Novel concepts in radiation-induced cardiovascular disease

Radiation-induced cardiovascular disease(RICVD) is the most common nonmalignant cause of morbidity and mortality among cancer survivors who have undergone mediastinal radiation therapy(RT).Cardiovascular complications include effusive or constrictive pericarditis,cardiomyopathy,valvular heart disease,and coronary/vascular disease.These are pathophysiologically distinct disease entities whose prevalence varies depending on the timing and extent of radiation exposure to the heart and great vessels.Although refinements in RT dosimetry and shielding will inevitably limit future cases of RICVD,the increasing number of long-term cancer survivors,including those treated with older higher-dose RT regimens,will ensure a steady flow of afflicted patients for the foreseeable future.Thus,there is a pressing need for enhanced understanding of the disease mechanisms,and improved detection methods and treatment strategies.Newly characterized mechanisms responsible for the establishment of chronic fibrosis,such as oxidative stress,inflammation and epigenetic modifications,are discussed and linked to potential treatments currently under study.Novel imaging modalities may serve as powerful screening tools in RICVD,and recent research and expert opinion advocating their use is introduced.Data arguing for the aggressive use of percutaneous interventions,such as transcutaneous valve replacement and drug-eluting stents,are examined and considered in the context of prior therapeutic approaches.RICVD and its treatment options are the subject of a rich and dynamic body of research,and patients who are at risk or suffering from this disease will benefit from the care of physicians with specialty expertise in the emerging field of cardiooncology.

Prevalence and clinical characteristics associated with left atrial thrombus detection: Apixaban

BACKGROUND The prevalence of left atrial appendage(LAA) thrombus detection by transesophageal echocardiogram(TEE) in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation(AF) anticoagulated with apixaban is not well defined and identification of additional risk factors may help guide the selection process for pre-procedural TEE. The purpose of our study was to retrospectively analyze the prevalence of LAA thrombus detection by TEE in patients continuously anticoagulated with apixaban for ≥ 4 wk and evaluate for any cardiac risk factors or echocardiographic characteristics which may serve as predictors of thrombus formation.AIM To retrospectively analyze the prevalence of LAA thrombus detection by TEE in patients continuously anticoagulated with apixaban.METHODS Clinical and echocardiographic data for 820 consecutive patients with AF undergoing TEE at Augusta University Medical Center over a four-year period were retrospectively analyzed. All patients(apixaban: 226) with non-valvular AF and documented compliance with apixaban for ≥ 4 wk prior to index TEE were included.RESULTS Following ≥ 4 wk of continuous anticoagulation with apixaban, the prevalence ofLAA thrombus and LAA thrombus/dense spontaneous echocardiographic contrast was 3.1% and 6.6%, respectively. Persistent AF, left ventricular ejection fraction < 30%, severe LA dilation, and reduced LAA velocity were associated with thrombus formation. Following multivariate logistic regression, persistent AF(OR: 7.427; 95%CI: 1.02 to 53.92; P = 0.0474), and reduced LAA velocity(OR:1.086; 95%CI: 1.010 to 1.187; P = 0.0489) were identified as independent predictors of LAA thrombus. No Thrombi were detected in patients with a CHA2 DS2-VASc score ≤ 1.CONCLUSION Among patients with non-valvular AF and ≥ 4 wk of anticoagulation with apixaban, the prevalence of LAA thrombus detected by TEE was 3.1%. This suggests that continuous therapy with apixaban does not completely eliminate the risk of LAA thrombus and that TEE prior to cardioversion or catheter ablation may be of benefit in patients with multiple risk factors.