BACKGROUND Inflammatory indices derived from complete blood tests have been reported to be associated with poor outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation(AF).The data about the relationship between inflammatory in...BACKGROUND Inflammatory indices derived from complete blood tests have been reported to be associated with poor outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation(AF).The data about the relationship between inflammatory indices and left atrial appendage thrombus(LAAT)or dense spontaneous echo contrast(SEC)are limited.AIM To explore the value of inflammatory indices for predicting the presence of LAAT or dense SEC in nonvalvular AF patients.METHODS A total of 406 patients with nonvalvular AF who underwent transesophageal echocardiography were included and divided into two groups based on the presence(study group)or absence(control group)of LAAT or dense SEC.Inflammatory indices,including the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio(NLR),platelet–tolymphocyte ratio(PLR),and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio(LMR),were calculated from complete blood analysis.The associations of inflammatory indices RESULTS LAAT and dense SEC were detected in 11(2.7%)and 42(10.3%)patients,respectively.The PLR only showed an association with LAAT/dense SEC in the univariate model.Elevated NLR(odds ratio[OR]=1.48,95%confidence interval[CI]:1.11-1.98,P=0.007)and reduced LMR(OR=0.59,95%CI:0.41-0.83,P=0.003)were found to be independent risk factors for the presence of LAAT/dense SEC.The areas under the NLR and LMR curves for predicting LAAT/dense SEC were 0.73(95%CI:0.66-0.80,P<0.001)and 0.73(95%CI:0.65-0.81,P<0.001),respectively,while the cutoff values were 2.8(sensitivity:69.8%;specificity:64.0%)and 2.4(sensitivity:71.7%;specificity:60.6%),respectively.CONCLUSION Increased NLR and decreased LMR may predict LAAT/dense SEC in patients with nonvalvular AF.展开更多
Background：Metabolic syndrome （MS） is a risk factor for stroke and thromboembolism event.Left atrial or LA appendage （LA/LAA） thrombus is a surrogate of potential stroke.The relationship between MS and atrial thr...Background：Metabolic syndrome （MS） is a risk factor for stroke and thromboembolism event.Left atrial or LA appendage （LA/LAA） thrombus is a surrogate of potential stroke.The relationship between MS and atrial thrombus remains unclear.In this study,we sought to investigate the effect of MS on risk stratification of LA/LAA thrombus formation in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation （NVAF）.Methods：This cross-sectional study enrolled 294 consecutive NVAF patients without prior anticoagulant and lipid-lowering therapies.LA/LAA thrombus was determined by transesophageal echocardiography.Risk assessment of LA/LAA thrombus was performed using the CHADS2,CHA2DS2-VASc,MS,CHADS2-MS,and CHA2DS2-VASc-MS scores.Logistic regression analyses were performed to determine which factors were significantly related to LA/LAA thrombus.Odds ratio （OR） including 95% confidence interval was also calculated.The predictive powers of different scores for the risk of LA/LAA thrombus were represented by C-statistics and compared by receiver operating characteristic （ROC） analysis.Results：LA/LAA thrombi were identified in 56 patients （19.0%）.Logistic analysis showed that MS was the strongest risk factor for LA/LAA thrombus in NVAF patients （OR =14.698,P 〈 0.001）.ROC curve analyses revealed that the C-statistics of CHADS2-MS and CHA2DS2-VASc-MS was significantly higher than those of CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc scores （CHADS2-MS vs.CHADS2,0.807 vs.0.726,P=0.0019）.Furthermore,MS was helpful for identifying individuals with a high risk of LA/LAA thrombus in the population with a low risk of stroke （CHADS2 or CHA2DS2-VASc score =0）.Conclusions：MS is associated with LA/LAA thrombus risk in patients with NVAF.In addition to the CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc scores,the CHADS2-MS and CHA2DS2-VASc-MS scores provide additional information on stroke risk assessment.展开更多
Background： Warfarin is the most common oral anticoagulant to decrease the stroke risk associated with atrial fibrillation （AF）. There are very few prospective studies that have explored whether warfarin has an ass...Background： Warfarin is the most common oral anticoagulant to decrease the stroke risk associated with atrial fibrillation （AF）. There are very few prospective studies that have explored whether warfarin has an association with damage on renal function in Chinese patients with nonvalvular AF （NVAF）. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of warfarin on renal function and study the factors associated with kidney dysfunction in Chinese adult NVAF patients without dialysis therapy. Methods： From January 2011 to December 2013, a total of 951 NVAF patients from 18 hospitals were enrolled. The estimated glomerular filtration rate （eGFR） was calculated from baseline and fbllow-up serum creatinine levels. Kaplan-Meier survival curves compared the survival of a 〉25% decline in eGFR （hereafter, endpoint）~ while Cox models estimated hazard ratios （HRs） and 95% confidence intervals for this event after adjustment for age, gender, and selected potential risk factors for renal dysfunction. Cox regression analysis of the various clinical potential variables was performed to identify the predictors of a -〉25% decline in eGFR. Results： After a 58-month follow-up, 951 NVAF patients were divided by observation into warfarin （n = 655） and no anticoagulation groups （n = 296） and 120 （12.6%） patients experienced renal endpoint. Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that the survival period was not different in the two groups （χ2 = 0.178, log-rank P = 0.67）, but patients with systolic blood pressure （SBP） 〈140 mmHg have significant difference with patients with SBP ≥140 mmHg （χ2 = 4.903, log-rank P = 0.03）. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed baseline eGFR and SBP as independent predictors of the endpoint, with HRs of 1.00, and 1.02, respectively. Conclusion： In patients with NVAF, eGFR and SBP are associated with the deterioration of kidney function while Warfarin is not the risk factor of the ≥25% decline in eGFR.展开更多
Background Non-valvular atrial fibrillation is associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke; however, the appropriate intensity of anticoagulation therapy for Chinese patients has not been determined. The purp...Background Non-valvular atrial fibrillation is associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke; however, the appropriate intensity of anticoagulation therapy for Chinese patients has not been determined. The purpose of this study was to compare the safety and the efficacy of standard-intensity warfarin therapy, low-intensity warfarin therapy, and aspirin therapy for the prevention of ischemic events in Chinese patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation （NVAF）. Methods A total of 786 patients from 75 Chinese hospitals were enrolled in this study and randomized into three therapy groups： standard-intensity warfarin （international normalized ratio （INR） 2.1 to 2.5） group, low-intensity warfarin （INR 1.6 to 2.0） group and aspirin （200 mg per day） group. All patients were evaluated by physicians at 1,3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 and 24 months after randomization to obtain a patient questionnaire, physical examination and related laboratory tests. Results The annual event rates of ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack （TIA） or systemic thromboembolism were 2.6%, 3.1% and 6.9% in the standard-intensity warfarin, low-intensity warfarin and aspirin groups, respectively （P=0.027）. Thromboembolic event rates in both warfarin groups were significantly lower than that in the aspirin group （P=0.018, P=0.044）, and there was no significant difference between the two warfarin groups. Severe hemorrhagic events occurred in 15 patients, 7 （2.6%） in the standard-intensity warfarin group, 7 （2.4%） in the low-intensity warfarin group and 1 （0.4%） in the aspirin group. The severe hemorrhagic event rates in the warfarin groups were higher than that in the aspirin group, but the difference did not reach statistical significance （P=0.101）. The mild hemorrhagic and total hemorrhagic event rates in the warfarin groups （whether in the standard-intensity warfarin group or low-intensity warfarin group） were much higher than that in the aspirin group with the annual event rates of total hemorrhages of 10.2%, 7.6% and 2.2%, respectively, in the 3 groups （P=0.001）. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in all cause mortality among the three study groups. Conclusion In Chinese patients with NVAF, the warfarin therapy （INR 1.6-2.5） for the prevention of thromboembolic events was superior to aspirin.展开更多
Background: The association between peripheral leukocyte count and bleeding events in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients treated with dabigatran remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the associatio...Background: The association between peripheral leukocyte count and bleeding events in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients treated with dabigatran remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the association between leukocyte count and bleeding events after excluding other confounders in NVAF patients taking dabigatran. Methods: A total of 851 NVAF patients treated with dabigatran (110 mg bid) were recruited from 12 centers in China from February 2015 to December 2017. Follow-up was completed by May 2018. The exposure and outcome variables were leukocyte count measured at baseline and the number of bleeding events within the subsequent 6 months. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were constructed to analyze independent associations, and a Cox proportional hazards regression with cubic spline functions and smooth curve fitting (penalized spline method) was used to address nonlinearity between leukocyte count and bleeding. The inflection point was calculated using a recursive algorithm, and then a two-piecewise Cox proportional hazards model for both sides of the inflection point was constructed. Results: During 6-month follow-up, 87 participants occurred bleeding events. For every 1×10^9/L increase in leukocyte count, the risk of bleeding increased by 11%(hazard ratio [HR]: 1.11, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.99–1.25). The smooth curve showed nonlinear relationship between leukocyte count and bleeding events. The inflection point of the leukocyte count was 6.75×10^9/L. For leukocyte counts < 6.75×10^9/L, the HR (95% CI) was 0.88 (0.69–1.13), and for leukocyte counts ≥ 6.75×10^9/L, the HR (95% CI) was 1.28 (1.09–1.51). Conclusion: This study found a J-shaped association between baseline leukocyte count and risk of bleeding in NVAF patients treated with dabigatran.展开更多
基金Public Welfare Technology Project of Ningbo Science and Technology Bureau,No.2023S140Medical Health Science and Technology Project of Zhejiang Province Health Commission,No.2024KY1518.
文摘BACKGROUND Inflammatory indices derived from complete blood tests have been reported to be associated with poor outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation(AF).The data about the relationship between inflammatory indices and left atrial appendage thrombus(LAAT)or dense spontaneous echo contrast(SEC)are limited.AIM To explore the value of inflammatory indices for predicting the presence of LAAT or dense SEC in nonvalvular AF patients.METHODS A total of 406 patients with nonvalvular AF who underwent transesophageal echocardiography were included and divided into two groups based on the presence(study group)or absence(control group)of LAAT or dense SEC.Inflammatory indices,including the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio(NLR),platelet–tolymphocyte ratio(PLR),and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio(LMR),were calculated from complete blood analysis.The associations of inflammatory indices RESULTS LAAT and dense SEC were detected in 11(2.7%)and 42(10.3%)patients,respectively.The PLR only showed an association with LAAT/dense SEC in the univariate model.Elevated NLR(odds ratio[OR]=1.48,95%confidence interval[CI]:1.11-1.98,P=0.007)and reduced LMR(OR=0.59,95%CI:0.41-0.83,P=0.003)were found to be independent risk factors for the presence of LAAT/dense SEC.The areas under the NLR and LMR curves for predicting LAAT/dense SEC were 0.73(95%CI:0.66-0.80,P<0.001)and 0.73(95%CI:0.65-0.81,P<0.001),respectively,while the cutoff values were 2.8(sensitivity:69.8%;specificity:64.0%)and 2.4(sensitivity:71.7%;specificity:60.6%),respectively.CONCLUSION Increased NLR and decreased LMR may predict LAAT/dense SEC in patients with nonvalvular AF.
基金This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation project （No.81670364） and Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province （No. 2016A030313356）.
文摘Background：Metabolic syndrome （MS） is a risk factor for stroke and thromboembolism event.Left atrial or LA appendage （LA/LAA） thrombus is a surrogate of potential stroke.The relationship between MS and atrial thrombus remains unclear.In this study,we sought to investigate the effect of MS on risk stratification of LA/LAA thrombus formation in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation （NVAF）.Methods：This cross-sectional study enrolled 294 consecutive NVAF patients without prior anticoagulant and lipid-lowering therapies.LA/LAA thrombus was determined by transesophageal echocardiography.Risk assessment of LA/LAA thrombus was performed using the CHADS2,CHA2DS2-VASc,MS,CHADS2-MS,and CHA2DS2-VASc-MS scores.Logistic regression analyses were performed to determine which factors were significantly related to LA/LAA thrombus.Odds ratio （OR） including 95% confidence interval was also calculated.The predictive powers of different scores for the risk of LA/LAA thrombus were represented by C-statistics and compared by receiver operating characteristic （ROC） analysis.Results：LA/LAA thrombi were identified in 56 patients （19.0%）.Logistic analysis showed that MS was the strongest risk factor for LA/LAA thrombus in NVAF patients （OR =14.698,P 〈 0.001）.ROC curve analyses revealed that the C-statistics of CHADS2-MS and CHA2DS2-VASc-MS was significantly higher than those of CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc scores （CHADS2-MS vs.CHADS2,0.807 vs.0.726,P=0.0019）.Furthermore,MS was helpful for identifying individuals with a high risk of LA/LAA thrombus in the population with a low risk of stroke （CHADS2 or CHA2DS2-VASc score =0）.Conclusions：MS is associated with LA/LAA thrombus risk in patients with NVAF.In addition to the CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc scores,the CHADS2-MS and CHA2DS2-VASc-MS scores provide additional information on stroke risk assessment.
文摘Background： Warfarin is the most common oral anticoagulant to decrease the stroke risk associated with atrial fibrillation （AF）. There are very few prospective studies that have explored whether warfarin has an association with damage on renal function in Chinese patients with nonvalvular AF （NVAF）. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of warfarin on renal function and study the factors associated with kidney dysfunction in Chinese adult NVAF patients without dialysis therapy. Methods： From January 2011 to December 2013, a total of 951 NVAF patients from 18 hospitals were enrolled. The estimated glomerular filtration rate （eGFR） was calculated from baseline and fbllow-up serum creatinine levels. Kaplan-Meier survival curves compared the survival of a 〉25% decline in eGFR （hereafter, endpoint）~ while Cox models estimated hazard ratios （HRs） and 95% confidence intervals for this event after adjustment for age, gender, and selected potential risk factors for renal dysfunction. Cox regression analysis of the various clinical potential variables was performed to identify the predictors of a -〉25% decline in eGFR. Results： After a 58-month follow-up, 951 NVAF patients were divided by observation into warfarin （n = 655） and no anticoagulation groups （n = 296） and 120 （12.6%） patients experienced renal endpoint. Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that the survival period was not different in the two groups （χ2 = 0.178, log-rank P = 0.67）, but patients with systolic blood pressure （SBP） 〈140 mmHg have significant difference with patients with SBP ≥140 mmHg （χ2 = 4.903, log-rank P = 0.03）. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed baseline eGFR and SBP as independent predictors of the endpoint, with HRs of 1.00, and 1.02, respectively. Conclusion： In patients with NVAF, eGFR and SBP are associated with the deterioration of kidney function while Warfarin is not the risk factor of the ≥25% decline in eGFR.
文摘Background Non-valvular atrial fibrillation is associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke; however, the appropriate intensity of anticoagulation therapy for Chinese patients has not been determined. The purpose of this study was to compare the safety and the efficacy of standard-intensity warfarin therapy, low-intensity warfarin therapy, and aspirin therapy for the prevention of ischemic events in Chinese patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation （NVAF）. Methods A total of 786 patients from 75 Chinese hospitals were enrolled in this study and randomized into three therapy groups： standard-intensity warfarin （international normalized ratio （INR） 2.1 to 2.5） group, low-intensity warfarin （INR 1.6 to 2.0） group and aspirin （200 mg per day） group. All patients were evaluated by physicians at 1,3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 and 24 months after randomization to obtain a patient questionnaire, physical examination and related laboratory tests. Results The annual event rates of ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack （TIA） or systemic thromboembolism were 2.6%, 3.1% and 6.9% in the standard-intensity warfarin, low-intensity warfarin and aspirin groups, respectively （P=0.027）. Thromboembolic event rates in both warfarin groups were significantly lower than that in the aspirin group （P=0.018, P=0.044）, and there was no significant difference between the two warfarin groups. Severe hemorrhagic events occurred in 15 patients, 7 （2.6%） in the standard-intensity warfarin group, 7 （2.4%） in the low-intensity warfarin group and 1 （0.4%） in the aspirin group. The severe hemorrhagic event rates in the warfarin groups were higher than that in the aspirin group, but the difference did not reach statistical significance （P=0.101）. The mild hemorrhagic and total hemorrhagic event rates in the warfarin groups （whether in the standard-intensity warfarin group or low-intensity warfarin group） were much higher than that in the aspirin group with the annual event rates of total hemorrhages of 10.2%, 7.6% and 2.2%, respectively, in the 3 groups （P=0.001）. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in all cause mortality among the three study groups. Conclusion In Chinese patients with NVAF, the warfarin therapy （INR 1.6-2.5） for the prevention of thromboembolic events was superior to aspirin.
文摘Background: The association between peripheral leukocyte count and bleeding events in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients treated with dabigatran remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the association between leukocyte count and bleeding events after excluding other confounders in NVAF patients taking dabigatran. Methods: A total of 851 NVAF patients treated with dabigatran (110 mg bid) were recruited from 12 centers in China from February 2015 to December 2017. Follow-up was completed by May 2018. The exposure and outcome variables were leukocyte count measured at baseline and the number of bleeding events within the subsequent 6 months. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were constructed to analyze independent associations, and a Cox proportional hazards regression with cubic spline functions and smooth curve fitting (penalized spline method) was used to address nonlinearity between leukocyte count and bleeding. The inflection point was calculated using a recursive algorithm, and then a two-piecewise Cox proportional hazards model for both sides of the inflection point was constructed. Results: During 6-month follow-up, 87 participants occurred bleeding events. For every 1×10^9/L increase in leukocyte count, the risk of bleeding increased by 11%(hazard ratio [HR]: 1.11, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.99–1.25). The smooth curve showed nonlinear relationship between leukocyte count and bleeding events. The inflection point of the leukocyte count was 6.75×10^9/L. For leukocyte counts < 6.75×10^9/L, the HR (95% CI) was 0.88 (0.69–1.13), and for leukocyte counts ≥ 6.75×10^9/L, the HR (95% CI) was 1.28 (1.09–1.51). Conclusion: This study found a J-shaped association between baseline leukocyte count and risk of bleeding in NVAF patients treated with dabigatran.
