Death and disability from warfarin-associated intracranial and extracranial hemorrhages

Safety and Effectiveness of Four-Factor Prothrombin Complex Concentrate in Special Populations with INR Below 2: A Post-Marketing Surveillance Study

INTRODUCTION

We previously conducted a prospective, observational post-marketing surveillance study to assess the safety and effectiveness of four-factor prothrombin complex concentrate (4F-PCC) for rapid vitamin K antagonist (VKA) reversal in Japanese patients.

METHODS

This subgroup analysis compared the safety, especially thromboembolic events (TEEs), and effectiveness of 4F-PCC by stratifying patients into two subgroups according to baseline international normalized ratio (INR) levels with < 2.0 and ≥ 2.0.

RESULTS

Of 1271 eligible patients, 215 (17.9%) had INR < 2.0 and 987 (82.1%) had INR ≥ 2.0. Overall baseline characteristics were similar between groups; age (74.0 years vs 74.0 years), body mass index (22.1 kg/m2 vs 21.9 kg/m2), ratio of inpatients (90.2% vs 88.7%), manifested atrial fibrillation (46.0% vs 48.8%). Median INRs at baseline were 1.72 (minimum 0.92, maximum 1.99) in the INR < 2.0 group and 2.95 (2.00, 27.11) in the INR ≥ 2.0 group. The most common reason for 4F-PCC administration was intracranial hemorrhage (67.0% vs 59.5%), and lesser gastrointestinal bleeding (0.9% vs 7.5%). After 4F-PCC administration (average doses 24.5 IU/kg [INR < 2.0 group] and 29.2 IU/kg [INR ≥ 2.0 group]), INRs were significantly reduced to 1.21 (- 28%) and 1.31 (- 68%), respectively, and resulted in hemostasis in a similarly rapid manner. The incidences of adverse drug reactions were 3.7% in each group. TEEs occurred in 4 (1.9%) patients in the INR < 2.0 group and 11 (1.1%) patients in the INR ≥ 2.0 group and were predominantly composed of stroke, while similar rates (67.0% vs 62.9%) of bleeding events post-anticoagulant resumption were observed between groups.

CONCLUSION

This study supports the favorable tolerability and efficacy of 4F-PCC regardless of baseline INR (< 2.0 or ≥ 2.0), with a prompt reduction of INR and substantial hemostatic effectiveness in the real-world setting for patients requiring urgent VKA reversal, although no indicated 4F-PCC dose for VKA reversal exists for INR < 2.0 to date.

Anticoagulation therapy in non-valvular atrial fibrillation after intracerebral hemorrhage: A propensity score-matched study

BACKGROUND

The effect of antithrombotic therapy on patients with atrial fibrillation who sustained previous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) remains uncertain. Data regarding antithrombotic therapy use in these patients are limited. This study aims to compare the clinical and overall outcomes of antithrombotic therapy and usual care in patients with atrial fibrillation who sustained ICH.

METHODS

We assembled consecutive patients with atrial fibrillation sustaining an ICH from our institution. Multivariable regression analysis and propensity-matched analysis were applied to assess associations of different antithrombotic therapies and outcomes. The primary outcome was mortality within the longest follow-up. Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests of the time-to-event data were used to assess differences in survival.

RESULTS

In total, 296 consecutive patients with atrial fibrillation who survived an ICH were included in this study. Our analysis demonstrated that antithrombotic therapy was associated with reduced mortality up to a 4-year duration of follow-up (OR, 0.49, 95 % CI 0.30-0.81). Similar results were obtained from the propensity-matched analysis (OR, 0.58, 95 % CI 0.34-0.98). Subgroup analysis showed that compared with usual care, direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) with or without antiplatelet was associated with a lower risk of long-term mortality (OR, 0.34, 95 % CI 0.17-0.69). In addition, our analysis observed a significant interaction between cardiac insufficiency and treatment effect (P = 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with atrial fibrillation who have a history of ICH, administration of antithrombotic therapy, especially DOAC, was associated with lower mortality. Future randomized trials are warranted to test the positive net clinical benefit of DOAC therapy.

Development and Validation of an Intracranial Hemorrhage Risk Score in Older Adults with Atrial Fibrillation Treated with Oral Anticoagulant

Background

High risk of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is a leading reason for withholding anticoagulation in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We aimed to develop a claims-based ICH risk prediction model in older adults with AF initiating oral anticoagulation (OAC).

Methods

We used US Medicare claims data to identify new users of OAC aged ≥65 years with AF in 2010-2017. We used regularized Cox regression to select predictors of ICH. We compared our AF ICH risk score with the HAS-BLED bleed risk and Homer fall risk scores by area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and assessed net reclassification improvement (NRI) when predicting 1-year risk of ICH.

Results

Our study cohort comprised 840,020 patients (mean [SD] age 77.5 [7.4] years and female 52.2%) split geographically into training (3963 ICH events [0.6%] in 629,804 patients) and validation (1397 ICH events [0.7%] in 210,216 patients) sets. Our AF ICH risk score, including 50 predictors, had superior AUCs of 0.653 and 0.650 in the training and validation sets than the HAS-BLED score of 0.580 and 0.567 (p<0.001) and the Homer score of 0.624 and 0.623 (p<0.001). In the validation set, our AF ICH risk score reclassified 57.8%, 42.5%, and 43.9% of low, intermediate, and high-risk patients, respectively, by HAS-BLED score (NRI: 15.3%, p<0.001). Similarly, it reclassified 0.0, 44.1, and 19.4% of low, intermediate, and high-risk patients, respectively, by the Homer score (NRI: 21.9%, p<0.001).

Conclusion

Our novel claims-based ICH risk prediction model outperformed the standard HAS-BLED score and can inform OAC prescribing decisions.

Antidote vs. unspecific hemostatic agents for the management of direct oral anticoagulant-related bleeding in trauma

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The advent of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) marks a significant milestone in anticoagulant treatment. However, DOACs can exacerbate bleeding, which is challenging for the treating clinician, especially when combined with traumatic injury.

RECENT FINDINGS

In major bleeding associated with DOACs, rapid reversal of the anticoagulant effects is crucial. Recent observational and nonrandomized interventional trials have demonstrated the effectiveness of the specific antidotes andexanet alfa and idarucizumab as well as the unspecific prothrombin complex concentrates (PCCs) to counteract the anticoagulant effects of DOACs. The European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care guideline for severe perioperative bleeding and the European trauma guideline propose divergent recommendations for the use of andexanet alfa and PCC to obtain hemostasis in Factor Xa inhibitor-related bleeding. The conflicting recommendations are due to limited evidence from clinical studies and the potential increased risk of thromboembolic complications after the administration of andexanet. Regarding dabigatran-associated major bleeding, both guidelines recommend the specific reversal agent idarucizumab as first-line therapy.

SUMMARY

Current guidelines recommend specific antidots and PCCs in DOAC-related major bleeding. Prospective randomized trials comparing specific vs. nonspecific hemostatic agents in the perioperative setting are needed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the hemostatic agents.

Brain MRI microbleeds and risk of intracranial hemorrhage in atrial fibrillation patients: A Swedish case-control study

OBJECTIVES

Our goal was to quantify the independent association of brain microbleeds with future intracranial hemorrhage (ICrH). Microbleed findings on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may identify distinctive risk factors for ICrH which could inform the anticoagulant therapy decision for atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. Our study design includes patients with MRIs for numerous reasons, not limited to evaluation of stroke.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The source population was all patients with AF from a nationwide Swedish health care register. Case patients had an ICrH between 2006 and 2013 and ≥1 brain MRI for an unrelated condition before the ICrH. Each case was matched to four controls who had a brain MRI without a subsequent ICrH. The MRIs were re-reviewed by neuroradiologists. Associations between MRI findings and subsequent ICrH were assessed using logistic regression, adjusting for comorbidities and antithrombotic medications.

RESULTS

A total of 78 cases and 312 matched controls were identified; 29 cases and 79 controls had MRI sequences suitable for analysis of microbleeds. Patients with ≥10 microbleeds had a markedly increased risk of ICrH (adjusted odds ratio 14.56; 95 % confidence interval: 2.86-74.16, p < 0.001). All patients with ≥10 microbleeds had microbleeds in the lobar region and ≥10 lobar microbleeds was associated with intracerebral hemorrhages, univariable OR 8.54 (2.01-36.33), p = 0.004.

CONCLUSIONS

Leveraging a nationwide database with brain imaging obtained prior to ICrH, we identified a strong association between ≥10 microbleeds on brain MRI and subsequent ICrH among AF patients. Lobar brain regions were involved whenever there were ≥10 microbleeds. Brain MRIs may help optimize the anticoagulation decision in selected AF patients.

Real-World Safety and Effectiveness of a 4-Factor Prothrombin Complex Concentrate in Japanese Patients Experiencing Major Bleeding: A Post-marketing Surveillance Study

INTRODUCTION

Limited data are available regarding the safety and effectiveness of 4-factor prothrombin complex concentrate (4F-PCC) in patients experiencing major hemorrhage or requiring expeditious surgical intervention, both globally and within Japan.

METHODS

We executed a prospective, observational post-marketing surveillance study of patients receiving 4F-PCC for the first time between September 19, 2017 and August 15, 2018 in Japan. Patients were subjected to a comprehensive follow-up for a duration of 4 weeks.

RESULTS

Of 1381 eligible patients, 1271 (92%) received a vitamin K antagonist. Among these, 58% were aged ≥ 75 years, 49% manifested atrial fibrillation, 17% presented with valvular heart disease, and 6% exhibited venous thromboembolism. The median (range) international normalized ratio was 2.67 (0.96-27.11) at baseline and 1.21 (0.45-6.61) at first measurement post-administration of 4F-PCC. The most common reason for 4F-PCC administration was intracranial hemorrhage (59.6%), followed by gastrointestinal bleeding (6.6%). Hemostatic effectiveness was achieved in 85.8% of patients. The incidences of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and serious ADRs were 3.9% and 2.8%, respectively. Thromboembolic events (TEEs) occurred in 20 (1.5%) patients, with a mean onset of 10 days. The majority of TEEs were classified as nervous system disorders (55%). At the time of TEE, only 13% of patients resumed anticoagulant therapy.

CONCLUSION

The incidence of TEEs following treatment with 4F-PCC did not surpass those observed in phase 3 trials. No novel safety signals were identified. The safety and effectiveness of 4F-PCC in Japanese real-world practice were in harmony with the observations of prior studies.

Between a rock and a hard place: resumption of oral anticoagulant therapy after intracranial hemorrhage

Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is the most feared and lethal complication of oral anticoagulant (OAC) therapy. Resumption of OAC after ICH has long posed a challenge for clinicians, complicated by the expanding range of anticoagulant agents available in modern clinical practice, including direct OACs and, more recently, factor XI and XII inhibitors. A review of the current literature found support for resuming OAC in the majority of patients after ICH based on pooled retrospective data showing that resumption is associated with a lower risk of mortality and thromboembolism without a significantly increased risk of recurrent hemorrhage. The optimal time to resume OAC is less clear; however, the available evidence suggests that the composite risk of both recurrent hemorrhage and thromboembolism is likely minimized, somewhere between 4 and 6 weeks, after ICH in most patients. Specific considerations to guide the optimal resumption time in the individual patient include ICH location, mechanism, and anticoagulant class. Patients with mechanical heart valves and intracerebral malignancy represent high-risk groups who require more nuanced decision making. Here, we appraise the literature with the aim of providing a practical guide for clinicians while also discussing priorities for future investigation.

Ultrasound (US)-guided percutaneous thrombin injection for stoma-site bleeding after PEG tube insertion: a case series and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Post-gastrostomy bleeding sequelae are acknowledged, with reported approaches focusing on conservative measures or surgical repair. Nonetheless, Percutaneous Thrombin Injections (PTI) role in PEG-site-related bleeding remains underexplored. PTI under ultrasound guidance is an advocated management strategy for stoma-site bleeding following gastrostomy in high-risk patients, particularly those on direct oral anticoagulants.

CASE PRESENTATION

This study presents three cases with multiple comorbidities who underwent PTI. Resulting in immediate resolution of bleeding, no systemic\local effect, and no reported complications or rebleeding after a 3-6-month follow-up.

CONCLUSION

The findings highlight the safety, direct complete resolution, and absence of sequelae associated with PTI, suggesting its potential as a promising technique in managing PEG stoma-related bleeding.

Effectiveness and safety of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants in patients with atrial fibrillation at low risk of stroke in japan: a retrospective cohort study

AIMS

Contemporary guidelines differ in their recommendations regarding initiating non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) at low risk of stroke. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness and safety of NOACs for low-risk AF in a Japanese cohort.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In this retrospective cohort study based on the JMDC Claims Database extracted between April 2011 and November 2022, we identified 13 291 patients with AF at low risk of stroke. We performed inverse probability of treatment weighting Cox regression analyses to compare the embolization and bleeding risks between the nontreatment and NOAC groups. Net clinical benefit was defined as the annual incidence of ischaemic stroke events prevented by NOACs after subtracting intracranial haemorrhage (ICH) events attributable to NOACs, multiplied by a weighting factor. The incidences of stroke and ICH in the nontreatment group were 0.47 and 0.15 per 100 person-years, respectively. The NOAC group had higher incidences of ICH (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.73, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.75-4.00) and stroke (HR: 1.41, 95% CI: 0.84-2.36). The net clinical benefit of NOAC treatment was -0.35% per year (95% CI: -0.99-0.29%).

CONCLUSION

Non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants treatment may be associated with a slightly high risk of ICH, and it yielded a neutral clinical benefit in the present Japanese population, which provides reassurance concerning the role of ethnicity in NOAC treatment for patients with AF and suggests a need to assess comprehensive weighting of the respective risk factors.

Net clinical benefit of oral anticoagulants in Asian patients with atrial fibrillation based on a CHA2DS2-VASc score

BACKGROUND

This study was conducted to assess the net clinical benefit (NCB) for oral anticoagulant (OAC) in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients according to the CHA2DS2-VASc score.

METHODS

Patients with AF were prospectively recruited in the COOL AF Thailand registry from 2014 to 2017. The incidence rate of thromboembolic (TE) events and major bleeding (MB) was calculated. Cox proportional hazards model was used to compare the TE and MB rate in patients with and without OACs in CHA2DS2-VASc score of 0-1 and ≥ 2, respectively. The survival analysis was performed based on CHA2DS2-VASc score. The NCB of OACs was defined as the TE rate prevented minus the MB rate increased multiplied by a weighting factor.

RESULTS

A total of 3,402 AF patients were recruited. An average age of patients was 67.38 ± 11.27 years. Compared to non-anticoagulated patients, the Kaplan Meier curve showed anticoagulated patients with CHA2DS2-VASc score of 2 or more had the lower thromboembolic events with statistical significance (p = 0.043) and the higher MB events with statistical significance (p = 0.018). In overall AF patients, there were positive NCB in warfarin patients with CHA2DS2-VASc score of 3 or more while there were positive NCB in DOACs patients regardless of CHA2DS2-VASc score. Females with CHA2DS2-VASc score of 3 or more had a positive NCB regardless of OACs type. Good anticoagulation control (TTR ≥65%) improved an NCB in males with CHA2DS2-VASc score of 3 or more.

CONCLUSIONS

AF patients with CHA2DS2-VASc score of 3 or more regardless warfarin or DOACs had a positive NCB. The NCB of OACs was more positive for DOACs compared to warfarin and for females compared to males.

Incidence and risk of stroke in Korean patients with congenital heart disease

OBJECTIVES

The incidence and risk of ischemic stroke (IS) and hemorrhagic stroke (HS) in Korean patients with CHD have not been reported, therefore, we aimed to investigate this.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Participants were selected from the Korean National Health Insurance Service benefit records from 2006-2017. Cases were extracted using diagnosis codes related to CHD. Controls without CHD were selected through age- and sex-matched random sampling at a 1:10 ratio.

RESULTS

The case and control groups included 232,203 and 3,024,633 participants, respectively. The median (interquartile range) follow-up period was 7.28 (3.59-8.73) years. The incidence rates of IS and HS per 100,000 person-years were much higher in cases than in controls (IS: 135 vs. 47; HS: 41.7 vs. 24.9). After adjusting for confounders, CHD was a risk factor for IS and HS (subdistribution HR; 1.96 and 1.71, respectively). In patients with CHD, the following risk factors were identified: diabetes, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation for any stroke; hypertension, atrial septal defects, and use of antiplatelet agents for IS only; and coronary artery bypass graft surgery for HS only.

CONCLUSIONS

Korean patients with CHD have a high risk of stroke. A personalized preventive approach is needed to reduce the incidence of stroke in this population.

Predictors of intracranial hemorrhage in patients with atrial fibrillation treated with oral anticoagulants: Insights from the GARFIELD-AF and ORBIT-AF registries

BACKGROUND

An unmet need exists to reliably predict the risk of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) treated with oral anticoagulants (OACs).

HYPOTHESIS

An externally validated model improves ICH risk stratification.

METHODS

Independent factors associated with ICH were identified by Cox proportional hazard modeling, using pooled data from the GARFIELD-AF (Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation) and ORBIT-AF (Outcomes Registry for Better Informed Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation) registries. A predictive model was developed and validated by bootstrap sampling and by independent data from the Danish National Patient Register.

RESULTS

In the combined training data set, 284 of 53 878 anticoagulated patients had ICH over a 2-year period (0.31 per 100 person-years; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.28-0.35). Independent predictors of ICH included: older age, prior stroke or transient ischemic attack, concomitant antiplatelet (AP) use, and moderate-to-severe chronic kidney disease (CKD). Vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) were associated with a significantly higher risk of ICH compared with non-VKA oral anticoagulants (NOACs) (adjusted hazard ratio: 1.61; 95% CI: 1.25-2.08; p = .0002). The ability of the model to discriminate individuals in the training set with and without ICH was fair (optimism-corrected C-statistic: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.65-0.71) and outperformed three previously published methods. Calibration between predicted and observed ICH probabilities was good in both training and validation data sets.

CONCLUSIONS

Age, prior ischemic events, concomitant AP therapy, and CKD were important risk factors for ICH in anticoagulated AF patients. Moreover, ICH was more frequent in patients receiving VKA compared to NOAC. The new validated model is a step toward mitigating this potentially lethal complication.

Anticoagulant in atrial fibrillation patients with prior intracranial haemorrhage: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The benefit of resuming anticoagulation in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients with prior intracranial haemorrhage (ICH) and which anticoagulant to choose are controversial.

SUMMARY OF REVIEW

PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library were searched from their inception until 13 February 2022. Thirteen eligible articles (17 600 participants) were collected, including 11 real-world studies (n=17 296) and 2 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) (n=304). Compared with no anticoagulants, oral anticoagulation (OAC) was not associated with an increased risk of ICH recurrence (HR 0.85 (95% CI 0.57 to 1.25), p=0.41), but with a significantly increased risk of major bleeding (HR 1.66 (95% CI 1.20 to 2.30), p<0.01). Meanwhile, OAC was associated with a reduced risk of ischaemic stroke/systemic thromboembolism (IS/SE) (HR 0.54 (95% CI 0.42 to 0.70), p<0.01) and all-cause death (HR 0.38 (95% CI 0.28 to 0.52), p<0.01) compared with no anticoagulants. Furthermore, compared with warfarin, non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) were associated with a significant reduction of ICH recurrence (HR 0.64 (95% CI 0.49 to 0.85), p<0.01), while the risk of IS/SE and all-cause mortality were comparable between warfarin and NOACs.

CONCLUSIONS

For patients with AF with prior ICH, OAC is associated with a significant reduction in IS/SE and all-cause mortality without increasing ICH recurrence, but may increase major bleeding risk. Compared with warfarin, NOACs had a better safety profile and comparable efficacy. Further larger RCTs are warranted to validate these findings.

Rationale and design of a randomized study comparing the Watchman FLX device to DOACs in patients with atrial fibrillation

BACKGROUND

Percutaneous left atrial appendage (LAA) closure (LAAC) was developed as a nonpharmacologic alternative to oral anticoagulants (OACs) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who are at an increased risk for stroke or systemic embolism. The Watchman device permanently seals off the LAA to prevent thrombi from escaping into the circulation. Previous randomized trials have established the safety and efficacy of LAAC compared to warfarin. However, direct OACs (DOACs) have become the preferred pharmacologic strategy for stroke prevention in patients with AF, and there is limited data comparing Watchman FLX to DOACs in a broad AF patient population. CHAMPION-AF is designed to prospectively determine whether LAAC with Watchman FLX is a reasonable first-line alternative to DOACs in patients with AF who are indicated for OAC therapy.

STUDY DESIGN

A total of 3,000 patients with a CHA2DS2-VASc score ≥2 (men) or ≥3 (women) were randomized to Watchman FLX or DOAC in a 1:1 allocation at 142 global clinical sites. Patients in the device arm were to be treated with DOAC and aspirin, DOAC alone, or DAPT for at least 3 months postimplant followed by aspirin or P2Y12 inhibitor for 1-year. Control patients were required to take an approved DOAC for the duration of the trial. Clinical follow-up visits are scheduled at 3- and 12-months, and then annually through 5 years; LAA imaging is required at 4 months in the device group. Two primary end points will be evaluated at 3 years: (1) composite of stroke (ischemic/hemorrhagic), cardiovascular death, and systemic embolism compared for noninferiority, and (2) nonprocedural bleeding (International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis [ISTH] major and clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding) tested for superiority in the device arm against DOACs. The third primary noninferiority end point is the composite of ischemic stroke and systemic embolism at 5 years. Secondary end points include 3- and 5-year rates of (1) ISTH-defined major bleeding and (2) the composite of cardiovascular death, all stroke, systemic embolism, and nonprocedural ISTH bleeding.

CONCLUSIONS

This study will prospectively evaluate whether LAAC with the Watchman FLX device is a reasonable alternative to DOACs in patients with AF.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT04394546.

Risk Factors for Anticoagulant-Associated Intracranial Hemorrhage: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Anticoagulant-associated intracranial hemorrhage has a high mortality rate, and many factors can cause intracranial hemorrhage. Until now, systematic reviews and assessments of the certainty of the evidence have not been published.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review to identify risk factors for anticoagulant-associated intracranial hemorrhage. The protocol for this systematic review was prospectively registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022316750). All English studies that met the inclusion criteria published before January 2022 were obtained from PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. Two researchers independently screened articles, extracted data, and evaluated the quality and evidence of the included studies. Risk factors for intracranial hemorrhage were used as the outcome index of this review. Random or fixed-effect models were used in statistical methods. I2 statistics were used to evaluate heterogeneity.

RESULTS

Of 7322 citations, we included 20 studies in our analysis. For intracranial hemorrhage, moderate-certainty evidence showed a probable association with race, Glasgow Coma Scale, stroke, leukoaraiosis, cerebrovascular disease, tumor, atrial fibrillation, previous bleeding, international normalized ratio, serum albumin, prothrombin time, diastolic blood pressure, and anticoagulant. Low-certainty evidence may be associated with age, cerebral microbleeds, smoking, alcohol intake, platelet count, and antiplatelet drug. In addition, we found very low-certainty evidence that there may be little to no association between the risk of intracranial hemorrhage and hypertension and creatinine clearance. Leukoaraiosis, cerebral microbleeds, cerebrovascular disease, and international normalized ratio are not included in most risk assessment models.

CONCLUSIONS

This study informs risk prediction for anticoagulant-associated intracranial hemorrhage and informs guidelines for intracranial hemorrhage prevention and future research.

Comparison of Stroke and Bleeding Risk Profile in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation and Chronic Kidney Disease

Clinical decision making on anticoagulation in patients with chronic kidney disease with atrial fibrillation (AF) is challenging. The current strategies are based on small observational studies with conflicting results. This study explores the impact of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in the embolic-hemorrhagic balance among a large cohort of patients with AF. The study cohort included 15,457 patients diagnosed with AF between January 2014 and April 2020. The risk of ischemic stroke and major bleeding was determined by competing risk regression. During a mean follow-up of 4.29 ± 1.82 years, 3,678 patients (23.80%) died, 850 (5.50%) had an ischemic stroke, and 961 (6.22%) had a major bleeding. The incidence of stroke and bleeding increased as baseline GFR decreased. Interestingly, in GFR <30 ml/min/1.73 m², the bleeding risk was clearly higher than the embolic risk. As GFR decreased, anticoagulation was associated with an increased bleeding risk (subdistribution hazard ratio 1.700, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.13 to 2.54, p = 0.009 for patients with GFR 30 to 59 ml/min/1.73 m² and 2.00, 95% CI 0.77 to 5.21, p = 0.156 for subjects with <30 ml/min/1.73 m² compared with those with GFR >60 ml/min/1.73 m², respectively), but it was not associated with a decrease in embolic risk in patients with GFR <30 ml/min/1.73 m² (subdistribution hazard ratio 1.91, 95% CI 0.73 to 5.04, p = 0.189) In GFR <30 ml/min/1.73 m², the increase of major bleeding risk was higher than the increase of ischemic stroke risk, with a negative anticoagulation balance (greater increase in bleeding than reduction in embolism).

Severe Bleeding Risk of Direct Oral Anticoagulants Versus Vitamin K Antagonists for Stroke Prevention and Treatment in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis

PURPOSE

We aimed to determine the safety of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) for stroke prevention and treatment in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).

METHODS

A systematic search of four databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library) was performed to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reporting severe bleeding events in patients taking DOACs or vitamin K antagonists (VKAs). In this frequency-based network meta-analysis, odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were used for reporting. Based on the surface under the cumulative ranking curves (SUCRA), the relative ranking probability of each group was generated.

RESULTS

Twenty-three RCTs met the inclusion criteria, and a total of 87,616 patients were enrolled. The bleeding safety of DOACs for stroke prevention and treatment in patients with AF was ranked from highest to lowest as follows: fatal bleeding: edoxaban (SUCRA,80.2), rivaroxaban (SUCRA,68.3), apixaban (SUCRA,48.5), dabigatran (SUCRA,40.0), VKAs (SUCRA,12.9); major bleeding: dabigatran (SUCRA,74.0), apixaban (SUCRA,71.5), edoxaban (SUCRA,66.5), rivaroxaban (SUCRA,22.7), VKAs (SUCRA,15.4); gastrointestinal bleeding: apixaban (SUCRA,55.9), VKAs (SUCRA,53.7), edoxaban (SUCRA,50.5), rivaroxaban (SUCRA,50.4), dabigatran (SUCRA,39.5); intracranial hemorrhage: dabigatran (SUCRA,84.6), edoxaban (SUCRA,74.1), apixaban (SUCRA,65.8), rivaroxaban (SUCRA,24.4), VKAs (SUCRA,1.1).

CONCLUSION

Based on current evidence, for stroke prevention and treatment in patients with AF, the most safe DOAC is edoxaban in terms of fatal bleeding; dabigatran in terms of major bleeding and intracranial hemorrhage and apixaban in terms of gastrointestinal bleeding. However, given the nature of indirect comparisons, more high-quality evidence from head-to-head comparisons is still needed to confirm them.

The European guideline on management of major bleeding and coagulopathy following trauma: sixth edition

BACKGROUND

Severe trauma represents a major global public health burden and the management of post-traumatic bleeding continues to challenge healthcare systems around the world. Post-traumatic bleeding and associated traumatic coagulopathy remain leading causes of potentially preventable multiorgan failure and death if not diagnosed and managed in an appropriate and timely manner. This sixth edition of the European guideline on the management of major bleeding and coagulopathy following traumatic injury aims to advise clinicians who care for the bleeding trauma patient during the initial diagnostic and therapeutic phases of patient management.

METHODS

The pan-European, multidisciplinary Task Force for Advanced Bleeding Care in Trauma included representatives from six European professional societies and convened to assess and update the previous version of this guideline using a structured, evidence-based consensus approach. Structured literature searches covered the period since the last edition of the guideline, but considered evidence cited previously. The format of this edition has been adjusted to reflect the trend towards concise guideline documents that cite only the highest-quality studies and most relevant literature rather than attempting to provide a comprehensive literature review to accompany each recommendation.

RESULTS

This guideline comprises 39 clinical practice recommendations that follow an approximate temporal path for management of the bleeding trauma patient, with recommendations grouped behind key decision points. While approximately one-third of patients who have experienced severe trauma arrive in hospital in a coagulopathic state, a systematic diagnostic and therapeutic approach has been shown to reduce the number of preventable deaths attributable to traumatic injury.

CONCLUSION

A multidisciplinary approach and adherence to evidence-based guidelines are pillars of best practice in the management of severely injured trauma patients. Further improvement in outcomes will be achieved by optimising and standardising trauma care in line with the available evidence across Europe and beyond.

Peri-device leakage not CHA2DS2-VASc is associated with post-left atrial appendage closure cardiovascular event

OBJECTIVE

In patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF), the left atrial appendage occluder (LAAO) is an alternative treatment for stroke prevention. However, thromboembolic event still occur, and the predictors are unknown.

METHODS

The first Asian long-term follow-up study consisted of 308 patients with mean age 71.9±9.5 years, mean CHA₂DS₂-VASc 4.1 ± 1.8 since 2013. Primary outcome was defined as any type of ischemic stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA), systemic embolization and cardiovascular death.

RESULTS

There was no procedural-related TIA or stroke. After a mean follow-up of 38±16 months, the ischemic stroke/TIA rate was 1.9 and cardiovascular death rate 0.3 per 100 patient-year. The rate of peri-device leak (PDL) was 11.9% and device-related thrombus (DRT) 2.6%. In the multivariable analyses, PDL was the only independent predictor of stroke/TIA (hazard ratio 5.5, p=0.008). CHA₂DS₂-VASc score, prior history of stroke, DRT and post-procedural anti-thrombotic regimen/duration were not associated with outcomes. Implantation of Watchman was associated with PDL (odds ratio 4.35, p=0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

PDL is the only independent predictor of post-LAAO stroke. The risk of stroke for patients with NVAF may be controllable after LAA is occluded, because PDL is preventable and treatable.

Meta-Analysis of Oral Anticoagulants and Adverse Outcomes in Atrial Fibrillation Patients After Intracranial Hemorrhage

Background

Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is excluded in most anticoagulation randomized clinical trials (RCTs), so oral anticoagulant (OAC) therapy is still the conventional treatment for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) after ICH. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis to determine the effectiveness and safety outcomes of OAC for these patients.

Methods

We systematically searched the PubMed and Embase databases up to March 2022 for RCTs and observational studies exploring the effect of OAC in patients with AF after ICH. The effectiveness outcomes included stroke or systemic embolism, ischemic stroke, and all-cause death, whereas the safety outcomes were major bleeding and recurrent ICH. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) from each study were pooled using a random-effects model.

Results

A total of 14 studies were included. The OAC therapy that was performed reduced the risks of stroke or systemic embolism (HR = 0.65, 95% CI 0.53–0.81), ischemic stroke (HR = 0.70, 95% CI 0.60–0.82), and all-cause death (HR = 0.43, 95% CI 0.27–0.70) but had a higher risk of major bleeding (HR = 1.50, 95% CI 0.94–2.40) and showed no difference in recurrent ICH (HR = 0.91, 95% CI 0.53–1.55) compared to the no OAC therapy. With the use of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC) therapy, a lower risk of stroke or systemic embolism (HR = 0.83, 95% CI 0.70–0.98), all-cause death (HR = 0.67, 95% CI 0.53–0.84), and recurrent ICH (HR = 0.68, 95% CI 0.54–0.86) was observed against the use of vitamin K antagonists (VKA) therapy.

Conclusion

The OAC therapy (especially VKA) revealed superior effectiveness in patients with AF after ICH, and the superiority of NOAC was also found, but some related evidence was limited.

Association Between the Use of Pre- and Post-thrombolysis Anticoagulation With All-Cause Mortality and Major Bleeding in Patients With Pulmonary Embolism

Objective

To explore the comparative clinical efficacy and safety outcomes of anticoagulation before (pre-) or following (post-) thrombolytic therapy in systemic thrombolytic therapy for pulmonary embolism (PE).

Methods

PubMed, the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, EBSCO, Web of Science, and CINAHL databases were searched from inception through 1 May 2021. All randomized clinical trials comparing systemic thrombolytic therapy vs. anticoagulation alone in patients with PE and those that were written in English were eligible. The primary efficacy and safety outcomes were all-cause mortality and major bleeding, respectively. Odds ratios (OR) estimates and associated 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. A Bayesian network analysis was performed using R studio software, and then the efficacy and safety rankings were derived.

Results

This network meta-analysis enrolled 15 trials randomizing 2,076 patients. According to the plot rankings, the anticoagulant therapy was the best in terms of major bleeding, and the post-thrombolysis anticoagulation was the best in terms of all-cause mortality. Taking major bleeding and all-cause mortality into consideration, the most safe–effective treatment was the post-thrombolysis anticoagulation in patients who needed thrombolytic therapy. The net clinical benefit analysis comparing associated ICH benefits vs. mortality risks of post-thrombolysis anticoagulation demonstrated a net clinical benefit of 1.74%.

Conclusion

The systemic thrombolysis followed by anticoagulation had a better advantage in all-cause mortality and major bleeding than the systemic thrombolysis before anticoagulation. The adjuvant anticoagulation treatment of systemic thrombolytic therapy should be optimized.

Socioeconomic Status and Risk of Bleeding After Mechanical Aortic Valve Replacement

BACKGROUND

Whether low socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with increased risk of anticoagulation-related adverse events in patients with mechanical heart valves is unknown.

OBJECTIVES

This study sought to investigate the impact of patients' SES on the risk of bleeding after mechanical aortic valve replacement (AVR).

METHODS

This nationwide population-based cohort study included all patients aged 18-70 years who underwent mechanical AVR in Sweden from 1997 to 2018. Data were obtained from the SWEDEHEART register and other national health data registers. The exposure was quartiles of household disposable income. The primary outcome was hospitalization for a bleeding event.

RESULTS

Among 5974 patients, the absolute risk for bleeding after 20 years of follow-up was 20% (95% CI: 17%-24%) in the lowest income quartile (Q1) and 16% (95% CI: 13%-20%) in the highest quartile (Q4). The risk of bleeding decreased with increasing income level and was significantly lower in patients in income level Q3 (HR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.60-0.99) and Q4 (HR: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.50-0.92) than Q1. The risk of death from intracranial hemorrhage was five times higher in the lowest income quartile than the age- and sex-matched general Swedish population (standardized mortality ratio: 5.0; 95% CI: 3.3-7.4).

CONCLUSIONS

We observed a strong association between SES and risk of bleeding among patients who underwent mechanical AVR. These findings suggest suboptimal anticoagulation treatment in patients with lower SES and the need for strategies to optimize anticoagulation treatment in patients with a mechanical heart valve. (Health-Data Register Studies of Risk and Outcomes in Cardiac Surgery [HARTROCS]; NCT02276950).

Hemorrhages in polycythemia vera and essential thrombocythemia: epidemiology, description, and risk factors, learnings from a large cohort

BACKGROUND

The management of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) is based on the reduction of thrombosis risk. The incidence, impact, and risk factors of bleedings have been less studied.

METHOD

All patients with polycythemia vera (n=339) or essential thrombocythemia (n=528) treated in our center are included in OBENE cohort (NCT02897297). Major bleeding (MB) and clinically relevant non-major bleeding (CRNMB) occurring after diagnosis were included, except after leukemic transformation.

RESULTS

With a median follow-up of 8.3 years, incidence of hemorrhages was 1.85% patient/year, with an incidence of MB of 0.95% patient/year. The 10-year bleeding-free survival was 89%. The most frequent locations were digestive tractus, "mouth, nose and throat" and muscular hematoma. The case fatality rate of MB was 25%. The proportion of potentially avoidable iatrogenic bleeding was remarkable (17.6%). In multivariable analysis, eight risk factors of bleeding were identified: leukocytes >20 giga/l at diagnosis (HR=5.13 95%CI [1.77;14.86]), secondary hemopathies (HR=2.99 95%CI [1.27;7.04]), aspirin use at diagnosis (HR=2.11 95%CI [1.24;3.6]), platelet count >1000 giga/l at diagnosis (HR=1.93, 95%CI [1.11;3.36]), history of hemorrhage (HR=1.82 95%CI [1.03;3.24]), secondary cancers (HR=1.71 95%CI [1.01;2.89]), atrial fibrillation (HR=1.66, 95%CI [1.01;2.72]) and male gender (HR=1.54, 95%CI [1.02-2.33]). The majority of patients taking hydroxyurea displayed a non-macrocytic median corpuscular value in the months preceding bleeding (51.4%).

DISCUSSION

The morbidity and mortality of bleedings in MPN should not be underestimated, and some patients could beneficiate from cytoreduction in order to reducing bleeding risk. Iatrogenic bleedings represent a substantial proportion of bleeding and could be better prevented.

Evaluation of Neurologic and Psychiatric Outcomes After Hospital Discharge Among Adult Survivors of Cardiac Arrest

IMPORTANCE

Long-term risks of neurologic and psychiatric disease after cardiac arrest are largely unknown.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the short-term and long-term risks of common neurologic outcomes (stroke, epilepsy, Parkinson disease, and dementia) and psychiatric outcomes (depression and anxiety) in patients after hospitalization for cardiac arrest.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This nationwide population-based cohort study with 21 years of follow-up included data on 250 838 adults from all Danish hospitals between January 1, 1996, and December 31, 2016. Danish medical registries were used to identify all patients with a first-time diagnosis of cardiac arrest and 2 matched comparison cohorts. The first comparison cohort included patients with a first-time diagnosis of myocardial infarction; the second comprised people from the general population. Data analysis was performed from November 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021.

EXPOSURES

In-hospital or out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Neurologic and psychiatric outcomes after hospital discharge were ascertained using medical registries. Twenty-one-year hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs were computed based on Cox regression analysis, controlled for matching factors, and adjusted for comorbidity and socioeconomic status.

RESULTS

Among the 250 838 individuals included in this study (median age, 67 years [IQR, 57-76 years]; 173 946 [69.3%] male), 3 groups were identified: 12 046 patients with cardiac arrest, 118 332 patients with myocardial infarction, and 120 460 people from the general population. Compared with patients with myocardial infarction, patients with cardiac arrest had an increased rate of ischemic stroke (10 per 1000 persons; HR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.02-1.64) and hemorrhagic stroke (2 per 1000 persons; HR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.12-3.67) in the first year after discharge. During the full follow-up period, rates were as follows: for epilepsy, 28 per 1000 persons (HR, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.66-2.44); for dementia, 73 per 1000 persons (HR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.09-1.38); for mood disorders including depression, 270 per 1000 persons (HR, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.68-1.89); and for anxiety, 187 per 1000 persons (HR, 1.98; 95% CI, 1.85-2.12). The rate of Parkinson disease was similar in the 2 cohorts (8 per 1000 persons; HR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.65-1.42). The rates of the aforementioned outcomes were highest during the first year after cardiac arrest and then declined over time. Comparisons between the cohort of patients with cardiac arrest and the general population cohort showed higher rates of epilepsy, dementia, depression, and anxiety in the cardiac arrest group.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

In this cohort study, patients discharged after cardiac arrest had an increased rate of subsequent stroke, epilepsy, dementia, depression, and anxiety compared with patients with myocardial infarction and people from the general population, with declining rates over time. These findings suggest the need for preventive strategies and close follow-up of cardiac arrest survivors.

Cerebral Hemorrhage: Pathophysiology, Treatment, and Future Directions

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a devastating form of stroke with high morbidity and mortality. This review article focuses on the epidemiology, cause, mechanisms of injury, current treatment strategies, and future research directions of ICH. Incidence of hemorrhagic stroke has increased worldwide over the past 40 years, with shifts in the cause over time as hypertension management has improved and anticoagulant use has increased. Preclinical and clinical trials have elucidated the underlying ICH cause and mechanisms of injury from ICH including the complex interaction between edema, inflammation, iron-induced injury, and oxidative stress. Several trials have investigated optimal medical and surgical management of ICH without clear improvement in survival and functional outcomes. Ongoing research into novel approaches for ICH management provide hope for reducing the devastating effect of this disease in the future. Areas of promise in ICH therapy include prognostic biomarkers and primary prevention based on disease pathobiology, ultra-early hemostatic therapy, minimally invasive surgery, and perihematomal protection against inflammatory brain injury.

Long-term functional outcomes and mortality after hospitalization for extracranial hemorrhage

BACKGROUND

The effects of extracranial hemorrhage (ECH), or bleeding outside the brain, are often considered transient. Yet, there are few data on the long-term and functional consequences of ECH.

OBJECTIVE

Define the association of ECH hospitalization with functional independence and survival in a nationally representative cohort of older adults.

DESIGN

Longitudinal cohort study.

SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS

Data from the Health and Retirement Study from 1995 to 2016, a nationally representative, biennial survey of older adults. Adults aged 66 and above with Medicare linkage and at least 12 months of continuous Medicare Part A and B enrollment.

INTERVENTION

Hospitalization for ECH.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Adjusted odds ratios and predicted likelihood of independence in all activities of daily living (ADLs), independence in all instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) and extended nursing home stay. Adjusted hazard ratio and predicted likelihood for survival.

RESULTS

In a cohort of 6719 subjects (mean age 77, 59% women) with average follow-up time of 8.3 years (55,767 person-years), 736 (11%) were hospitalized for ECH. ECH was associated with a 15% increase in ADL disability, 15% increase in IADL disability, 8% increase in nursing home stays, and 4% increase in mortality. After ECH, subjects became disabled and died at the same annual rate as pre-ECH but never recovered to pre-ECH levels of function. In conclusion, hospitalization for ECH was associated with significant and durable declines in independence and survival. Clinical and research efforts should incorporate the long-term harms of ECH into decision-making and strategies to mitigate these effects.

New cerebral microbleeds in AF patients on non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants or warfarin: One-year follow-up

Anticoagulant treatment increases the risk of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), but whether the treatment, more specifically non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (NOACs), increases the risk of cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) remains uncertain. We performed this study to investigate the development of new CMBs due to NOACs or warfarin treatment in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).We prospectively recruited AF patients before anticoagulation from June 2016 to June 2018. We performed susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) examinations on all enrolled AF patients and re-examined SWI 1 year later. We compared demographic features and new CMBs between the NOACs group and the warfarin group. Univariate analysis of clinical factors was performed according to the development of new CMBs; and age, a HAS-B(L)ED score, warfarin use, and the presence of baseline CMBs were then selected for inclusion in the multivariate logistic regression model.A total of 72 AF patients were recruited, 29 of whom were assigned to the NOACs group and 43 to the warfarin group. Finally, 1 patient in the NOACs group (3.4%) and 9 patients (20.9%) in the warfarin group developed new CMBs after 1 year follow-up (P = .08). Univariate analysis showed that age, a HAS-B(L)ED score ≥4, the presence of baseline CMBs were associated with the development of new CMBs (P < .05). And multivariate regression analysis showed baseline CMBs (P = .03, odds ratio = 6.37, 95% confidence interval 1.15-35.36) was independently related to the increase in new CMBs.AF patients treated with NOACs may have a decreased trend in the development of new CMBs compared with those treated with warfarin. Baseline CMBs increased the frequency of new CMBs during anticoagulant treatment. The development of new CMBs in AF patients with anticoagulation requires further longitudinal studies with longer follow-up in larger samples.

Long-term outcomes of percutaneous left atrial appendage closure for the prevention of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation: Asia-Pacific experience

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

In patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF), the left atrial appendage occluder (LAAO) is an alternative treatment for stroke prevention. However, the long-term outcomes in Asia was generally unknown.

METHODS AND RESULTS

This was a retrospective longitudinal study and a total of 124 patients with contraindications to oral anticoagulants or stroke despite under anticoagulants had been enrolled since 2013. Primary efficacy was defined as any type of stroke/systemic embolization and adverse event as any procedure or anti-thrombotic related complications. Twelve patients were excluded due to thrombus in the LAA or oversize LAA. Watchman was successfully implanted in 55 patients (98%) and ACP/Amulet also 55 patients (98%). During follow-up, the ischemic stroke rate was 1.9 in the Watchman and 1.4 per 100 patient-year in the ACP/Amulet group. There were 2 Watchman patients experiencing intracranial hemorrhage. Device-related thrombus (DRT) was noted in 3 patients (2.7%).There was no patient with peri-device lead ≧5 mm. In those patients receiving only local anesthesia, the follow-up echocardiography showed no significant peri-device leak, malposition of LAAO and DRT.

CONCLUSION

This long-term follow-up study shows that percutaneous closure of LAA is a safe and technically feasible procedure with satisfactory outcomes in Asia. The procedure success rate, efficacy and adverse event were similar to those reported in the Caucasian populations.

Vitamin K Antagonist (Phenprocoumon) and Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Single-Center, Matched-Pair Analysis

BACKGROUND

Demographic changes are leading to an aging society with a growing number of patients relying on anticoagulation, and vitamin K antagonists (VKA) are still widely used. As mortality and functional outcomes are worse in case of VKA-associated hemorrhagic stroke, phenprocoumon treatment seems to be a negative prognostic factor in case of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The purpose of this study was to analyze whether phenprocoumon treatment does worsen the outcome after non-traumatic SAH.

METHODS

All patients treated for non-traumatic SAH between January 2007 and December 2016 in our institution were retrospectively analyzed. After exclusion of patients with anticoagulant or antiplatelet treatment other than phenprocoumon, we analyzed 1040 patients. Thirty-three patients (3%) of those were treated with continuous phenprocoumon. In total, 132 out of all 1007 patients without anticoagulant treatment of the remaining patients were matched as control group (ratio = 1:4).

RESULTS

Patients with phenprocoumon treatment were significantly older (66.5 years vs. 53.9 years; p < .0001), and admission status was significantly more often poor (66.7% vs. 41.8%, p = .007) compared to all patients without anticoagulant treatment. Further, bleeding pattern and rates of early hydrocephalus did not differ. Matched-pair analysis revealed a significant higher rate of angio-negative SAH in the study group (p = .001). Overall rates of hemorrhagic or thromboembolic complications did not differ (21.4% vs. 18.8%; NS) but were more often fatal, and 30-day mortality rate was significantly higher in the phenprocoumon group than in patients of the matched-pair control group (33% vs. 24%; p < .001). 30% of the phenprocoumon group and 37% of the matched-pair control group reached favorable outcome. However, poor outcome was strong associated with the reason for phenprocoumon treatment.

CONCLUSION

Patients with phenprocoumon treatment at the time of SAH are significantly older, admission status is worse, and 30-day mortality rates are significantly higher compared to patients without anticoagulant treatment. However, outcome at 6 months did not differ to the matched-pair control group but seems to be strongly associated with the underlying cardiovascular disease. Treatment of these patients is challenging and should be performed on an interdisciplinary base in each individual case. Careful decision-making regarding discontinuation and bridging of anticoagulation and close observation is mandatory.

Major bleeding in users of direct oral anticoagulants in atrial fibrillation: A pooled analysis of results from multiple population-based cohort studies

Objective

To establish the risk of major bleeding in direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) users (overall and by class) versus vitamin K antagonist (VKA) users, using health care databases from four European countries and six provinces in Canada.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was performed according to a similar protocol. First‐users of VKAs or DOACs with a diagnosis of non‐valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) were included. The main outcome of interest was major bleeding and secondary outcomes included gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding and intracranial haemorrhage (ICH). Incidence rates of events per 1000 person years were calculated. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were estimated using a Cox proportional hazard regression model. Exposure and confounders were measured and analysed in a time‐dependant way. Risk estimates were pooled using a random effect model.

Results

421 523 patients were included. The risk of major bleeding for the group of DOACs compared to VKAs showed a pooled HR of 0.94 (95% CI: 0.87–1.02). Rivaroxaban showed a modestly increased risk (HR 1.11, 95% CI: 1.06–1.16). Apixaban and dabigatran showed a decreased risk of respectively HR 0.76 (95% CI: 0.69–0.84) and HR 0.85 (95% CI: 0.75–0.96).

Conclusions

This study confirms that the risk of major bleeding of DOACs compared to VKAs is not increased when combining all DOACs. However, we observed a modest higher risk of major bleeding for rivaroxaban, whereas for apixaban and dabigatran lower risks of major bleeding were observed compared to VKAs.

Impact of Fall Risk and Direct Oral Anticoagulant Treatment on Quality-Adjusted Life-Years in Older Adults with Atrial Fibrillation: A Markov Decision Analysis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

The decision to initiate anticoagulation in older adults with atrial fibrillation is complicated by the benefit of ischemic stroke prevention vs the risk of falls resulting in major bleeds. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of different treatments including direct oral anticoagulants on quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) in patients aged 75 years and older with atrial fibrillation in the context of falls.

METHODS

A Markov decision process was constructed for older patients with atrial fibrillation taking no anti-thrombotic, aspirin, warfarin, rivaroxaban, and apixaban. Input probabilities for clinical events were estimated from the available literature. One-way and two-way sensitivity analyses were performed by measuring the impact of varying input probabilities of clinical events on QALY outcomes.

RESULTS

The base-case scenario estimated that older adults treated with no anti-thrombotic, aspirin, warfarin, rivaroxaban, and apixaban had QALYs of 8.03, 8.69, 10.38, 11.02, and 11.56, respectively. The sensitivity analysis estimated that an older adult would need to fall over 45 (rivaroxaban) and 458 (apixaban) times per year for the QALY of a direct oral anticoagulant to be lower than that of aspirin.

CONCLUSIONS

Older adults with atrial fibrillation benefit from stroke protection of anticoagulants, especially direct oral anticoagulants, even if they are at high risk of falls. Clinicians should not consider fall risk as a deciding factor for withholding anticoagulation in this population of patients.

Evaluation of rivaroxaban versus warfarin for the treatment of cerebral vein thrombosis: A case-control blinded study

Background: Anticoagulation therapy following cerebral vein thrombosis (CVT) can improve mortality and morbidity. Vitamin K antagonists are currently the routine oral anticoagulant used for CVT; while by introduction of rivaroxaban, a direct factor Xa inhibitor, the attentions have been deviated toward novel agents, but the evidence is not strong. The current study is aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of rivaroxaban versus warfarin for anticoagulation therapy of CVT. Methods: The current randomized clinical trial has been conducted on 50 patients with CVT among which, 25 ones were randomly allocated to rivaroxaban treatment (20 mg per day for three months) and remained 25 ones to warfarin treatment [adjusted based on international normalized ratio (INR) of 2-3]. The Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) and clinical investigations, including the incidence of seizure, papilledema, intra/extra-cranial bleeding, blurred vision, headache, nausea and vomiting, and death were evaluated at discharge time and within 3 and 6 months following CVT incidence; eventually, two groups were compared. Results: Comparison of mRS scores between the groups revealed significant differences in none of the interval assessments, at the time of admission (P = 0.510), within three months (P = 0.630), and within six months (P = 0.990), while both of the approaches led to significant decrease in mRS scores following both of the treatments (P < 0.001). The comparison of drug-related adverse effects showed insignificant difference between warfarin versus rivaroxaban (P > 0.050). Conclusion: Based on this study, rivaroxaban is an efficacious agent for the treatment of CVT without remarkable adverse effects.

Non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants versus vitamin K antagonists in atrial fibrillation patients with previous stroke or intracranial hemorrhage: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

Several observational studies have compared the effectiveness and safety outcomes between nonvitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) and vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients with a history of either stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA) or intracranial hemorrhage. Therefore, our current meta-analysis aimed to address this issue. The Cochrane Library, PubMed, and Embase databases were systematically searched until December 2020 for all relevant observational studies. We applied a random-effects model to pool adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for this meta-analysis. A total of 10 studies were included. Among patients with a history of stroke/TIA, the use of NOACs versus VKAs was associated with decreased risks of stroke (HR, 0.82, 95% CI 0.69-0.97), systemic embolism (HR, 0.73, 95% CI 0.61-0.87), all-cause death (HR, 0.87, 95% CI 0.81-0.94), major bleeding (HR, 0.77, 95% CI 0.64-0.92) and intracranial hemorrhage (HR, 0.54, 95% CI 0.38-0.77). Among patients with a history of intracranial hemorrhage, the use of NOACs versus VKAs was associated with reduced risks of stroke (HR, 0.81, 95% CI 0.68-0.95), all-cause death (HR, 0.68, 95% CI 0.49-0.94), and intracranial hemorrhage (HR, 0.66, 95% CI 0.51-0.84). Compared with VKAs, the use of NOACs exhibited superior efficacy and safety outcomes in AF patients with previous stroke/TIA, and the use of NOACs was associated with reduced risks of stroke, all-cause death, and intracranial hemorrhage in patients with a history of intracranial hemorrhage.

Evaluation of fixed versus variable dosing of 4-factor prothrombin complex concentrate for emergent warfarin reversal

STUDY OBJECTIVE

This study compares the safety and efficacy of a fixed dose of 4-factor prothrombin complex concentrate (4FPCC) to the FDA-approved variable dosing for reversal of warfarin-induced anticoagulation.

METHODS

This was a single-center, prospective, open-label, randomized controlled trial with subjects randomized to 4FPCC at a fixed dose of 1500 IU or the FDA-approved variable dosing regimen. The primary efficacy outcome (reversal success) was defined as a post-intervention international normalized ratio (INR) of less than or equal to 1.5. Given that 4FPCC is the standard of care for reversal of warfarin-induced anticoagulation an active-controlled approach was employed with the two dosing regimens compared based on efficacy, cost, and safety outcomes.

RESULTS

71 subjects (34 in the fixed dose group and 37 in the variable dose group) completed the study. There were no significant differences in age, gender, weight, initial INR, or indication for 4FPCC administration between the two treatment groups. Reversal success in the fixed-dose group was 61.8%, while in the variable dose group reversal success was 89.2%. Reversal success in the fixed-dose group was significantly lower than the rate of reversal success in the variable dose group (27.4% lower, p = 0.011).

CONCLUSION

The results of this study provide evidence that fixed dosing results in lower reversal success rates as compared to variable dosing of 4FPCC for warfarin-induced anticoagulation.

Comparison of Direct Oral Anticoagulants Versus Warfarin in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation and Bioprosthetic Heart Valves

There are limited data regarding direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) for stroke prevention in patients with bioprosthetic heart valves (BHVs) and atrial fibrillation (AF). The objectives of this study were to evaluate the ambulatory utilization of DOACs and to compare the effectiveness and safety of DOACs versus warfarin in patients with AF and BHVs. We conducted a retrospective cohort study at a large integrated health care delivery system in California. Patients with BHVs and AF treated with warfarin, dabigatran, rivaroxaban, or apixaban between September 12, 2011 and June 18, 2020 were identified. Inverse probability of treatment-weighted comparative effectiveness and safety of DOACs compared with warfarin were determined. Use of DOACs gradually increased since 2011, with a significant upward in trend after a stay-at-home order related to COVID-19. Among 2,672 adults with BHVs and AF who met the inclusion criteria, 439 were exposed to a DOAC and 2233 were exposed to warfarin. For the primary effectiveness outcome of ischemic stroke, systemic embolism and transient ischemic attack, no significant association was observed between use of DOACs compared with warfarin (HR 1.19, 95% CI 0.96 to 1.48, p = 0.11). Use of DOACs was associated with lower risk of the primary safety outcome of intracranial hemorrhage, gastrointestinal bleeding, and other bleed (HR 0.69, 95% CI 0.56 to 0.85, p < 0.001). Results were consistent across multiple subgroups in the sensitivity analyses. These findings support the use of DOACs for AF in patients with BHVs.

Trade-off between the effects of embolic versus bleeding events on mortality in elderly patients with atrial fibrillation

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Clinical decision-making on anticoagulation in elderly patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) requires clinicians to consider not only the incidence of embolic and bleeding events, but also the risk of death following these adverse events. We aimed to analyze the trade-off between embolic and bleeding events with respect to mortality in elderly patients with AF.

METHODS

The study cohort comprised all patients aged ≥ 75 years from a Spanish health area diagnosed with AF between 2014 and 2017 (n=9365). The risk of death was investigated using Cox proportional hazards models, including embolic and bleeding events as time-dependent binary indicators.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 4.0 years, both embolic and bleeding events were associated with a higher risk of death (adjusted HR, 2.39; 95%CI, 2.12-2.69; and adjusted HR, 1.79; 95%CI, 1.64-1.96, respectively). The relative risk of death was 33% higher following an embolism than following a bleeding event (rRR, 1.33; 95%CI, 1.15-1.55), although for transient ischemic attack the risk was lower than for bleeding (rRR, 0.79; 95%CI, 0.63-0.99). The risk of death associated with intracranial hemorrhage was similar to that of major embolisms (RR, 1.00; 95%CI, 0.75-1.29).

CONCLUSIONS

In elderly AF patients, embolic events appeared to be associated with a higher risk of mortality than extracranial bleeding, except for transient ischemic attacks, which have a better prognosis. For ICH, the mortality risk was similar to that of major embolism.

Comparative risk for intracranial hemorrhage related to new oral anticoagulants: A network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) risk of oral anticoagulants/non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) remains largely unknown. Patients who need oral anticoagulants such as aspirin or warfarin often suffer from obvious complications.

METHODS

This network meta-analysis intended to assess the ICH risk in patients taking NOACs. The data from PubMed, the Cochrane database, and Embase were reviewed. All phase III randomized controlled trials of NOACs (apixaban, edoxaban, dabigatran, rivaroxaban), aspirin and warfarin were reviewed.

RESULTS

Twenty-three trials involving 137,713 participants were included, involving 6 regimens. Warfarin had the first risk of ICH (surface under the cumulative ranking area: 0.82), followed by dabigatran, edoxaban, aspirin, apixaban, rivaroxaban, and placebo. Dabigatran had the lowest risk of all-cause mortality (surface under the cumulative ranking area: 0.63), followed by apixaban, edoxaban, warfarin, rivaroxaban, aspirin, and placebo.

CONCLUSION

Warfarin significantly increased the risk of ICH in patients taking oral anticoagulants compared with 4 NOACs (dabigatran, edoxaban, apixaban, rivaroxaban) and aspirin. Apixaban is least likely to induce all-cause mortality.

Risk of intracranial hemorrhage with direct oral anticoagulants: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

OBJECTIVE

We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the risk of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) between direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) and other antithrombotic drugs in detail across all diseases.

METHODS

PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were searched for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Heterogeneity was examined using the I² statistic. Risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using random-effects meta-analysis.

RESULTS

Fifty-five RCTs were included in this meta-analysis. Compared with vitamin K antagonists (VKAs), dabigatran reduced the risk of ICH by 60% (RR 0.40; 95% CI 0.28-0.57), apixaban by 57% (RR 0.43; 95% CI 0.31-0.58), edoxaban by 56% (RR 0.44; 95% CI 0.29-0.67) and rivaroxaban by 41% (RR 0.59; 95%CI 0.44-0.80). Compared with low-molecular-weight heparins (LMWHs), apixaban, edoxaban and rivaroxaban had a similar risk of ICH. Compared with aspirin, dabigatran and apixaban had a similar risk of ICH, while rivaroxaban posed an increased risk of ICH (RR 2.12; 95% CI 1.31-3.44). For secondary prevention stroke, DOACs reduced the risk of ICH by 46% compared with warfarin (RR 0.54; 95% CI [0.42-0.70]) and had a similar risk of ICH compared with aspirin.

CONCLUSION

All DOACs had a lower risk of ICH than VKAs. In terms of the risk of ICH, DOACs were overall as safe as LMWHs, and apixaban and dabigatran were as safe as aspirin, but rivaroxaban was not. For secondary prevention stroke, the risk of ICH with DOACs was overall lower than warfarin and similar to aspirin, but it should be noted that compared with aspirin, rivaroxaban may increase the risk of ICH. This is the first pair-wise meta-analysis that compares the risk of ICH between DOACs and other antithrombotic drugs in detail across all diseases, which may have certain significance for patients with high risk of ICH to choose antithrombotic drugs in clinical practice.

Restarting Oral Anticoagulation in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation After an Intracranial Hemorrhage

Atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia in the general population. In western countries with aging populations, atrial fibrillation poses a significant health concern, as it is associated with a high risk of thromboembolism, stroke, congestive heart failure, and myocardial infarction. Thrombi are generated in the left atrial appendage, and subsequent embolism into the cerebral circulation is a major cause of ischemic stroke. Therefore, patients have a lifetime risk of stroke, and those at high risk, defined as a CHA2DS2-VASc2 (congestive heart failure, hypertension, age >75 years, diabetes mellitus, stroke/transient ischemic attack/thromboembolism, vascular disease, age 65-74 yrs, sex category) ≥2, are usually placed on oral anticoagulants. Unfortunately, long-term anticoagulation poses bleeding risks, of which intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is the most feared and deadly complication.In patients who survive an ICH, the question of oral anticoagulation resumption arises. It is a therapeutic dilemma in which clinicians must decide how to manage the risk of thromboembolism versus recurrent hemorrhage. Although there is a substantial amount of retrospective data on the topic of resumption of anticoagulation, there are, at this time, no randomized controlled trials addressing the issue. We therefore sought to address ICH risk and management, summarize high quality existing evidence on restarting oral anticoagulation, and suggest an approach to clinical decision-making.

Associations of anemia with stroke, bleeding, and mortality in atrial fibrillation: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Anemia frequently coexists with atrial fibrillation (AF) and has been variably associated with worse outcomes. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to comprehensively assess the effect of anemia on mortality, stroke/systemic thromboembolism, and bleeding events in patients with AF.

METHODS

MEDLINE and Embase were searched from inception until May 2020. Studies examining associations of anemia with the above outcomes in AF patients were included, and maximally adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) meta-analysed. PROSPERO registration number CRD42020171113.

RESULTS

Twenty-eight studies involving 365 484 patients (41% female, mean age 74.7 years) were included. The average study follow-up ranged from 0.2 to 4.0 years, and the prevalence of anemia was 16%. Anemia was associated with a 78% increase in all-cause mortality (HR, 1.78; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.44-2.20), 60% increase in cardiovascular mortality (HR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.17-2.19), 134% increase in noncardiovascular mortality (HR, 2.34; 95% CI, 1.58-3.47) 15% increase in stroke/systemic thromboembolism (HR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.01-1.31), 78% increase in major bleeding (HR, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.54-2.05), and 77% increase in gastrointestinal bleeding (HR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.23-2.55). Sensitivity analyses including studies that reported odds ratios did not result in any material change.

CONCLUSION

Anemia is a frequently observed comorbidity in patients with AF, and is associated with an increased risk of all-cause, cardiovascular and noncardiovascular mortality, stroke/systemic thromboembolism, and major and gastrointestinal bleeding. Future studies are required to explore the causes of anemia in AF, and whether investigation and treatment may be clinically beneficial in affected individuals.

2020 ACC/AHA Guideline for the Management of Patients With Valvular Heart Disease: Executive Summary: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines

AIM

This executive summary of the valvular heart disease guideline provides recommendations for clinicians to diagnose and manage valvular heart disease as well as supporting documentation to encourage their use.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search was conducted from January 1, 2010, to March 1, 2020, encompassing studies, reviews, and other evidence conducted on human subjects that were published in English from PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Reports, and other selected database relevant to this guideline. Structure: Many recommendations from the earlier valvular heart disease guidelines have been updated with new evidence and provides newer options for diagnosis and treatment of valvular heart disease. This summary includes only the recommendations from the full guideline which focus on diagnostic work-up, the timing and choice of surgical and catheter interventions, and recommendations for medical therapy. The reader is referred to the full guideline for graphical flow charts, text, and tables with additional details about the rationale for and implementation of each recommendation, and the evidence tables detailing the data considered in developing these guidelines.