Significant Differences In Stroke Research Articles

Effect of catheter ablation in atrial fibrillation patients irrespective of their baseline heart failure: An updated meta-analysis

Abstract Introduction Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) are associated with higher morbidity and mortality. Catheter ablation (CA) is supposed to improve outcomes in these patients. We aimed to update the evidence regarding CA in AF patients irrespective of their baseline heart failure. Methods We searched PubMed, Scopus, WOS, and Cochrane until February 2024 for relevant studies assessing the impact of CA compared to medical regimens in AF patients with and without heart failure. Outcomes of interest were all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, hospitalization for HF, hospitalization for other cardiovascular causes, and stroke. Results 13 studies were included with a total of 18370 patients. In HF patients, irrespective to their ejection fraction, CA was associated with a significant reduction in all-cause mortality (RR 0.40, 95%CI [0.37 to 0.44], cardiovascular mortality (RR 0.36, 95%CI [0.32 to 0.42]), hospitalization from HF (RR 0.65, 95%CI [0.51 to 0.82]), hospitalization from other cardiovascular causes (RR 0.71, 95%CI [0.57 to 0.89]), and the incidence of stroke (RR 0.55, 95%CI [0.50 to 0.62]). Also, six studies with a total of 2015 patients compared CA to medical treatment in AF patients with HFrEF and HFpEF. CA showed a significant reduction in all-cause mortality in HFpEF patients compared to HFrEF (RR 0.46, 95%CI [0.25 to 0.85]) with no significant differences in terms of other studied outcomes. Moreover, six studies compared CA to medical treatment in HF vs no HF with a total of 2931 patients. Patients with AF and no HF had a significant reduction in all-cause mortality (RR .041, 95%CI [0.20 to 0.80]), with no significant differences in stroke or AF recurrence. Conclusion Current evidence supports the use of catheter ablation in atrial fibrillation patients, irrespective of their baseline heart failure, to achieve lower mortality and hospitalization rates.all-cause mortalitycardiovascular mortality

Left Atrial Appendage Thrombus as a Marker of Disease Severity in 500 Patients with Atrial Fibrillation on Oral Anticoagulation: A 13-Year Follow-Up Study.

Background/Objective: Whether left atrial appendage thrombus (LAAT) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) on chronic anticoagulation significantly increases cardiovascular risk is unknown. This study aimed to assess LAAT prevalence and its predictive role in cardiovascular events among consecutive anticoagulated patients with AF admitted for electrical cardioversion. Methods: This prospective study included 500 patients. The primary outcome was LAAT on transesophageal echocardiography. Patients were followed up for a median of 1927.5 (interquartile range 1004-2643) days to assess cardiovascular events. Results: LAAT was detected in 65 (13%) patients. No significant differences in stroke, transient ischemic attack, systemic thromboembolic events, or myocardial infarction prevalence were observed between patients with AF with and without LAAT. Hospitalization for heart failure (HF) was more frequent in patients with LAAT than in those without LAAT; however, the effect of LAAT on HF hospitalization was not statistically significant. Patients with LAAT had a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular death than those without LAAT. LAAT and greater left atrial (LA) diameter were associated with higher rates of cardiovascular death. The independent HF hospitalization predictors were greater LA diameter, lower left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Conclusions: Patients with AF who received anticoagulation therapy showed a high prevalence of LAAT. LAAT and greater LA diameter were associated with significantly higher rates of cardiovascular death. LAAT, greater LA diameter, lower LVEF, and lower eGFR were associated with poor prognosis in anticoagulated patients with AF and were predictors of disease severity.

Ten-year prognosis of acute atrial fibrillation in ST-elevation myocardial infarction: recurrence and stroke risk

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements None. Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) often complicates ST elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI), with associated risks including stroke and mortality. Anticoagulation therapy for these patients and AF prognosis remains controversial. The aim was to evaluate long-term prognosis of STEMI patients complicated with AF in the acute phase. Methods We performed a prospective register involving 4,184 patients admitted for STEMI to the intensive cardiac care unit of two tertiary centres from 2007 to 2015. Patients with pre-existing permanent AF were excluded. Out of these, 269 (6.4%) patients developed AF within the first 48 hours after STEMI and were matched with a control group based on age and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Results After matching, a total of 470 patients were included (n=235, AF-STEMI; n=235, control group). Mean age 69.0 years, and 31.7% women. No differences were found in gender, cardiovascular risk factors or ischemic heart disease. AF-STEMI patients experienced more sustained ventricular tachycardia (12.8% vs. 4.7%; p=0.003), advanced atrioventricular block (13.2% vs. 6.0%; p=0.012), heart failure (28.5% vs. 18.7%; p=0.017), and cardiogenic shock (17.4% vs. 8.5%; p=0.006). In-hospital mortality was also higher in AF-STEMI patients (11.9% vs 7.2%, p=0.008). After 10-years follow-up, the AF-STEMI group had remained with higher mortality (50.5% vs. 36.2%; p=0.003) and a greater recurrence of AF (44.2% vs. 14.7%; p<0.001), without differences in stroke incidence (10.1% vs. 9.3%). Conclusion Patients with AF complicating STEMI have higher rates of heart failure, cardiogenic shock, and in-hospital mortality. After a 10-years follow up, they exhibit a high risk of AF recurrence, with no significant differences in stroke incidence.Kaplan Meier curves

Influence of Previous Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting on Clinical Outcomes After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Meta-Analysis of 250 684 Patients.

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), also known as coronary angioplasty, is the preferred strategy for treating obstructive coronary artery disease. Existing literature suggests the worsening of clinical outcomes in patients with previous coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) history. In light of this, a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis was performed. Databases including PubMed, Cochrane Library, and ScienceDirect were utilized for the inclusive systematic search dating from inception to September 01, 2023. The risk of bias assessment was performed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale for cohort studies, and the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool for randomized controlled trials. Ultimately, there were 16 eligible studies pooled together, involving a total of 250 684 patients, including 231 552 CABG-naïve patients, and 19 132 patients with a prior history of CABG. Overall, patients with CABG history were associated with significantly greater short-term mortality (P = .004), long-term mortality (P = .005), myocardial infarction (P < .00001), major adverse cardiovascular events (P = .0001), and procedural perforation (P < .00001). Contrastingly, CABG-naïve patients were associated with significantly greater risk of cardiac tamponade (P = .02) and repeat CABG (P = .03). No significant differences in stroke, bleeding, revascularization, or repeat PCI were observed. Comparatively worsened clinical outcomes were observed, as patients with prior CABG history typically exhibit complex coronary anatomy, and have higher rates of comorbidities in comparison to their CABG-naïve counterparts. The refinement of current procedural and surgical techniques, in conjunction with continued research endeavors, are needed in order to effectively address this trend.

Short-term antithrombotic strategies after left atrial appendage occlusion: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Background: Percutaneous left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) has emerged as a stroke prevention strategy in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF), and these patients were required to receive antithrombotic therapy post-procedure. However, the optimal antithrombotic strategy after LAAO remains controversial. This study explored the safety and efficacy of different antithrombotic strategies after LAAO through a network comparison method. Methods: We systematically searched the MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases for studies that reported the interested efficacy and safety outcomes (stroke, device-related thrombus (DRT), and major bleeding) of different antithrombotic strategies [DAPT (dual antiplatelet therapy), DOACs (direct oral anticoagulants), and VKA (vitamin k antagonist)] in patients who had experienced LAAO. Pairwise comparisons and network meta-analysis were performed for the interested outcomes. Risk ratios (RRs) with their confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a random-effects model. The rank of the different strategies was calculated using the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA). Results: Finally, 10 observational studies involving 1,674 patients were included. There was no significant difference in stroke, DRT, and major bleeding among the different antithrombotic strategies (DAPT, DOACs, and VKA). Furthermore, DAPT ranked the worst in terms of stroke (SUCRA: 19.8%), DRT (SUCRA: 3.6%), and major bleeding (SUCRA: 6.6%). VKA appeared to be superior to DOACs in terms of stroke (SUCRA: 74.9% vs. 55.3%) and DRT (SUCRA: 82.3% vs. 64.1%) while being slightly inferior to DOACs in terms of major bleeding (SUCRA: 71.0% vs. 72.4%). Conclusion: No significant difference was found among patients receiving DAPT, DOACs, and VKA in terms of stroke, DRT, and major bleeding events after LAAO. The SUCRA indicated that DAPT was ranked the worst among all antithrombotic strategies due to the higher risk of stroke, DRT, and major bleeding events, while VKAs were ranked the preferred antithrombotic strategy. However, DOACs are worthy of consideration due to their advantage of convenience.

Post-TAVR patients with atrial fibrillation: are NOACs better than VKAs?-A meta-analysis.

This study aimed to compare the efficacy of novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) with traditional anticoagulants vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) post transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Studies comparing the usage of NOACs and VKAs in AF patients with oral anticoagulant indication post-TAVR were retrieved from PubMed, EMBASE, Medline, and Cochrane databases from their building-up to Jan. 2023. The literature was screened in line of inclusion and exclusion criteria. Risk ratio (RR) or odds ratio (OR),95% confidence interval (CI) and number needed to treat (NNT) were calculated for four main indexes that composite endpoints composed mainly of any clinically relevant risk events, stroke, major bleeding, and all-cause mortality. Subsequently, a meta-analysis was performed using the RevMan5.3 and Stata 16.0 software. In the aggregate of thirteen studies, contained 30388 post-TAVR patients with AF, were included in this meta-analysis. Our results indicated that there was no significant difference in stroke between the NOACs group and the VKAs group, and the NOACs group had a numerically but non-significantly higher number of composite endpoint events compared with the other group. Nevertheless, the incidence of major bleeding [11.29% vs. 13.89%, RR 0.82, 95%CI (0.77,0.88), P < 0.00001, I² = 69%, NNT = 38] and all-cause mortality [14.18% vs. 17.61%, RR 0.83, 95%CI (0.79,0.88), p < 0.00001, I² = 82%, NNT = 29] were significantly lower in the NOACs group than another group. Taken together, our data indicated that the usage of NOACs reduced the incidence of major bleeding and all-cause mortality compared to VKAs in post-TAVR patients with AF.

Procedural Safety Comparison Between Transcarotid Artery Revascularization, Carotid Endarterectomy, and Carotid Stenting: Perioperative and 1-Year Rates of Stroke or Death.

Background Transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR) was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2015 for patients with carotid artery stenosis. However, no randomized trial to evaluate TCAR has been performed to date, and previous reports have important limitations. Accordingly, we measured stroke or death after TCAR compared with carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and transfemoral carotid artery stenting (TF-CAS). Methods and Results We used the Vascular Quality Initiative registry to study patients who underwent TCAR, CEA, or TF-CAS from September 2016 to June 2021. Our primary outcomes were perioperative and 1-year stroke or death. We used logistic regression for risk adjustment for perioperative outcomes and Cox regression for risk adjustment for 1-year outcomes. We used a 2-stage residual inclusion instrumental variable (IV) method to adjust for selection bias and other unmeasured confounding. Our instrument was a center's preference to perform TCAR versus CEA or TF-CAS. We performed a subgroup analysis stratified by presenting neurologic symptoms. We studied 21 234 patients who underwent TCAR, 82 737 who underwent CEA, and 14 595 who underwent TF-CAS across 662 centers. The perioperative rate of stroke or death was 2.0% for TCAR, 1.7% for CEA, and 3.7% for TF-CAS (P<0.001). Compared with TCAR, the IV-adjusted odds ratio of perioperative stroke or death for CEA was 0.74 (95% CI, 0.55-0.99) and for TF-CAS was 1.66 (95% CI, 0.99-2.79). Results were similar among both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. The 1-year rate of stroke or death was 6.4% for TCAR, 5.2% for CEA, and 9.7% for TF-CAS (P<0.001). Compared with TCAR, the IV-adjusted hazard ratio of 1 year stroke or death for CEA was 0.97 (95% CI, 0.80-1.17), and for TF-CAS was 1.45 (95% CI, 1.04-2.02). IV analysis further demonstrated that symptomatic patients with carotid stenosis had the lowest 1-year likelihood of stroke or death with TCAR (compared with TCAR, symptomatic IV-adjusted hazard ratio for CEA: 1.30 [95% CI, 1.04-1.64], and TF-CAS: 1.86 [95% CI, 1.27-2.71]). Conclusions Perioperative stroke or death was greater following TCAR when compared with CEA. However, at 1 year there was no statistically significant difference in stroke or death between the 2 procedures. TCAR performed favorably compared with TF-CAS at both time points. Although CEA remains the gold standard procedure for patients with carotid stenosis, TCAR appears to be a safe alternative to CEA and TF-CAS when used selectively and may be useful when treating symptomatic patients.

Staged revascularization vs. culprit-only percutaneous coronary intervention for multivessel disease in elderly patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Backgroundand objectiveStudies have highlighted the significant role of staged percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for a multivessel disease (MVD) among patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). However, the relative benefit of staged vs. culprit-only PCI for MVD in elderly patients with STEMI remains undetermined. Thus, the present study compared the clinical outcomes of staged and culprit-only PCI in this cohort.MethodsFrom January 2014 to September 2019, 617 patients aged ≥65 years with STEMI and MVD who underwent primary PCI of the culprit vessels within 12 h of symptom onset were enrolled. They were then categorized into the staged and culprit-only PCI groups according to intervention strategy. Propensity score matching (PSM) was conducted to adjust for confounding factors between groups. The primary end point was major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), a composite of all-cause death, cardiac death, recurrent myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and ischemia-driven revascularization.ResultsDuring a mean follow-up of 56 months, 209 patients experienced MACCE and 119 died. Staged revascularization was associated with a lower risk of MACCE, all-cause death, and cardiac death than culprit-only PCI in both overall patients and the PSM cohorts. In contrast, there was no significant difference in stroke or ischemia-driven revascularization. Moreover, on multivariate Cox regression analysis, staged PCI was a significant predictor of a lower incidence of MACCE and all-cause death.ConclusionIn elderly patients with STEMI and MVD, staged PCI is superior to culprit-only PCI.

Cerebrovascular radiological features of COVID-19 positive patients.

To investigate acute cerebrovascular diseases (stroke and intracranial hemorrhage) by cranial radiologic examinations of patients infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and with neurological signs. Between March 2020 and May 2021, patients who were admitted to the Emergency Department and had a positive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test and underwent Multidetector Computed Tomography (MDCT) and/or Magnetic Resonance Images (MRI), and/or diffusion MRI due to neurological findings were included in the study. The study reviewed a total of 925 patients, including 404 (43.67%) female and 521 (56.32%) male patients. The distribution of imaging methods was as follows: 805 (71%) patients had cranial MDCT, 71 (6.35%) patients had MRI, and 241 (21.57%) patients had diffusion MRI. Of the total 925 patients, 128 (13.8%) patients were detected with cerebrovascular diseases, 92 (9.9%) patients were detected with ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, 37 (4%) patients were detected with intraparenchymal hemorrhage, 10 (1.1%) patients were detected with subarachnoid hemorrhage, and four (0.43%) patients were detected with subdural hemorrhage. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of subdural, subarachnoid, parenchymal hemorrhage, and stroke in terms of gender. While there was a significant difference in stroke according to age, there was no statistically significant difference in subdural, subarachnoid, and parenchymal hemorrhagic. Three (0.32%) patients were diagnosed with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM)'s-like demyelinating lesions. Cerebrovascular diseases, which may cause severe disability and even threaten the patient's life, should be kept in mind, especially in COVID-19 patients who present with neurological symptoms.

Invasive versus conservative management in patients aged ≥85 years presenting with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

Guidelines recommend early coronary angiography (CA) in patients with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) irrespective of age. However, elderly patients are less likely to be treated according to these guidelines due to their perceived high risk and medical comorbidities. Whether an invasive strategy is associated with improved survival in patients aged ≥85 years remains uncertain due to their exclusion from randomised trials. Patients were stratified based on whether they underwent invasive management with CA with a view to revascularisation versus conservative management. The primary outcome was long-term mortality. Consecutive patients aged ≥85 years presenting to a tertiary centre with NSTEMI between 2008 and 2018 were included in this retrospective cohort study. Of 7591 patients with NSTEMI, 1052 patients aged ≥85 years were included. Ninety-nine (9.4%) patients underwent CA. Those undergoing CA were more likely to be younger, male, live independently, without mobility or cognitive issues (all P < 0.01). Overall, 495 (47%) patients died during a mean follow up of 1.3 ± 1 year. On Cox regression, after adjusting for age, pre-morbid functional status, cognition and cardiovascular risk factors, invasive management was the strongest predictor for survival (hazard ratio 0.47; 95% confidence interval 0.26-0.85; P = 0.01). Invasive management was associated with a trend to increased risk of in-hospital bleeding (6.1% vs 2.6%; P = 0.054) with no significant difference in stroke (2.0% vs 3.8%; P = 0.37). In patients aged ≥85 years who presented with NSTEMI, invasive management was associated with improved survival without significant differences in bleeding or stroke. A randomised controlled study assessing the efficacy and safety of invasive management in very elderly patients with NSTEMI is warranted.

Transfemoral Versus Subclavian Access for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Objective: This study sought to compare outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) performed through subclavian access with those performed through transfemoral access. Methods: This was an observational study utilizing an institutional TAVR database from 2010 to 2018. All patients undergoing a TAVR via a transfemoral (TF-TAVR) or subclavian (SC-TAVR) approach were included in the study. The groups were analyzed for differences in operative mortality and postoperative outcomes. Multivariable Cox analysis was performed to identify variables associated with long-term survival after TAVR. Results: Of the 1,095 patients identified, 133 patients underwent SC-TAVR and 962 patients underwent TF-TAVR. Patients who underwent SC-TAVR were younger, more likely to have chronic lung disease and peripheral vascular disease, had higher Society of Thoracic Surgeons predicted risk of mortality scores, and were more likely to have self-expanding valves placed (P < 0.05). Operative mortality was similar between the TF-TAVR (2.7%) and SC-TAVR (3.8%) groups. There were no significant differences in stroke, length of stay, 30-day readmission, blood transfusions, acute kidney injury, need for permanent pacemaker, paravalvular leak, or major vascular complications between the groups (P > 0.05). The unadjusted Kaplan-Meier survival estimate for TF-TAVR was significantly higher than for SC-TAVR (P = 0.009, log-rank). However, on multivariable Cox analysis, subclavian access was not significantly associated with an increased hazard of death as compared with transfemoral access (P = 0.21). Conclusions: Outcomes of SC-TAVR are comparable to those of TF-TAVR. Subclavian access may be a favorable alternative approach when TF-TAVR is contraindicated.

Abstract TP170: Pediatric Acute Stroke Team Activation: Differentiating Stroke From Mimics

Acute pediatric stroke is a medical emergency requiring prompt recognition and treatment because quicker treatment improves neurologic outcomes and reduces excess resource usage on stroke mimics (non-stroke diagnoses). There is a clear need to better differentiate between strokes and their mimics. We performed a single center retrospective cohort study using data from March 1, 2017 to December 31, 2020. We included pediatric patients (&gt; 1m to &lt; 18y) evaluated in the tertiary children’s hospital ED for a stroke team activation. We compared clinical features for patients with stroke and those with a stroke mimic. Of 179 children included in the study (55% female, mean age 11.2y, SD 5.7y), 38 children (21% of total patients, 50% female, mean age 10.5 SD, 6.2 years) were diagnosed with stroke. Strokes included acute ischemic stroke (AIS) (73.7%), hemorrhagic stroke (HS) (18.4%), and cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) (10.5%). The most common stroke mimics were seizure (14.5%), headache (10.5%), Bell's palsy (5.6%), and conversion disorder (2.7%). Compared to mimics, stroke patients were less likely to have a history of neurosurgery (16.3% mimic vs 2.6% stroke, p=0.028) and more likely to have altered level of alertness (7.7% vs 18.4%, p=0.001), abnormal coordination (15.7% vs 36.4%, p=0.036), abnormal muscle strength (33.1% vs 57.9%, p=0.005) and abnormal reflexes (18.9% vs 43.8%, p=0.018). Of note, there were no significant differences in stroke and mimics for: age, sex, race, ethnicity, basic metabolic panel or CBC, and time from last seen well. Differentiating between strokes and mimics remains difficult without comprehensive diagnostic testing. Our study found that stroke patients are more likely present with altered level of alertness as well as abnormal coordination, muscle strength, and reflexes.

Association of SGLT2 Inhibitors With Risk of Atrial Fibrillation and Stroke in Patients With and Without Type 2 Diabetes: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have well-documented effects on reducing hospitalization for heart failure and cardiovascular mortality, although the effect on atrial fibrillation (AF) has not been comprehensively investigated. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to assess the association between SGLT2 inhibitors and AF risk by systematically searching PubMed, Embase, and ClinicalTrials.gov. Two investigators independently identified randomized controlled trials, which compared SGLT2 inhibitors with control in patients with type 2 diabetes, heart failure, or chronic kidney disease. Primary outcomes were incident AF and stroke. We included 20 randomized trials involving 63,604 patients. The SGLT2 inhibitors used were dapagliflozin (7 studies, 28,834 patients), canagliflozin (7 studies, 17,440 patients), empagliflozin (5 studies, 9082 patients), and ertugliflozin (1 study, 8246 patients). Follow-up ranged from 24 weeks to 202 weeks. SGLT2 inhibitors treatment was associated with a significant attenuation in the risk of incident AF (odds ratio = 0.82; 95% confidence interval, 0.72-0.93; P = 0.002) compared with control. No significant difference in stroke between SGLT2 inhibitors and control groups was found (odds ratio = 0.99; 95% confidence interval, 0.85-1.15; P = 0.908). This present meta-analysis indicates that SGLT2 inhibitors are associated with a lower risk of incident AF and do not significantly affect stroke risk for patients with and without type 2 diabetes.

B-PO05-199 DIFFERENCES IN STROKE OR SYSTEMIC THROMBOEMBOLISM READMISSIONS AFTER HOSPITALIZATION FOR ATRIAL FIBRILLATION OR ATRIAL FLUTTER

Although atrial fibrillation (AF) and atrial flutter (AFL) are different arrhythmias, they are assumed to confer the same risk of stroke and systemic thromboembolism (STE) despite a lack of available evidence. To investigate the difference between AF and AFL in risk for stroke or STE. The National Readmission Database 2018 was used to identify index hospitalizations with a primary diagnosis of either AF or AFL. Survival estimates and Kaplan-Meier curves were generated for 30 and 90 days stroke or STE rehospitalizations to compare between AF and AFL. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to calculate hazard ratios, which were adjusted for age, sex, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, coronary artery disease, CKD and Elixhauser comorbidity scores. A total of 217,897 weighted AF and 10,812 weighted AFL hospitalizations were identified. Compared to AF, AFL hospitalizations were associated with younger age (mean 68 vs 72 years; p < 0.01), male sex (63% vs 45%, p < 0.01), more care in teaching hospitals (64.9% vs 61.5%; p < 0.01), and a higher prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (13.1% vs 11.5%; p < 0.01) and lower prevalence of prior stroke (8.4% vs 11.6%; p < 0.01). After adjustment, there was no statistically significant difference in stroke or STE between AF and AFL hospitalizations [aHR 1.02 (0.57-1.82); p = 0.92]. However, index hospitalizations for AFL were associated with lower total hospitalization charges (mean $31,797 vs. $33,441, p < 0.01) and shorter length of stay (mean 3.0 vs. 3.3 days, p < 0.01) compared to AF. There is no difference in 30- or 90-day readmission risk for stroke and STE between AF and AFL index hospitalizations.

Uso de tratamiento anticoagulante en los enfermos con fibrilación auricular o flutter auricular de mayor edad que ingresan en el servicio de medicina interna de un hospital de segundo nivel

IntroductionAtrial fibrillation (AF) is the most frequent arrhythmia. Its prevalence increases with age. Atrial flutter is a less common and analogous arrhythmia. The treatment of the elderly patient is not always the same as the recommended one by the different scientific societies. ObjectivesDescribe the anticoagulant treatment of patients aged 75 years or older who was admitted in the Internal Medicine service for any reason, with previously known AF or atrial flutter or diagnosed at the time of admission, during the months of April, May and June 2018. Describe the mortality in this admission and in the subsequent follow-up and assess the importance of baseline factors in the future of these patients. Material and methodsProspective observational study of consecutive patients admitted between April 1st and June 30th, 2018 in the Internal Medicine service of a second-level hospital in the province of Valencia. Categorical variables were described with percentages, and continuous numerical variables with mean, standard deviation, minimum and maximum. Comparisons between categorical variables were made with the Chi-squared test, and the comparison between categorical and numerical variables with Student's t tests or ANOVA. ResultsIn this time interval, 125 patients were admitted, 115 with AF and 10 with atrial flutter. Of these, 111 (80.8%) were anticoagulated upon admission (78 with vitamin K antagonists (VKA) and 23 with directly acting oral anticoagulants (DOAC). 13 patients (10.4%) died during this hospital admission. In the next 2 years, 72 patients (64.3%) had readmissions in the hospital and 70 died (62.5). There were 12 admissions (9.6%) and 8 readmissions (11.1%) due to significant bleeding. Thirty-three patients (42.3%) anticoagulated with VKA were found in the therapeutic range at the time of admission. Survival of anticoagulated patients was greater than that of non-anticoagulated patients (median survival of 19.9 vs. 5.6 months), and higher in the group with VKA than with DOAC (median survival of 21.8 vs. 9.9 months). There were no significant differences in stroke or significant bleeding between the groups of patients taking VKA with high INR, normal or low INR or taking DOAC. ConclusionsThe medium-term mortality of this group of patients was high, although the mortality during admission was lower. Anticoagulation of these patients appeared to provide survival benefit and was not associated with significant bleeding complications.

Outcomes related to anticoagulation management for mechanical valve replacements.

BackgroundThis study evaluates anticoagulation management and its impact on longitudinal clinical outcomes in patients undergoing mechanical valve replacement.MethodsPatients undergoing mechanical mitral valve replacement (MVR) or aortic valve replacement (AVR) from 2010–2018 at a single center were included. Patients were stratified into therapeutic and non-therapeutic anticoagulation groups based on the median percentage of international normalized ratio (INR) values within the reference range (2.0–3.0 for AVR, 2.5–3.5 for MVR) during the first post-operative year. Using Cox regression analysis, comorbidity-adjusted survival and freedom from adverse events were compared.ResultsSix hundred and fifty-one patients underwent mechanical valve replacement (166 MVR, 485 AVR). Comorbidity-adjusted survival was similar in the MVR and AVR cohorts (P=0.23). There was a median of 27 [interquartile range (IQR): 14–42] INRs drawn per patient in the first post-operative year. The median percentage of INRs within the reference values during the first post-operative year was 42.85% (IQR: 30.77–53.95%), with the majority of non-therapeutic INRs being subtherapeutic (34.51%; n=6,864). There were no significant differences in adjusted survival between the therapeutic and non-therapeutic groups [hazard ratio (HR): 1.12, P=0.73]. Within the first post-operative year, there were no significant differences in stroke, major bleeding, peripheral non-stroke arterial thromboembolism, and readmission for intravenous heparin in the therapeutic and non-therapeutic groups.ConclusionsTaking into account relevant comorbidities and valve type, patients with a larger proportion of non-therapeutic INRs during the first post-operative year demonstrated no difference in longitudinal clinical outcomes. Further research into more standardized INR monitoring and potentially expanded INR target ranges for patients undergoing mechanical valve replacement is warranted.

Outcomes of Carotid Revascularization in Patients with Contralateral Carotid Artery Occlusion

Little is known about the best revascularization procedure for patients with contralateral carotid artery occlusion (CCO). We aim to compare the outcomes of transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR), carotid endarterectomy (CEA), and transfemoral carotid artery stenting (TFCAS) in patients with CCO. Patients in the Vascular Quality Initiative dataset who underwent CEA, TFCAS, or TCAR, and had CCO between September 2016 and April 2020, were included. Multivariable logistic analysis was used to evaluate in-hospital outcomes. The final cohort included 1,144 TCARs, 1,182 TFCAS, and 2,527 CEA procedures performed in patients with CCO. Compared with TFCAS, TCAR was associated with a significant reduction in the odds of in-hospital stroke or death (odds ratio [OR] 0.26; 95% CI: 0.12-0.59; p < 0.01). However, no significant difference in stroke was noted (OR 0.71; 95% CI 0.34-1.51; p= 0.38). These results persisted after stratifying with respect to symptomatic status (p values of interaction= 0.92 and 0.74, respectively). There was no significant difference between TCAR and CEA in odds of in-hospital stroke or death on multivariable adjustment (OR 0.57; 95% CI: 0.29-1.10, p= 0.10). The interaction between procedure type and symptomatic status in predicting in-hospital stroke was statistically significant (p= 0.04). In asymptomatic patients, TCAR was associated with a 50% to 60% reduction in the odds of stroke (p= 0.04). Yet, no significant differences were observed in symptomatic patients. TCAR has lower odds of in-hospital stroke or death compared to TFCAS, independent of symptomatic status. Compared to CEA, TCAR seems to be a better option in asymptomatic patients, with lower odds of in-hospital stroke. Yet, no significant difference is observed in symptomatic patients.

Risk factors and prognosis of New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation in Tunisian patients with acute coronary syndrome

New-onset atrial fibrillation (NOAF) during hospitalization is considered a frequent complication associated with worse outcomes in the setting of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) To assess the predictors and prognosis of NOAF during ACS. A total of 402 patients who were hospitalized with a diagnosis of ACS were prospectively enrolled. Clinical parameters, echocardiography, biochemical markers were collected. In-hospital mortality and incidence of in-hospital main adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) were compared between NOAF and non-NOAF groups. In our study population, 39 (9.7%) patients developed NOAF during hospitalization. The patients in NOAF group were significantly older than those in the non-NOAF groups (65 ± 10 years vs 59 ± 10 years, P = 0.001). Moreover, the levels of serum uric acid ( P = 0.001), peak creatinine ( P = 0.001), CRP ( P = 0.02), neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio ( P = 0.04) and mean platelet volume (MPV, P = 0.02) were significantly higher in the NOAF group, while left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF: 43 ± 12% vs 48 ± 10%, P = 0.01) and hemoglobin (119 ± 1.8 g/l vs 130 ± 1.9 g/l, P = 0.001) were significantly lower in the NOAF group. Logistic multivariate regression showed that age (OR = 1.08; P = 0.02), MPV (OR = 1.4; P = 0.03), LVEF (OR = 2; P = 0.001) and indexed left atrial volume (OR = 1.15; P = 0.004) were independent predictors of NOAF after ACS. Patients in the NOAF group had significantly longer hospital stay (4 ± 1.2 days vs 3.6 ± 1 days, P = 0.02). The in-hospital mortality (5% vs 0%, P = 0.009) and the incidence of bleeding complications (5% vs 0.5%, P = 0.04) in the NOAF group were significantly higher. There were no significant differences in stroke between the two groups. Age, LVEF, MPV and indexed left atrial volume are independent predictors of NOAF during ACS in Tunisian patients. This arrhythmia is associated with higher in-hospital mortality and bleeding complications.

Transcarotid versus transthoracic access for transcatheter aortic valve replacement: A propensity-matched analysis.

Transcarotid access for transcatheter aortic valve replacement is emerging as an alternative to more traditional nonfemoral access options such as transapical or transaortic; however, comparative data are limited. The purpose of the study was to analyze outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve replacement using transcatheter compared with transthoracic (transapical/transaortic) access. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons/American College of Cardiology Transcatheter Valve Therapy Registry was queried for patients who underwent transcarotid, transapical, or transaortic transcatheter aortic valve replacement with the SAPIEN 3 (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, Calif) transcatheter heart valve between June 2015 and July 2019. Thirty-day unadjusted outcomes were evaluated, and propensity score matching and logistic regression were used to compare transcatheter access with transthoracic access. In the propensity-matched analysis, 667 transcarotid transcatheter aortic valve replacement procedures were compared with 1334 transthoracic procedures. Transcarotid transcatheter aortic valve replacement was associated with lower mortality (4.2% vs 7.7%, P=.004), less new-onset atrial fibrillation (2.2% vs 12.1%, P<.0001), fewer readmissions at 30days (9.8% vs 16.1%, P=.0006), shorter median length of stay (3.0 vs 6.0days, P<.0001), shorter median intensive care unit stay (25 vs 47.2hours, P<.0001), and greater 30-day Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire score improvement from baseline (25.1 vs 20.8, P=.007). Stroke (4.3% vs 3.7%, P=.44) and major vascular complications (1.4% vs 1.9%, P=.40) were similar. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement using transcarotid access is associated with lower 30-day mortality, less atrial fibrillation, shorter intensive care unit and overall length of stay, fewer readmissions, greater improvement in Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire scores, and no significant difference in stroke or major vascular complications compared with transthoracic access.

Protamine use in transfemoral carotid artery stenting is not associated with an increased risk of thromboembolic events

BackgroundProtamine use in carotid endarterectomy has been shown to be associated with fewer perioperative bleeding complications without higher rates of thromboembolic events. However, the effect of protamine use on complications after transfemoral carotid artery stenting (CAS) is unclear, and concerns remain about thromboembolic events. MethodsA retrospective review was performed for patients undergoing transfemoral CAS in the Vascular Quality Initiative from March 2005 to December 2018. We assessed in-hospital outcomes using propensity score-matched cohorts of patients who did and did not receive protamine. The primary outcome was in-hospital stroke or death. Secondary outcomes included bleeding complications, stroke, death, transient ischemic attack, myocardial infarction, and congestive heart failure exacerbation. Bleeding complications were categorized as bleeding resulting in intervention or blood transfusions. ResultsOf the 17,429 patients undergoing transfemoral CAS, 2697 (15%) patients received protamine. We created 2300 propensity score-matched pairs of patients who did and did not receive protamine. There were no statistically significant differences in stroke or death between the two cohorts (protamine, 2.5%; no protamine, 2.9%; relative risk [RR], 0.85; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.60-1.21; P = .37). Protamine use was not associated with statistically significant differences in perioperative bleeding complications resulting in interventional treatment (0.9% vs 0.5%; RR, 2.10; 95% CI, 0.99-4.46; P = .05) or blood transfusion (1.2% vs 1.2%; RR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.53-1.61; P = .78). There were also no statistically significant differences for the individual outcomes of stroke (1.8% vs 2.3%; RR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.52-1.16; P = .22), death (0.9% vs 0.8%; RR, 1.17; 95% CI, 0.62-2.19; P = .63), transient ischemic attack (1.4% vs 1.3%; RR, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.67-1.82; P = .70), myocardial infarction (0.5% vs 0.4%; RR, 1.20; 95% CI, 0.52-2.78; P = .67), or heart failure exacerbation (1.0% vs 0.9%; RR, 1.05; 95% CI, 0.58-1.90; P = .88). Protamine use in patients presenting with symptomatic carotid stenosis was associated with lower risk of stroke or death (3.0% vs 4.3%; RR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.47-0.998; P = .048), whereas there were no statistically significant differences in stroke or death with protamine use in asymptomatic patients (1.6% vs 1.0%; RR, 1.63; 95% CI, 0.67-3.92; P = .28). ConclusionsHeparin reversal with protamine after transfemoral CAS is not associated with an increased risk of thromboembolic events, and its use in symptomatic carotid disease is associated with a lower risk of stroke or death.