Deciding the Gold Standard for Oral Anticoagulation Therapy

Healthcare practitioners have many anticoagulant options for treating various disease states pertaining to blood clots and blood clot formation. Each anticoagulant has pros and cons and the decision of which pharmacological agent to use can be confusing and difficult. In years past, Vitamin K antagonists have been the standard of care when treating specific disease states such as atrial fibrillation and venous thromboembolism based on habit and cost of care. The emergence of newer anticoagulants should be considered the new standard of care based on the evidence presented over the last several years.

Dual versus single antiplatelet therapy for patients with long-term oral anticoagulation undergoing coronary intervention： a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective The main aim of this meta-analysis is to compare the efficacy and safety of dual versus single antiplatelet therapy for pa- tients taking oral anticoagulation （OAC） after coronary intervention. Background The optimal regimen remains controversial for patients taking OAC after coronary intervention. Methods PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched for eligible studies including data of triple therapy （TT） versus OAC plus single antiplatelet therapy for patients requiring OAC after coronary intervention. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event （MACCE）. The safety outcome was major bleeding. Results Fourteen studies with 32,825 patients were included. Among prospective studies, patients with TT had a trend toward a higher risk of major bleeding [odds ratios （OR）： 1.56, 95% confidence interval （CI）： 0.98-2.49, P = 0.06] and a markedly higher risk of all-cause death （OR; 2.11, 95% CI： 1.10-4.06 P = 0.02） compared with OAC plus clopidogrel. Meanwhile, TT was associated with decreased risks of MACCE （OR： 0.63, 95% CI： 051-0.77 P 〈 0.0001）, all-cause death （OR： 0.45, 95% CI： 0.20-0.97, P = 0.04）, and stroke/transient ischemic attack （TIA）/peripheral embolism （PE） （OR= 0.29, 95% CI： 0.09~3.96, P = 0.04） compared with OAC plus aspirin. Conclusions For pa- tients requiring OAC after coronary intervention, OAC plus clopidogrel may bring more clinical net benefit than TT, whereas OAC plus aspirin should be the last choice. More large-size randomized control trials are needed to confirm these findings.

Compliance and adherence to oral anticoagulation therapy in elderly patients with atrial fibrillation in the era of direct oral anticoagulants

Thromboembolic complications represent a substantial problem in patients with atrial fibrillation （AF）. The prevalence of AF burden and associated arterial and venous thrombosis progressively increases with age. At the same time, representative national data regarding stroke incidence in AF patients aged 80 and older are limited.

Triple antithrombotic therapy versus double antiplatelet therapy after percutaneous coronary intervention with stent implantation in patients requiring chronic oral anticoagulation： a meta-analysis

Background Whether an addition of OAC to double antiplatelet therapy for patients with an indication of chronic oral anticoagulation undergoing PCI-S may improve clinical outcomes is still debated. This meta-analysis aimed to update and re-compare the benefits and risks of triple antithrombotic therapy （TT） with double anti-platelet therapy （DAPT） after in patients who requiring oral anticoagulation after percutaneous coronary interventions with stenting （PCI-s）. Methods Ten reports of observational retrospective or prospective studies were retrieved, including a total of 6296 patients, follow-up period ranging from 1 year to 2 years. Results Baseline characteristics were similar in both groups. The main finding of this study is the overall incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events （MACE）, myocardial infarction （MI） and stent thrombosis was comparable between two groups. Patients with TT was associated with significant reduction in ischemic stroke （OR： 0.27; 95% CI： 0.13-0.57; P=0.0006） as compared to DAPT. We reaffirmed triple therapy significantly increased the risk of major bleeding （OR： 1.47; 95% CI： 1.22-1.78; P 〈0.0001） and minor bleeding （OR： 1.55; 95% CI： 1.07-2.24; P=-0.02）. Conclusions Triple therapy is more efficacious in reducing the occurrence of ischemic stroke in PCI-s patients with an indication of chronic oral anticoagulation （OAC）, compared with DAPT. However, it significantly increased major and minor risk of bleeding. It is imperative that further prospective randomized controlled trials are required to define the best therapeutic strateav for patients with an indication of chronic OAC underaoina PCI-s.

Assessment of delayed bleeding after endoscopic submucosal dissection of early-stage gastrointestinal tumors in patients receiving direct oral anticoagulants

Delayed bleeding is a major and serious adverse event of endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD)for early-stage gastrointestinal tumors.The rate of post-ESD bleeding for gastric cancer is higher(around 5%-8%)than that for esophagus,duodenum and colon cancer(around 2%-4%).Although investigations into the risk factors for post-ESD bleeding have identified several procedure-,lesion-,physician-and patient-related factors,use of antithrombotic drugs,especially anticoagulants[direct oral anticoagulants(DOACs)and warfarin],is thought to be the biggest risk factor for post-ESD bleeding.In fact,the post-ESD bleeding rate in patients receiving DOACs is 8.7%-20.8%,which is higher than that in patients not receiving anticoagulants.However,because clinical guidelines for management of ESD in patients receiving DOACs differ among countries,it is necessary for endoscopists to identify ways to prevent post-ESD delayed bleeding in clinical practice.Given that the pharmacokinetics(e.g.,plasma DOAC level at both trough and T_(max))and pharmacodynamics(e.g.,anti-factor Xa activity)of DOACs are related to risk of major bleeding,plasma DOAC level and anti-FXa activity may be useful parameters for monitoring the anti-coagulate effect and identifying DOAC patients at higher risk of post-ESD bleeding.

Direct oral anticoagulants for the treatment of splanchnic vein thrombosis:A state of art

Splanchnic vein thrombosis(SVT)is a manifestation of venous thromboembolism in an unusual site.Portal,mesenteric,and splenic veins are the most common vessels involved in SVT which occurs mainly in patients with liver cirrhosis,although non-cirrhotic patients could be affected as well.Thrombosis of hepatic veins,also known as Budd-Chiari syndrome,is another manifestation of SVT.Prompt diagnosis and intervention are mandatory in order to increase the recalization rate and reduce the risk of thrombus progression and hypertensive complications.Traditional anticoagulation with heparin and vitamin-K antagonists is the treatment of choice in these cases.However,recent studies have shown promising results on the efficacy and safety of direct oral anticoagulants(DOACs)in this setting.Available results are mainly based on retrospective studies with small sample size,but first clinical trials have been published in the last years.This manuscript aims to provide an updated overview of the current evidence regarding the role of DOACs for SVT in both cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic patients.

Liver injury from direct oral anticoagulants

BACKGROUND Drug-induced liver injury(DILI)can be caused by any prescribed drug and is a significant reason for the withdrawal of newly launched drugs.Direct-acting oral anticoagulants(DOACs)are non-vitamin K-based antagonists recently introduced and increasingly used for various clinical conditions.A meta-analysis of 29 randomised controlled trials and 152116 patients reported no increased risk of DILI with DOACs.However,it is challenging to predict the risk factors for DILI in individual patients with exclusion of patients with pre-existing liver disease from these studies.AIM To determine the risk factors and outcomes of patients who developed DILI secondary to DOACs by systematic review and meta-summary of recent case reports and series.METHODS A systematic search was conducted on multiple databases including PubMed,Science Direct,Reference Citation Analysis,and Google Scholar.The search terms included“Acute Liver Failure”OR“Acute-On-Chronic Liver Failure”OR“Acute Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury”OR“Chronic Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury”AND“Factor Xa Inhibitors”OR“Dabigatran”OR“Rivaroxaban”OR“apixaban”OR“betrixaban”OR“edoxaban”OR“Otamixaban”.The results were filtered for literature published in English and on adult patients.Only case reports and case studies reporting cases of DILI secondary to DOACs were included.Data on demographics,comorbidities,medication history,laboratory investigations,imaging,histology,management,and outcomes were extracted.RESULTS A total of 15 studies(13 case reports and 2 case series)were included in the analysis,comprising 27 patients who developed DILI secondary to DOACs.Rivaroxaban was the most commonly implicated DOAC(n=20,74.1%).The mean time to onset of DILI was 40.6 d.The most common symptoms were jaundice(n=15,55.6%),malaise(n=9,33.3%),and vomiting(n=9,33.3%).Laboratory investigations showed elevated liver enzymes and bilirubin levels.Imaging studies and liver biopsies revealed features of acute hepatitis and cholestatic injury.Most patients had a favourable outcome,and only 1 patient(3.7%)died due to liver failure.CONCLUSION DOACs are increasingly used for various clinical conditions,and DILI secondary to DOACs is a rare but potentially serious complication.Prompt identification and cessation of the offending drug are crucial for the management of DILI.Most patients with DILI secondary to DOACs have a favourable outcome,but a small proportion may progress to liver failure and death.Further research,including post-marketing population-based studies,is needed to better understand the incidence and risk factors for DILI secondary to DOACs.

临床药师参与1例心力衰竭、心肌梗死合并房颤患者的药物治疗

目的梳理复杂治疗方案后的抗栓方案,重整抗栓药物和疗程,纠正不合理用药,促进合理用药。方法临床药师介入1例心力衰竭、多次因心肌梗死植入多枚支架,合并房颤,行射频消融和左心耳封堵患者的药物治疗,重整抗栓药物方案,并全程监控治疗药物,就不合理用药提出警示。结果患者明显好转,住院及出院随访期间未发生不良事件。结论临床药师的参与有助于精细化管理患者的药物治疗方案,并及时纠正不合理用药,更好的为患者服务。

Multicenter experience with photoselective vaporization of the prostate on men taking novel oral anticoagulants

Objective:Photoselective vaporization of the prostate(PVP)is a widely performed surgical procedure for benign prostatic obstruction.This approach has become particular favoured for men on anti-platelet and anticoagulation agents such as clopidogrel and warfarin but there is minimal published experience in the setting of novel oral anticoagulants(NOACs).This study was to examine the perioperative outcomes in men on NOACs undergoing PVP,with particular reference to perioperative morbidity.Methods:A retrospective analysis of PVP datasets was undertaken from three centres in Sydney(Australia),Toulouse(France)and Boston(USA).Subjects who had been treated whilst on NOACs without discontinuation or bridging were identified.Perioperative outcomes and treatment parameters were examined and morbidity recorded according to Clavien-Dindo(CD)classification.Results:There were a total of 20 subjects who had undergone PVP whilst NOACs had been continued during the perioperative period.The mean age was 776.5 years.The mean prostate volume,energy utilization and vaporisation time was 9456 mL,301211 kJ,and 3521 min respectively.The mean postoperative duration of catheterization and duration of hospitalization was 2.22.4 days and 2.42.4 days respectively.There was a single episode of urinary tract infection and four subjects required re-catheterisation for non-hematuric retentions.Conclusions:This study supports the safety of men on NOACs undergoing PVP.Whilst this study represents the largest experience of PVP in these men,larger studies are necessary to confirm the safety of PVP in this group of men undergoing BPH-related surgery.

Peribulbar anesthesia in 750 patients treated with oral anticoagulants

AIM: To check the safety of continuation of oral anticoagulants in ophthalmic procedures requiring a peribulbar anesthesia. ·METHODS: A prospective case control study included 750 patients with oral anticoagulants in group A and 750 patients who had never been treated with oral anticoagulant in group B. Hemorrhages were graded as follows: 1) spot ecchymosis of eyelid and or subconjunctival hemorrhage; 2) eyelid ecchymosis involving half of the lid surface area; 3) eyelid ecchymosis all around the eye,no increase in intraocular pressure; 4) retrobulbar hemorrhage with increased intraocular pressure. ·RESULTS: In group A,grade 1 was observed in 13 patients(1.74%) and grade 2 in 2 patients(0.26%). In group B,grade 1 was observed in 12 patients(1.6%) and grade 2 was absent. No 3 or 4 hemorrhage grade was encountered in both groups. There was not significant difference in grade 1 hemorrhage between both groups(P =0.21). ·CONCLUSION: Oral anticoagulants were not associated with a significant increase in potentially sight-threatening local anesthetic complications.

Systemic right ventricle complications in levo-transposition of the great arteries: A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND Congenitally corrected levo-transposition of the great arteries(L-TGA)is a congenital heart disease in which the ventricles and great arteries are transposed from their typical anatomy.In L-TGA,the double discordance,atrioventricular and ventriculoarterial,create an acyanotic milieu which allows patients to survive their early decades,however,progressive systemic right ventricle(sRV)dys-function creates complications later in life.sRV dysfunction and remodeling predisposes patients to intracardiac thrombus(ICT)formation.CASE SUMMARY A 40-year-old male with L-TGA presented with symptoms of acute decom-pensated heart failure.In childhood,he had surgical repair of a ventricular septal defect.In adulthood,he developed sRV dysfunction,systemic tricuspid valve(sTV)regurgitation,and left-bundle branch block for which he underwent cardiac resynchronization therapy.Transthoracic echocardiogram showed a sRV ejection fraction of 40%,severe sTV regurgitation,and a newly identified sRV ICT.ICT was confirmed by ultrasound-enhancing agents and transesophageal echocardio-graphy.Our patient was optimized with guideline-directed medical therapy and diuresis.Anticoagulation was achieved with a vitamin K antagonist(VKA)and he was later referred for evaluation by advanced heart failure and heart transplant services.CONCLUSION Anticoagulation with VKA is the mainstay of treatment in the absence of conclusive data supporting direct oral anticoagulant use in ICT in patients with congenital heart disease.This case illustrates the natural history of L-TGA and highlights the importance of surveillance and monitoring with dedicated cardiac imaging to identify complications.

Effectiveness and safety of apixaban and rivaroxaban vs warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation and chronic kidney disease

BACKGROUND Randomized controlled trials(RCTs)of direct oral anticoagulants(DOACs)included a low proportion of atrial fibrillation(AF)patients with chronic kidney disease(CKD),and suggested that DOACs are safe and effective in patients with mild-to-moderate CKD.In a metanalysis of RCTs and observational studies,DOACs were associated with better efficacy(vs warfarin)in early CKD and had similar efficacy and safety profiles in patients with stages IV-V CKD.But few studies have provided data on the safety and effectiveness of each DOAC vs warfarin in patients with stage III CKD.The effectiveness and safety of DOACs in those patients are still subject to debate.AIM To assess and compare the effectiveness and safety of apixaban and rivaroxaban vs warfarin in this patient population.METHODS A cohort of patients with an inpatient or outpatient code for AF and stage III CKD who were newly prescribed apixaban and rivaroxaban was created using the administrative databases from the Quebec province of Canada between 2013 and 2017.The primary effectiveness outcome was a composite of ischemic stroke,systemic embolism,and death,whereas the primary safety outcome was a composite of major bleeding within a year of DOAC vs warfarin initiation.Treatment groups were compared in an under-treatment analysis using inverse probability of treatment weighting and Cox proportional hazards.RESULTS A total of 8899 included patients filled out a new oral anticoagulation therapy claim;3335 for warfarin and 5564 for DOACs.Compared with warfarin,15 mg and 20 mg rivaroxaban presented a similar effectiveness and safety composite risk.Apixaban 5.0 mg was associated with a lower effectiveness composite risk[Hazard ratio(HR)0.76;95%confidence interval(CI):0.65-0.88]and a similar safety risk(HR 0.94;95%CI:0.66-1.35).Apixaban 2.5 mg was associated with a similar effectiveness composite(HR 1.00;95%CI:0.79-1.26)and a lower safety risk(HR 0.65;95%CI:0.43-0.99.Although,apixaban 5.0 mg was associated with a better effectiveness(HR 0.76;95%CI:0.65-0.88),but a similar safety risk profile(HR 0.94;95%CI:0.66-1.35).The observed improvement in the effectiveness composite for apixaban 5.0 mg was driven by a reduction in mortality(HR 0.61;95%CI:0.43-0.88).CONCLUSION In comparison with warfarin,rivaroxaban and apixaban appear to be effective and safe in AF patients with stage III CKD.

Is dual therapy the correct strategy in frail elderly patients with atrial fibrillation and acute coronary syndrome?

Atrial fibrillation(AF)is a very common arrhythmia in clinical practice.Its incidence and prevalence are age-related and are growing in the last years.Age is a risk factor also for coronary artery disease(CAD),and with the evolution of preventive care,the first event(acute coronary syndrome(ACS)or percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI))takes place at a later age.If elderly patients with AF and CAD undergo ACS or PCI,they have indication to assume triple therapy.Triple therapy(oral anticoagulation(OAC)plus dual antiplatelet therapy(DAPT))exposes patients to high bleeding risk.In the last 10 years,several clinical trials have tested dual therapy(OAC plus single antiplatelet therapy)in AF patients who undergo ACS or elective PCI.WOEST trial has tested warfarin+clopidogrel against triple therapy.PIONEER AF-PCI trial has tested low-dose rivaroxaban+P2Y12 inhibitor or very low-dose rivaroxaban+DAPT against standard triple therapy with warfarin.RE-DUAL PCI trial has tested two doses of dabigatran+P2Y12 inhibitor against standard triple therapy with Warfarin.AUGUSTUS trial has tested apixaban against warfarin both in dual therapy with P2Y12 inhibitor and in triple therapy with a P2Y12 inhibitor and aspirin.ENTRUST-AF PCI,last published study,has tested edoxaban+P2Y12 inhibitor against triple therapy.All these trials show dual therapy reduces significantly bleeding risk than triple therapy.In this paper,we analyze these clinical trials to understand if dual therapy results can be applied to elderly patients and what is probably the better approach in elderly AF patients undergo to ACS or PCI.

Impact of triple antithrombotic therapy in patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention in real-world practice

Objective The optimal antithrombotic regimen for patients on oral anticoagulation （OAC） after acute coronary syndrome （ACS） and percutaneous coronary intervention （PCI） remains debated. This study sought to evaluate the efficacy and safety of OAC plus clopidogrel with or without aspirin in a real-world setting. Methods We retrospectively analyzed data from an international, multi-center registry be- tween 2003 and 2014 （n = 15,401）. Patients with ACS and receiving OAC after PCI were screened. The composite primary endpoint was 1-year all-cause death, re-infarction, or severe bleeding. Results The final analysis enrolled 642 patients including 62 patients （9.7%） with OAC and clopidogrel （dual therapy）, and 580 patients （90.3%） with the combination of aspirin, OAC and clopidogrel （triple therapy）. Pa- tients on triple therapy were more often female and were more likely to have comorbidities. There was no significant difference regarding the primary end point between dual therapy with triple therapy patients [17.74% vs. 17.24%; unadjusted hazard ratio （HR）： 1.035; 95% confi- dence interval （CI）： 0.556-1.929; adjusted HR： 1.026; 95% CI： 0.544-1.937]. However, the re-infarction rate was significantly higher in dual therapy than triple therapy patients （14.52% vs. 5.34%; unadjusted HR： 2.807; 95% CI： 1.329-5.928; adjusted HR： 2.333; 95% CI： 1.078-5.047）. In addition, there was no difference between two regimes in all-cause death and severe bleeding. Conclusions In real-life patients with ACS following PCI and with an indication of OAC, triple therapy was not associated with an increased rate of adverse out- comes compared to dual therapy. Moreover, it decreased risk of re-infarction and did not increase risk of severe bleeding.

The risk of bleeding of triple therapy with vitamin K-antagonists,aspirin and clopidogrel after coronary stent implantation:Facts and questions

Background Triple therapy(TT)with vitamin K-antagonists(VKA),aspirin and clopidogrel is the recommended antithrombotic treatment following percutaneous coronary intervention with stent implantation(PCI-S)in patients with an indication for oral anticoagulation.TT is associated with an increased risk of bleeding,but available evidence is flawed by important limitations,including the limited size and the retrospective design of most of the studies,as well as the rare reporting of the incidence of in-hospital bleeding and the treatment which was actually ongoing at the time of bleeding.Since the perceived high bleeding risk of TT may deny patients effective strategies,the determination of the true safety profile of TT is of paramount importance.Methods All the 27 published studies where the incidence of bleeding at various time points during follow-up has been reported separately for patients on TT were reviewed,and the weakness of the data was analyzed.Results The absolute incidence of major bleeding upon discharge at in-hospital,≤1 month,6 months,12 months and≥12 months was:3.3%±1.9%,5.1%±6.7%,8.0%±5.2%,9.0%±8.0,and 6.2%±7.8%,respectively,and not substantially different from that observed in previous studies with prolonged dual antiplatelet treatment with aspirin and clopidogrel.Conclusions While waiting for the ongoing,large-scale,registries and clinical trials to clarify the few facts and to answer the many questions regarding the risk of bleeding of TT,this treatment should not be denied to patients with an indication for VKA undergoing PCI-S provided that the proper measures and cautions are implemented.

Efficacy and safety of novel anticoagulants in the elderly

Atrial fibrillation and venous thromboembolism （VTE） are common disorders associated with maleficent thrombotic events, particularly in the elderly patients. Polypharmacy, co-morbidities, and altered pharmacokinetics, often present in these patients, render the use of antico-agulants quite challenging. Novel oral anticoagulants （NOACs） have recently emerged as alternatives to Vitamin K Antagonists （VKAs） and are gradually increasing their popularity mainly because of their fewer drug and food interactions and ease of use. Their effectiveness and safety has been weU-established in the general population but the balance between benefit and harm in the elderly is still unclear. Routine use in these patients is uncommon. Accumulating data have shown that the benefit of NOACs is consistent among all age groups, featuring equal or greater efficacy in preventing thrombotic events. Excess bleedings were lower with NOACs in comparison to VKAs, but bleeding patterns were disparate among them and head to head comparison is not available. The present review highlights on the efficacy and safety of novel anticoagulants in the elderly population.

Dabigatran,rivaroxaban,and apixaban are superior to warfarin in Asian patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation:An updated metaanalysis

BACKGROUND Most of the randomized clinical trials that led to the wide use of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation(AF)originated from western countries.AIM To systematically review and quantitatively synthesize the real-world data regarding the efficacy and safety of dabigatran,rivaroxaban,and apixaban compared to warfarin for stroke prevention in Asian patients with non-valvular AF.METHODS Medline,Cochrane,and ClinicalTrial.gov databases were reviewed.A randomeffect model meta-analysis was used and I-square was utilized to assess the heterogeneity.The primary outcome was ischemic stroke.The secondary outcomes were all-cause mortality,major bleeding,intracranial hemorrhage,and gastrointestinal bleeding.RESULTS Twelve studies from East Asia or Southeast Asia and 441450 patients were included.Dabigatran,rivaroxaban,and apixaban were associated with a significant reduction in the incidence of ischemic stroke[hazard ratio(HR)=0.78,95%confidence interval(CI):0.65-0.94;HR=0.79,95%CI:0.74-0.85,HR=0.70,95%CI:0.62-0.78;respectively],all-cause mortality(HR=0.68,95%CI:0.56-0.83;HR=0.66,95%CI:0.52-0.84;HR=0.66,95%CI:0.49-0.90;respectively),and major bleeding(HR=0.61,95%CI:0.54-0.69;HR=0.70,95%CI:0.54-0.90;HR=0.58,95%CI:0.43-0.78;respectively)compared to warfarin.CONCLUSION Dabigatran,rivaroxaban,and apixaban appear to be superior to warfarin in both efficacy and safety in Asians with non-valvular AF.

Burden of venous thromboembolism in patients with pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer(PC)is a devastating malignancy with fewer than 10%of patients being alive at 5 years after diagnosis.Venous thromboembolism(VTE)occurs in approximatively 20%of patients with PC,resulting in increased morbidity,mortality and significant health care costs.The management of VTE is particularly challenging in these frail patients.Adequate selection of the most appropriate anticoagulant for each individual patient according to the current international guidelines is warranted for overcoming treatment challenges.The International Initiative on Thrombosis and Cancer multi-language web-based mobile application(downloadable for free at www.itaccme.com)has been developed to help clinicians in decision making in the most complex situations.In this narrative review,we will discuss the contemporary epidemiology and burden of VTE in PC patients,the performances and limitations of current risk assessment models to predict the risk of VTE,as well as evidence from recent clinical trials for the primary prophylaxis and treatment of cancer-associated VTE that support updated clinical practice guidelines.

Does novel oral anticoagulant improve anticoagulation for non-valvular atrial fibrillation associated stroke: An inpatient registration study in Shanghai

Objective:To summarize the use rate,safety,efficacy of antithrombotics in stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA) prevention,and reasons for not using dabigatran etexilate (DE) in Shanghai,China.Methods:Non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF)-associated stroke patients were prospectively registered as an electronic database.Use rate of antithrombofics and reasons for not using DE were extracted during follow-up.Patients' baseline characteristics,recurrent ischemic stroke/TIA events and bleeding complications were analyzed.Patients:From April 2012 to August 2014,110 inpatients with NVAF-associated stroke were studied in our hospital.NVAF was diagnosed by 12-lead electrocardiogram,24 h Holter and echocardiography.Results:Before introduction of DE (April 2013),use rates of warfarin and antiplatelets were 28.9％ (11/38) and 60.5％ (23/38)respectively; after that,use rates of warfarin,DE,and antiplatelets were 20.8％ (15/72),12.5％ (9/72),and 43.1％ (31/72).The DE did not improve use of anticoagulants (P =0.639).There were 19 (17.3％) recurrent ischemic stroke events up to October 2015; two (9.5％) in the non-user group,10 (18.5％) in the antiplatelet group,and seven (20.0％) in the anticoagulants group (P =0.570).Furthermore,recurrence rates were similar between the DE group (20.0％) and the Warfarin group (20.0％,P =1.000).The most common reason for not using DE was financial concerns (61.0％),followed by inconvenience to purchase (14.0％) and hemorrhage concerns (11.0％).Two patients using warfarin found fecal occult blood so they stopped warfarin and began to use antiplatelet drugs.No bleeding event occurred in the other groups.Only one patient had side effects (dyspepsia and gastroesophageal reflux)from DE.Conclusion:The use rate of either DE or warfarin in Shanghai was low; DE had not improved anticoagulation therapy for NVAF patients in Shanghai mainly because DE had not been covered by health insurance.

Clinical characteristics and type of antithrombotic treatment in a Spanish cohort of elderly patients with atrial fibrillation according to dependency, frailty and cognitive impairment

Background Available data regarding clinical profile and management of elderly patients with atrial fibrillation （AF） according to dependency, fragility and cognitive impairment are scarce. The objective of the study was to analyze the biodemographic data, clinical profile and antithrombotic treatment according to dependency, fragility and cognitive impairment in elderly AF patients. Methods Cross- sectional and multi-center study performed in consecutive AF patients ≥ 75 years treated with oral anticoagulants ≥ 3 months attended in Internal Medicine Departments in Spain. Results A total of 837 patients （83.0 ± 5.0 years; CHA2DS2-VASc： 5.0 ± 1.4; HAS-BLED： 2.1 ± 0.9） were included. 44.4% of patients had some degree of dependency, 43.3% were fragile, and 32.3% had cognitive impairment. Patients with any of these conditions were older, had a worse clinical profile, with more comorbidities and higher risks of thromboembolic and bleeding events. All these conditions were independently associated among them. Overall, 70.8% of patients were taking vitamin K antagonists, the remaining 29.2% direct oral anticoagulants and 9.7% oral antiplatelets. This distribution was independent of the presence of dependency or fragility, but there was a trend to a higher prescription of vitamin K antagonists in those patients with cognitive impairment （75.2% vs. 68.8%; P = 0.05）. Conclusions Approximately 32%-44% of elderly anticoagulated AF patients attended have some degree of dependency, fragility and/or cognitive impairment. Patients with any of these conditions are older and have a worse clinical profile. Ap？proximately 71% of patients are taking vitamin K antagonists, regardless dependency or frailty, but with a trend to higher prescription in patients with cognitive impairment.