects diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. CT and MRI scans were reviewed by experienced readers, blinded to clinical data, to assess for hemorrhagic transformation (using ECASS 2 criteria), microbleeds and infarct volumes in both admission and follow-up scans. Clinical and outcome data were analyzed for association with hemorrhagic transformation. Results: Of 94 patients, 63 had a history of atrial fibrillation (67.0%) and 31 had newly discovered atrial fibrillation (33.0%). We identified HT in 3 of 94 baseline scans (3.2%) and 22 of 48 follow-up scans (45.8%) obtained a median of 3 days post-stroke. In-hospital initiation of either anti-platelet (n = 36; OR 0.34 [95% CI 0.10-1.16], p-value = 0.09) or anticoagulation with unfractionated intravenous heparin or low molecular weight heparin (n = 72; OR 0.25 [95% CI 0.06-1.15], p-value = 0.08) was not associated with HT. Initial NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score (median 13.0 [IQR 15.0] vs. 7.0 [IQR 10.0], p-value = 0.029) and baseline infarct volume (median 17 [IQR 42.03] vs. 5 [IQR 10.95], p-value = 0.011) were significantly higher in patients with HT compared to those without. Hemorrhagic transformation was associated with a significantly higher 48-hour median NIHSS score (20 [IQR 3.0] vs. 2 [IQR 3.25], p-value = 0.007) and larger final infarct volume (81.40 [IQR 82.75] vs. 9.95 [IQR 19.73], p-value < 0.001). Finally, we found a trend towards poorer 3-month modified Rankin Scale scores in subjects with HT (OR 11.25 [95% CI 0.97-130.22], p-value = 0.05). Conclusion: In patients with atrial fibrillation, initial NIHSS score and baseline infarct volume are associated with hemorrhagic transformation in acute ischemic stroke. Early initiation of antithrombotic therapy was not associated with hemorrhagic transformation. Patients with hemorrhagic transformation were found to have a poorer short and long term outcome and larger final infarct volumes.

Download Full-text

Study on outcome of ischemic stroke patient with atrial fibrillation

KYAMC Journal ◽

10.3329/kyamcj.v8i2.35696 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. 8-12

Author(s):

Achinta Kumar Mallick ◽

Md Ahmed Ali ◽

Md Kafiluddin ◽

Md Parvez Amin ◽

Pijus Kumar Kundu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Ischemic Stroke ◽

Case Fatality ◽

The Elderly ◽

Clinical Deterioration ◽

Stroke Recurrence ◽

Stroke Severity ◽

Ischemic Stroke Patient ◽

Fold Excess

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia and a major risk factor for ischemic stroke, especially in the elderly patients. Patients with non-valvular AF have a 5-fold excess risk of stroke recurrence and case-fatality rate.Objectives: This study was to evaluate the prevalence of AF and its influence on prognosis in patients with ischemic stroke.Materials & Methods: Total 125 patients with ischaemic stroke were enrolled in this study. Initially they were divided into two groups by ECG - those with AF and those without AF. They were followed up after one month, three months and six months. Comparison was done between the two groups in term of recurrence, mortality and clinical improvement which were assessed by Modified Rankin Score (MRS).Results: Among 125 patients, 22 patients had AF. Those with AF were more frequently male, aged more than 45 years. Recurrence was significantly higher in AF group during one month follow up (p<0.05). The presence of AF was associated with higher mortality in 3 months (p<0.05) and 6 months (p<0.05) follow up. At 3 months follow up clinical deterioration was noted in 9.1% patient with AF compared to 2.9% patients without AF (p<0.01) and at 6 months follow up clinical deterioration was noted in 18.2% patient with AF compared to 4.9% patients without AF (p<0.01).Conclusion: Patients who had an ischemic stroke with accompanying AF had higher mortality, graver stroke severity, more recurrences and poorer functional status than those without AF.KYAMC Journal Vol. 8, No.-2, Jan 2018, Page 8-12

Download Full-text

Acute cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality in patients with hyperthyroidism: a population-based cohort study

Acta Endocrinologica ◽

10.1530/eje-16-0576 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 176 (1) ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Olaf M Dekkers ◽

Erzsébet Horváth-Puhó ◽

Suzanne C Cannegieter ◽

Jan P Vandenbroucke ◽

Henrik Toft Sørensen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Cohort Study ◽

Ischemic Stroke ◽

Cardiovascular Events ◽

Population Based ◽

Arterial Embolism ◽

Registration System ◽

Increased Risk ◽

All Cause Mortality

Objective Several studies have shown an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in hyperthyroidism, but most studies have been too small to address the effect of hyperthyroidism on individual cardiovascular endpoints. Our main aim was to assess the association among hyperthyroidism, acute cardiovascular events and mortality. Design It is a nationwide population-based cohort study. Data were obtained from the Danish Civil Registration System and the Danish National Patient Registry, which covers all Danish hospitals. We compared the rate of all-cause mortality as well as venous thromboembolism (VTE), acute myocardial infarction (AMI), ischemic and non-ischemic stroke, arterial embolism, atrial fibrillation (AF) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the two cohorts. Hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were estimated. Results The study included 85 856 hyperthyroid patients and 847 057 matched population-based controls. Mean follow-up time was 9.2 years. The HR for mortality was highest in the first 3 months after diagnosis of hyperthyroidism: 4.62, 95% CI: 4.40–4.85, and remained elevated during long-term follow-up (>3 years) (HR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.33–1.37). The risk for all examined cardiovascular events was increased, with the highest risk in the first 3 months after hyperthyroidism diagnosis. The 3-month post-diagnosis risk was highest for atrial fibrillation (HR: 7.32, 95% CI: 6.58–8.14) and arterial embolism (HR: 6.08, 95% CI: 4.30–8.61), but the risks of VTE, AMI, ischemic and non-ischemic stroke and PCI were increased also 2- to 3-fold. Conclusions We found an increased risk for all-cause mortality and acute cardiovascular events in patients with hyperthyroidism.

Download Full-text

Exploring the temporal relationship between atrial fibrillation and heart failure development. Analysis from nationwide database

European Heart Journal ◽

10.1093/eurheartj/ehab724.0430 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 42 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

Y Cottin ◽

B.M Ben Messaoud ◽

H Yao ◽

G Laurent ◽

A Bisson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Ischemic Stroke ◽

Cardiovascular Death ◽

Administrative Database ◽

Outcome Analysis ◽

Funding Sources ◽

Temporal Relationships ◽

Development Analysis

Abstract Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) often coexist and are closely intertwined, each condition worsening the other. The temporal relationships between these two disorders have not yet been fully explored. We assessed, on a nationwide scale, the prognosis of patients hospitalized with HF and AF, based on the timing of AF and HF development. Methods From the administrative database covering hospital care for the whole French population, we identified 1,349,638 patients diagnosed with both AF and HF between 2010 and 2018: 956,086 of these AF patients developed HF first (prevalent HF) and 393,552 developed HF after AF (incident HF). The outcome analysis (all-cause death, cardiovascular [CV] death, ischemic stroke or hospitalization for HF) was performed with follow-up starting at the time of last event between AF or HF in the whole cohort and in 427,848 propensity-score-matched patients (213,924 with incident HF and 213,924 with prevalent HF). Results During follow-up (mean follow-up 1.6±1.9 year), matched patients with prevalent HF had a higher risk of all-cause death (21.6 vs 19.2%/year), CV death (7.6 vs 6.5%/year) as well as non-cardiovascular death (13.9 vs 12.7%/year) than those with incident HF. The risk for ischemic stroke was lower in the prevalent HF group (1.2 vs 2.4%/year). Conclusion In patients hospitalized with both AF and HF, we identified two distinct clinical entities based on the chronological sequence of the two disorders. Patients in whom HF preceded AF (prevalent HF) had higher mortality and higher risk of rehospitalization for HF. FUNDunding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.

Download Full-text

Risk of Ischemic Stroke in High Risk Atrial Fibrillation Patients during Periods of Warfarin Discontinuation for Surgical Procedures

Cerebrovascular Diseases ◽

10.1159/000446406 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 42 (5-6) ◽

pp. 346-351 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Adnan I. Qureshi ◽

Nauman Jahangir ◽

Ahmed A. Malik ◽

Mohammad Rauf Afzal ◽

Fayyaz Orfi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diabetes Mellitus ◽

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Ischemic Stroke ◽

High Risk ◽

Surgical Procedures ◽

Left Ventricular ◽

Left Ventricular Ejection ◽

Systemic Hypertension ◽

Ventricular Ejection Fraction

Importance: The risk of ischemic stroke during periods of warfarin discontinuation for surgical procedures is recognized but not well characterized. Objective: The study aimed to quantitate the risk of ischemic stroke associated with high risk atrial fibrillation during periods of warfarin discontinuation. Design, Setting and Participants: A cohort of 4,060 patients (mean follow-up period of 3.5 ± 1.3 years) were randomized into the Atrial Fibrillation Follow-Up Investigation of Rhythm Management study. Patients enrolled in the study had atrial fibrillation plus at least one other risk factor for stroke or death: age ≥65 years', systemic hypertension, diabetes mellitus, congestive heart failure, transient ischemic attack, prior stroke, left atrium >50 mm, left ventricular fractional shortening <25% or left ventricular ejection fraction <40%. Exposure: Warfarin discontinuation for procedure. Main Outcome and Measures: The association of warfarin discontinuation with the incidence of ischemic stroke using pooled repeated measures and Cox proportional hazards analyses during follow-up after adjusting for age, gender, obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, cigarette smoking and study period. Results: Warfarin discontinuation for procedure occurred in 265 (0.4%) of the 71,355 person observations. Compared with those without warfarin discontinuation, the rate of ischemic stroke was higher among participants with surgery-related warfarin discontinuation (1.1% of 265 person observations vs. 0.2% of 71,090 person observations, p = 0.001). Warfarin discontinuation was associated with an increased risk for ischemic stroke (relative risk 5.8; 95% CI 1.8-18.4) after adjusting for potential confounders. The population-attributable risk associated with surgery-related warfarin discontinuation was estimated to be 23.1% (95% CI 15.2-30.9%) for ischemic stroke. Conclusions and Relevance: The 6-fold higher risk of ischemic stroke associated with discontinuation of warfarin for surgical procedures must be recognized in high risk atrial fibrillation patients and considered in the risk-benefit analysis of any procedure.

Download Full-text