2018 Focused Update of the Canadian Cardiovascular Society Guidelines for the Management of Atrial Fibrillation

Comprehensive Analysis of Anticoagulant Therapy in Patients with Isolated Atrial Flutter

Limited comparative data exist regarding the risk of cardiogenic emboli in patients with isolated atrial flutter (AFL). Some studies suggest a lower complication risk in AFL compared to atrial fibrillation (AFib), but methodological limitations and conflicting reports necessitate a comprehensive investigation. Our analysis proposes that isolated AFL carries a lower risk of ischemic events and left atrial thrombus formation than AFib. Importantly, we caution against applying stroke risk assessment approaches designed for AFib to AFL patients, as it may lead to harmful overestimations and unnecessary anticoagulant prescriptions. Furthermore, we highlight the current lack of sufficient data to determine the overall clinical benefit of prolonged anticoagulant therapy in patients with isolated AFL, especially when CHA2DS2-VASc index values are below 4. This review challenges existing perceptions, offering insights into the nuanced risk profiles of the transitional nature of isolated AFL due to the high incidence of AFib development within a year of AFL diagnosis. In conclusion, tailored risk assessments and further research are essential for precise clinical decision-making in this dynamic landscape.

Anticoagulation Therapy Timing in patients with Atrial Fibrillation after Acute and Chronic Subdural Haematoma (ATTAACH): a pilot randomised controlled trial

INTRODUCTION

Subdural haematomas (SDHs), acute or chronic, are common neurosurgical diagnoses. These problems can occur among patients requiring direct oral anticoagulation (DOAC) for atrial fibrillation. There are currently no guidelines regarding the optimal timing to resume anticoagulation for these patients after SDH. The objective of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of conducting a future large randomised controlled trial (RCT) evaluating the safety and efficacy of resuming DOACs early (ie, at 30 days) vs late (ie, at 3 months) for patients with atrial fibrillation following diagnosis of SDH.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This is a pilot, open-label, multicentre RCT that will enrol adults with newly diagnosed acute or chronic SDH with or without other intracranial bleeding who were receiving therapeutic anticoagulation with a DOAC as stroke prophylaxis for atrial fibrillation. Patients will be randomly allocated to resume a DOAC at standard dosing starting either days 30+7 or days 90±14. The primary outcomes for the pilot RCT are recruitment rate, protocol adherence and patient compliance with the randomly allocated interventions. Secondary outcomes are patient functional outcomes and safety and effectiveness outcomes, which will comprise key endpoints for the future planned RCT. This pilot RCT will provide important data to inform the feasibility of conducting a future, large RCT of early versus late resumption of DOACs for atrial fibrillation stroke prophylaxis in patients newly diagnosed with SDH. The future RCT will help inform management of a commonly encountered clinical dilemma with high associated morbidity and mortality.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This study has been approved by the research ethics board of record. It will be conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, Good Clinical Practice guidelines and regulatory requirements. Informed consent will be obtained from eligible patients or substitute decision-makers. Data from this study will inform the design of future, larger RCTs.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT05472766.

RAFF-5 Study to Improve the Quality and Safety of Care for Patients Seen in the Emergency Department With Acute Atrial Fibrillation and Flutter

BACKGROUND

We sought to improve the immediate and subsequent care of emergency department (ED) patients with acute atrial fibrillation (AF) and flutter (AFL) by implementing the principles of the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians AF/AFL Best Practices Checklist.

METHODS

This cohort study included 3 periods: before (7 months), intervention introduction (1 month), and after (7 months), and was conducted at a major academic centre. We included patients who presented with an episode of acute AF or AFL and used multiple strategies to support ED adoption of the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians checklist. We developed new cardiology rapid-access follow-up processes. The main outcomes were unsafe and suboptimal treatments in the ED.

RESULTS

We included 1108 patient visits, with 559 in the before and 549 in the after period. In a comparison of the periods, there was an increase in use of chemical cardioversion (20.6% vs 25.0%; absolute difference [AD], 4.4%) and in electrical cardioversion (39.2% vs 51.2%; AD, 12.0%). More patients were discharged with sinus rhythm restored (66.9% vs 75.0%; AD, 8.1%). The proportion seen in a follow-up cardiology clinic increased from 24.2% to 39.9% (AD, 15.7%) and the mean time until seen decreased substantially (103.3 vs 49.0 days; AD, -54.3 days). There were very few unsafe cases (0.4% vs 0.7%) and, although there was an increase in suboptimal care (19.5% vs 23.1%), overall patient outcomes were excellent.

CONCLUSIONS

We successfully improved the care for ED patients with acute AF/AFL and achieved more frequent and more rapid cardiology follow-up. Although cases of unsafe management were uncommon and patient outcomes were excellent, there are opportunities for physicians to improve their care of acute AF/AFL patients.

CLINICALTRIALS

GOV IDENTIFIER

NCT05468281.

Arterial Thrombosis in Patients with Cancer

Patients with cancer are at increased risk of arterial thromboembolic disease due to the presence of risk factors common to both the development of cancer and arterial thrombosis, the cancer itself, and the treatments provided to treat cancer. We review here the epidemiology and pathophysiology of arterial thromboembolic disease in cancer, along with its prevention and treatment strategies. We also propose a generalized approach for the management of arterial thromboembolic disease in this patient population.

External electrical and pharmacological cardioversion for atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter or atrial tachycardias: a network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most frequent sustained arrhythmia. Cardioversion is a rhythm control strategy to restore normal/sinus rhythm, and can be achieved through drugs (pharmacological) or a synchronised electric shock (electrical cardioversion).

OBJECTIVES

To assess the efficacy and safety of pharmacological and electrical cardioversion for atrial fibrillation (AF), atrial flutter and atrial tachycardias.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, Conference Proceedings Citation Index-Science (CPCI-S) and three trials registers (ClinicalTrials.gov, WHO ICTRP and ISRCTN) on 14 February 2023.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) at the individual patient level. Patient populations were aged ≥ 18 years with AF of any type and duration, atrial flutter or other sustained related atrial arrhythmias, not occurring as a result of reversible causes.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We used standard Cochrane methodology to collect data and performed a network meta-analysis using the standard frequentist graph-theoretical approach using the netmeta package in R. We used GRADE to assess the quality of the evidence which we presented in our summary of findings with a judgement on certainty. We calculated differences using risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) as well as ranking treatments using a P value. We assessed clinical and statistical heterogeneity and split the networks for the primary outcome and acute procedural success, due to concerns about violating the transitivity assumption.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 112 RCTs (139 records), from which we pooled data from 15,968 patients. The average age ranged from 47 to 72 years and the proportion of male patients ranged from 38% to 92%. Seventy-nine trials were considered to be at high risk of bias for at least one domain, 32 had no high risk of bias domains, but had at least one domain classified as uncertain risk, and one study was considered at low risk for all domains. For paroxysmal AF (35 trials), when compared to placebo, anteroapical (AA)/anteroposterior (AP) biphasic truncated exponential waveform (BTE) cardioversion (RR: 2.42; 95% CI 1.65 to 3.56), quinidine (RR: 2.23; 95% CI 1.49 to 3.34), ibutilide (RR: 2.00; 95% CI 1.28 to 3.12), propafenone (RR: 1.98; 95% CI 1.67 to 2.34), amiodarone (RR: 1.69; 95% CI 1.42 to 2.02), sotalol (RR: 1.58; 95% CI 1.08 to 2.31) and procainamide (RR: 1.49; 95% CI 1.13 to 1.97) likely result in a large increase in maintenance of sinus rhythm until hospital discharge or end of study follow-up (certainty of evidence: moderate). The effect size was larger for AA/AP incremental and was progressively smaller for the subsequent interventions. Despite low certainty of evidence, antazoline may result in a large increase (RR: 28.60; 95% CI 1.77 to 461.30) in this outcome. Similarly, low-certainty evidence suggests a large increase in this outcome for flecainide (RR: 2.17; 95% CI 1.68 to 2.79), vernakalant (RR: 2.13; 95% CI 1.52 to 2.99), and magnesium (RR: 1.73; 95% CI 0.79 to 3.79). For persistent AF (26 trials), one network was created for electrical cardioversion and showed that, when compared to AP BTE incremental energy with patches, AP BTE maximum energy with patches (RR 1.35, 95% CI 1.17 to 1.55) likely results in a large increase, and active compression AP BTE incremental energy with patches (RR: 1.14, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.131) likely results in an increase in maintenance of sinus rhythm at hospital discharge or end of study follow-up (certainty of evidence: high). Use of AP BTE incremental with paddles (RR: 1.03, 95% CI 0.98 to 1.09; certainty of evidence: low) may lead to a slight increase, and AP MDS Incremental paddles (RR: 0.95, 95% CI 0.86 to 1.05; certainty of evidence: low) may lead to a slight decrease in efficacy. On the other hand, AP MDS incremental energy using patches (RR: 0.78, 95% CI 0.70 to 0.87), AA RBW incremental energy with patches (RR: 0.76, 95% CI 0.66 to 0.88), AP RBW incremental energy with patches (RR: 0.76, 95% CI 0.68 to 0.86), AA MDS incremental energy with patches (RR: 0.76, 95% CI 0.67 to 0.86) and AA MDS incremental energy with paddles (RR: 0.68, 95% CI 0.53 to 0.83) probably result in a decrease in this outcome when compared to AP BTE incremental energy with patches (certainty of evidence: moderate). The network for pharmacological cardioversion showed that bepridil (RR: 2.29, 95% CI 1.26 to 4.17) and quindine (RR: 1.53, (95% CI 1.01 to 2.32) probably result in a large increase in maintenance of sinus rhythm at hospital discharge or end of study follow-up when compared to amiodarone (certainty of evidence: moderate). Dofetilide (RR: 0.79, 95% CI 0.56 to 1.44), sotalol (RR: 0.89, 95% CI 0.67 to 1.18), propafenone (RR: 0.79, 95% CI 0.50 to 1.25) and pilsicainide (RR: 0.39, 95% CI 0.02 to 7.01) may result in a reduction in this outcome when compared to amiodarone, but the certainty of evidence is low. For atrial flutter (14 trials), a network could be created only for antiarrhythmic drugs. Using placebo as the common comparator, ibutilide (RR: 21.45, 95% CI 4.41 to 104.37), propafenone (RR: 7.15, 95% CI 1.27 to 40.10), dofetilide (RR: 6.43, 95% CI 1.38 to 29.91), and sotalol (RR: 6.39, 95% CI 1.03 to 39.78) probably result in a large increase in the maintenance of sinus rhythm at hospital discharge or end of study follow-up (certainty of evidence: moderate), and procainamide (RR: 4.29, 95% CI 0.63 to 29.03), flecainide (RR 3.57, 95% CI 0.24 to 52.30) and vernakalant (RR: 1.18, 95% CI 0.05 to 27.37) may result in a large increase in maintenance of sinus rhythm at hospital discharge or end of study follow-up (certainty of evidence: low). All tested electrical cardioversion strategies for atrial flutter had very high efficacy (97.9% to 100%). The rate of mortality (14 deaths) and stroke or systemic embolism (3 events) at 30 days was extremely low. Data on quality of life were scarce and of uncertain clinical significance. No information was available regarding heart failure readmissions. Data on duration of hospitalisation was scarce, of low quality, and could not be pooled.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Despite the low quality of evidence, this systematic review provides important information on electrical and pharmacological strategies to help patients and physicians deal with AF and atrial flutter. In the assessment of the patient comorbidity profile, antiarrhythmic drug onset of action and side effect profile versus the need for a physician with experience in sedation, or anaesthetics support for electrical cardioversion are key aspects when choosing the cardioversion method.

Peri-mortem arrhythmias in the non-cardiac intensive care unit

BACKGROUND

Cardiovascular failure is recognized as a common final pathway at the end of life but there is a paucity of data describing terminal arrhythmias.

AIM

We aimed to describe arrhythmias recorded peri-mortem in critically ill patients.

STUDY DESIGN

We enrolled intensive care unit patients admitted to two tertiary Canadian medico-surgical centres. Participants wore a continuous electrocardiogram (ECG) monitor for 14 days, until discharge, removal or death. We recorded all significant occurrences of arrhythmias in the final hour of life.

RESULTS

Among 39 patients wearing an ECG monitor at the time of death, 22 (56%) developed at least 1 terminal arrhythmia as adjudicated by an arrhythmia physician: 23% (n = 9) had ventricular fibrillation/polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, 18% (n = 7) had sinoatrial pauses, 15% (n = 6) had atrial fibrillation and 13% (n = 5) had high-degree atrioventricular block. Five participants (13%) developed multiple arrythmias.

CONCLUSIONS

Arrhythmias are common in dying critically ill patients. There is a roughly even distribution between ventricular arrhythmias, atrial fibrillation, sinus node dysfunction and atrioventricular block.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

The results of this study may be most useful for critically ill patients who are organ donation candidates. The appearance of arrhythmias may serve as a marker of change in clinical status for organ donation teams to plan mobilization efforts. In participants who are sedated or intubated, arrhythmias could be a surrogate marker for respiratory or neurologic changes.

Coordination of oral anticoagulant care at hospital discharge (COACHeD): pilot randomised controlled trial

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate whether a focused, expert medication management intervention is feasible and potentially effective in preventing anticoagulation-related adverse events for patients transitioning from hospital to home.

DESIGN

Randomised, parallel design.

SETTING

Medical wards at six hospital sites in southern Ontario, Canada.

PARTICIPANTS

Adults 18 years of age or older being discharged to home on an oral anticoagulant (OAC) to be taken for at least 4 weeks.

INTERVENTIONS

Clinical pharmacologist-led intervention, including a detailed discharge medication management plan, a circle of care handover and early postdischarge virtual check-up visits to 1 month with 3-month follow-up. The control group received the usual care.

OUTCOMES MEASURES

Primary outcomes were study feasibility outcomes (recruitment, retention and cost per patient). Secondary outcomes included adverse anticoagulant safety events composite, quality of transitional care, quality of life, anticoagulant knowledge, satisfaction with care, problems with medications and health resource utilisation.

RESULTS

Extensive periods of restriction of recruitment plus difficulties accessing patients at the time of discharge negatively impacted feasibility, especially cost per patient recruited. Of 845 patients screened, 167 were eligible and 56 were randomised. The mean age (±SD) was 71.2±12.5 years, 42.9% females, with two lost to follow-up. Intervention patients were more likely to rate their ability to manage their OAC as improved (17/27 (63.0%) vs 7/22 (31.8%), OR 3.6 (95% CI 1.1 to 12.0)) and their continuity of care as improved (21/27 (77.8%) vs 2/22 (9.1%), OR 35.0 (95% CI 6.3 to 194.2)). Fewer intervention patients were taking one or more inappropriate medications (7 (22.5%) vs 15 (60%), OR 0.19 (95% CI 0.06 to 0.62)).

CONCLUSION

This pilot randomised controlled trial suggests that a transitional care intervention at hospital discharge for older adults taking OACs was well received and potentially effective for some surrogate outcomes, but overly costly to proceed to a definitive large trial.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT02777047.

Hypotension and respiratory events related to electrical cardioversion for atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter in the emergency department

INTRODUCTION

Electrical cardioversion for atrial fibrillation/atrial flutter (AF/AFL) is common in the ED. Our previous work showed that hypotension and respiratory events were important adverse events that occurred in patients undergoing electrical cardioversion for AF/AFL. The purpose of this study was to examine if (1) beta-blockers or calcium channel blocker use prior to ECV were associated with hypotension and (2) medications used for procedural sedation were associated with respiratory events.

METHODS

This was a secondary analysis of pooled study data from four previous multicentred studies on AF/AFL. We conducted a multivariable logistic regression to examine predictors of hypotension and respiratory adverse events.

RESULTS

There were 1736 patients who received ECV. A hypotensive event occurred in 62 (3.6%) patients. There was no significant difference in the odds of a hypotensive event in patients who received a beta-blocker or calcium channel blocker in the ED compared to no rate control. Procedural sedation with fentanyl (OR 2.01 95% CI 1.15-3.51) and home beta-blocker use (OR 1.92, 95% CI 1.14-3.21) were significantly associated with hypotensive events. A respiratory event occurred in 179 (10.3%) patients. Older age (OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.30- 3.15) and receiving midazolam for procedural sedation were found to be significantly associated with respiratory events (OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.02-3.88).

CONCLUSION

Beta-blocker or calcium channel blocker use prior to ECV for AF/AFL was not associated with hypotension. However, sedation with fentanyl and home beta-blocker use was associated with hypotension. The use of midazolam for procedural sedation was significantly associated with respiratory events.

Apixaban for Stroke Prevention in Subclinical Atrial Fibrillation

BACKGROUND

Subclinical atrial fibrillation is short-lasting and asymptomatic and can usually be detected only by long-term continuous monitoring with pacemakers or defibrillators. Subclinical atrial fibrillation is associated with an increased risk of stroke by a factor of 2.5; however, treatment with oral anticoagulation is of uncertain benefit.

METHODS

We conducted a trial involving patients with subclinical atrial fibrillation lasting 6 minutes to 24 hours. Patients were randomly assigned in a double-blind, double-dummy design to receive apixaban at a dose of 5 mg twice daily (2.5 mg twice daily when indicated) or aspirin at a dose of 81 mg daily. The trial medication was discontinued and anticoagulation started if subclinical atrial fibrillation lasting more than 24 hours or clinical atrial fibrillation developed. The primary efficacy outcome, stroke or systemic embolism, was assessed in the intention-to-treat population (all the patients who had undergone randomization); the primary safety outcome, major bleeding, was assessed in the on-treatment population (all the patients who had undergone randomization and received at least one dose of the assigned trial drug, with follow-up censored 5 days after permanent discontinuation of trial medication for any reason).

RESULTS

We included 4012 patients with a mean (±SD) age of 76.8±7.6 years and a mean CHA2DS2-VASc score of 3.9±1.1 (scores range from 0 to 9, with higher scores indicating a higher risk of stroke); 36.1% of the patients were women. After a mean follow-up of 3.5±1.8 years, stroke or systemic embolism occurred in 55 patients in the apixaban group (0.78% per patient-year) and in 86 patients in the aspirin group (1.24% per patient-year) (hazard ratio, 0.63; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.45 to 0.88; P = 0.007). In the on-treatment population, the rate of major bleeding was 1.71% per patient-year in the apixaban group and 0.94% per patient-year in the aspirin group (hazard ratio, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.26 to 2.57; P = 0.001). Fatal bleeding occurred in 5 patients in the apixaban group and 8 patients in the aspirin group.

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients with subclinical atrial fibrillation, apixaban resulted in a lower risk of stroke or systemic embolism than aspirin but a higher risk of major bleeding. (Funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and others; ARTESIA ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01938248.).

Antithrombotic Therapy for Patients Undergoing Cardiac Electrophysiological and Interventional Procedures: JACC State-of-the-Art Review

Electrophysiological and interventional procedures have been increasingly used to reduce morbidity and mortality in patients experiencing cardiovascular diseases. Although antithrombotic therapies are critical to reduce the risk of stroke or other thromboembolic events, they can nonetheless increase the bleeding hazard. This is even more true in an aging population undergoing cardiac procedures in which the combination of oral anticoagulants and antiplatelet therapies would further increase the hemorrhagic risk. Hence, the timing, dose, and combination of antithrombotic therapies should be carefully chosen in each case. However, the maze of society guidelines and consensus documents published so far have progressively led to a hazier scenario in this setting. Aim of this review is to provide-in a single document-a quick, evidenced-based practical summary of the antithrombotic approaches used in different cardiac electrophysiology and interventional procedures to guide the busy clinician and the cardiac proceduralist in their everyday practice.

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

BACKGROUND

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) included a low proportion of atrial fibrillation (AF) patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and suggested that DOACs are safe and effective in patients with mild-to-moderate CKD. In a metanalysis of RCTs and observational studies, DOACs were associated with better efficacy (vs warfarin) in early CKD and had similar efficacy and safety profiles in patients with stages IV-V CKD. But few studies have provided data on the safety and effectiveness of each DOAC vs warfarin in patients with stage III CKD. The effectiveness and safety of DOACs in those patients are still subject to debate.

AIM

To assess and compare the effectiveness and safety of apixaban and rivaroxaban vs warfarin in this patient population.

METHODS

A cohort of patients with an inpatient or outpatient code for AF and stage III CKD who were newly prescribed apixaban and rivaroxaban was created using the administrative databases from the Quebec province of Canada between 2013 and 2017. The primary effectiveness outcome was a composite of ischemic stroke, systemic embolism, and death, whereas the primary safety outcome was a composite of major bleeding within a year of DOAC vs warfarin initiation. Treatment groups were compared in an under-treatment analysis using inverse probability of treatment weighting and Cox proportional hazards.

RESULTS

A total of 8899 included patients filled out a new oral anticoagulation therapy claim; 3335 for warfarin and 5564 for DOACs. Compared with warfarin, 15 mg and 20 mg rivaroxaban presented a similar effectiveness and safety composite risk. Apixaban 5.0 mg was associated with a lower effectiveness composite risk [Hazard ratio (HR) 0.76; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.65-0.88] and a similar safety risk (HR 0.94; 95%CI: 0.66-1.35). Apixaban 2.5 mg was associated with a similar effectiveness composite (HR 1.00; 95%CI: 0.79-1.26) and a lower safety risk (HR 0.65; 95%CI: 0.43-0.99. Although, apixaban 5.0 mg was associated with a better effectiveness (HR 0.76; 95%CI: 0.65-0.88), but a similar safety risk profile (HR 0.94; 95%CI: 0.66-1.35). The observed improvement in the effectiveness composite for apixaban 5.0 mg was driven by a reduction in mortality (HR 0.61; 95%CI: 0.43-0.88).

CONCLUSION

In comparison with warfarin, rivaroxaban and apixaban appear to be effective and safe in AF patients with stage III CKD.

Atrial fibrillation and stroke prevention: 25 years of research at EP Europace journal

Stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) is one pillar of the management of this common arrhythmia. Substantial advances in the epidemiology and associated pathophysiology underlying AF-related stroke and thrombo-embolism are evident. Furthermore, the introduction of the non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (also called direct oral anticoagulants) has clearly changed our approach to stroke prevention in AF, such that the default should be to offer oral anticoagulation for stroke prevention, unless the patient is at low risk. A strategy of early rhythm control is also beneficial in reducing strokes in selected patients with recent onset AF, when compared to rate control. Cardiovascular risk factor management, with optimization of comorbidities and attention to lifestyle factors, and the patient's psychological morbidity are also essential. Finally, in selected patients with absolute contraindications to long-term oral anticoagulation, left atrial appendage occlusion or exclusion may be considered. The aim of this state-of-the-art review article is to provide an overview of the current status of AF-related stroke and prevention strategies. A holistic or integrated care approach to AF management is recommended to minimize the risk of stroke in patients with AF, based on the evidence-based Atrial fibrillation Better Care (ABC) pathway, as follows: A: Avoid stroke with Anticoagulation; B: Better patient-centred, symptom-directed decisions on rate or rhythm control; C: Cardiovascular risk factor and comorbidity optimization, including lifestyle changes.

Validation of the Use of Discharge Diagnostic Codes for the Verification of Secondary Atrial Fibrillation in Administrative Databases

Background

"Secondary" atrial fibrillation (AF) denotes AF that is precipitated by short-term triggers and that may be reversible. Using administrative data to study secondary AF is of interest, but the ability of these data to verify secondary AF has not been studied.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 1000 randomly selected hospitalizations of patients discharged alive between January 1, 2016 and March 31, 2020, with AF coded as the most responsible diagnosis (type 1), post-admit comorbidity (type 2), or secondary diagnosis (type 3). We compared diagnosis types to AF category (secondary or not) as determined by a physician blinded to the discharge diagnosis type. We calculated the positive predictive value (PPV) of the designation of secondary AF in comparison to physician determination.

Results

A total of 421 hospitalizations had AF documented as a type 2 diagnosis; this had a PPV of 94.8% for physician determination of secondary AF. After excluding hospitalizations with preexisting AF, and those for which AF type could not be determined by the physician, the PPV of a type 2 diagnosis (n = 391) for secondary AF was 99.7%. Type 3 diagnoses of AF (n = 222) mostly captured hospitalizations with preexisting AF (87.8% of type 3 diagnoses).

Conclusions

A type 2 diagnosis can be used to verify secondary AF in people who were first diagnosed with AF while hospitalized for other causes. This verification facilitates cohort studies and clinical trial recruitment of people with this AF subtype, although it should not be used to determine the prevalence or incidence of secondary AF.

Genetic testing in monogenic early-onset atrial fibrillation

A substantial proportion of atrial fibrillation (AF) cases cannot be explained by acquired AF risk factors. Limited guidelines exist that support routine genetic testing. We aim to determine the prevalence of likely pathogenic and pathogenic variants from AF genes with robust evidence in a well phenotyped early-onset AF population. We performed whole exome sequencing on 200 early-onset AF patients. Variants from exome sequencing in affected individuals were filtered in a multi-step process, prior to undergoing clinical classification using current ACMG/AMP guidelines. 200 AF individuals were recruited from St. Paul's Hospital and London Health Sciences Centre who were ≤ 60 years of age and without any acquired AF risk factors at the time of AF diagnosis. 94 of these AF individuals had very early-onset AF ( ≤ 45). Mean age of AF onset was 43.6 ± 9.4 years, 167 (83.5%) were male and 58 (29.0%) had a confirmed family history. There was a 3.0% diagnostic yield for identifying a likely pathogenic or pathogenic variant across AF genes with robust gene-to-disease association evidence. This study demonstrates the current diagnostic yield for identifying a monogenic cause for AF in a well-phenotyped early-onset AF cohort. Our findings suggest a potential clinical utility for offering different screening and treatment regimens in AF patients with an underlying monogenic defect. However, further work is needed to dissect the additional monogenic and polygenic determinants for patients without a genetic explanation for their AF despite the presence of specific genetic indicators such as young age of onset and/or positive family history.

The Effectiveness and Safety of Direct Oral Anticoagulants in Obese Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: A Network Meta-Analysis

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a cardiac condition characterized by an irregular heart rhythm, which is increasingly prevalent in the modern era. All international guidelines strongly advise the administration of anticoagulants to individuals with AF who are at high risk of stroke. These guidelines recommend the use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) over warfarin because warfarin is significantly associated with increased rates of major bleeding, numerous interactions with food and drugs, and the necessity for frequent monitoring. The aim of this study is to compare the effectiveness and safety of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in obese patients with atrial fibrillation. Two authors independently conducted a comprehensive literature search using electronic databases including PubMed, CINAHL, and EMBASE from inception to June 1, 2023. The efficacy outcome assessed in this meta-analysis included the composite of stroke and systemic embolism. For safety analysis, major bleeding events were compared among the study groups. Eleven studies fulfilled all the inclusion criteria and were included in the present meta-analysis enrolling 144,502 patients. In this study, DOACs demonstrate superior efficacy in preventing stroke/systemic embolism compared to warfarin. Among the DOACs, apixaban emerged as the most effective, followed by rivaroxaban, warfarin, and dabigatran. In terms of safety, apixaban was also found to be the most favorable treatment option, followed by rivaroxaban, dabigatran, and warfarin. In summary, our study concludes that apixaban exhibited greater effectiveness and safety when compared to other DOACs and warfarin in obese patients with AF.

Time Trends in Patient Characteristics, Anticoagulation Treatment, and Prognosis of Incident Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation in the Netherlands

Importance

The temporal trend in adverse events regarding stroke prevention for nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) in the direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) era was rarely investigated comprehensively, especially taking into account potential changes in patient characteristics and anticoagulation treatment.

Objective

To investigate time trends in patient characteristics, anticoagulation treatment, and prognosis of patients with incident NVAF in the Netherlands.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This retrospective cohort study assessed patients with incident NVAF initially recognized within a hospitalization between 2014 and 2018, using data from Statistics Netherlands. Participants were followed-up for 1 year from the hospital admission at which the incident NVAF diagnosis was made or until death, whichever occurred first. Data were analyzed from January 15, 2021, to March 8, 2023.

Exposure

Calendar year of the incident NVAF diagnosis, according to which the participants were categorized into 5 cohorts.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Outcomes of interest were baseline patient characteristics, anticoagulation treatment, and occurrence of ischemic stroke or major bleeding within the 1-year follow-up after incident NVAF.

Results

Between 2014 and 2018, 301 301 patients (mean [SD] age, 74.2 [11.9] years; 169 748 [56.3%] male patients) experienced incident NVAF in the Netherlands, each of whom was categorized into 1 of 5 cohorts by calendar year. Baseline patient characteristics were broadly the same between cohorts with a mean (SD) CHA2DS2-VASc (congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥75 years [doubled], diabetes, stroke [doubled], vascular disease, age 65 to 74 years, and sex category [female]) score of 2.9 (1.7). The median (IQR) proportion of days covered by OACs (ie, vitamin K antagonists or DOACs) within the 1-year follow-up increased from 56.99% (0%-86.30%) to 75.62% (0%-94.52%), and DOACs increased from 5102 patients (13.5%) to 32 314 patients (72.0%) among those who received OACs, gradually replacing VKAs as the first choice of OACs. Over the course of the study, there were statistically significant decreases in the 1-year cumulative incidence of ischemic stroke (from 1.63% [95% CI, 1.52%-1.73%] to 1.39% [95% CI, 1.30%-1.48%) and major bleeding (from 2.50% [95% CI, 2.37%-2.63%] to 2.07% [95% CI, 1.96%-2.19%]), and the association was consistent after adjusting for baseline patient characteristics and excluding those with preexisting chronic anticoagulation.

Conclusions and Relevance

This cohort study of patients with incident NVAF diagnosed between 2014 and 2018 in the Netherlands found similar baseline characteristics, increased OAC use with DOACs being favored over time, and improved 1-year prognosis. Comorbidity burden, potential underuse of anticoagulation medications, and specific subgroups of patients with NVAF remain directions for future investigations and further improvement.

Clinical decision support to Optimize Care of patients with Atrial Fibrillation or flutter in the Emergency department: protocol of a stepped-wedge cluster randomized pragmatic trial (O'CAFÉ trial)

BACKGROUND

Management of adults with atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial flutter in the emergency department (ED) includes rate reduction, cardioversion, and stroke prevention. Different approaches to these components of care may lead to variation in frequency of hospitalization and stroke prevention actions, with significant implications for patient experience, cost of care, and risk of complications. Standardization using evidence-based recommendations could reduce variation in management, preventable hospitalizations, and stroke risk.

METHODS

We describe the rationale for our ED-based AF treatment recommendations. We also describe the development of an electronic clinical decision support system (CDSS) to deliver these recommendations to emergency physicians at the point of care. We implemented the CDSS at three pilot sites to assess feasibility and solicit user feedback. We will evaluate the impact of the CDSS on hospitalization and stroke prevention actions using a stepped-wedge cluster randomized pragmatic clinical trial across 13 community EDs in Northern California.

DISCUSSION

We hypothesize that the CDSS intervention will reduce hospitalization of adults with isolated AF or atrial flutter presenting to the ED and increase anticoagulation prescription in eligible patients at the time of ED discharge and within 30 days. If our hypotheses are confirmed, the treatment protocol and CDSS could be recommended to other EDs to improve management of adults with AF or atrial flutter.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05009225 .  Registered on 17 August 2021.

Atrial fibrillation and stroke: A review and new insights

The link between heart and brain continues to be a matter of great interest for the scientific community. One of the most established associations between the two is that the heart is a significant source of emboli and is responsible for 20-25% of all ischemic strokes. The most frequent underlying cause of cardioembolic stroke is atrial fibrillation (AF), a disease that affects almost 3 million people in the USA and 4.5 million in Europe. AF increases the risk of ischemic stroke by a factor of 3 to 5 times. It is estimated that AF is responsible for 15% of all strokes worldwide. A more comprehensive understanding of this association and development of intensive stroke prevention measures are needed, as we know that AF incidence and prevalence will increase over the coming years, becoming one of the largest epidemics and public health challenges we face.

Post-operative atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery: Challenges throughout the patient journey

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common complication of cardiac surgery, occurring in up to half of patients. Post-operative AF (POAF) refers to new-onset AF in a patient without a history of AF that occurs within the first 4 weeks after cardiac surgery. POAF is associated with short-term mortality and morbidity, but its long-term significance is unclear. This article reviews existing evidence and research challenges for the management of POAF in patients who have had cardiac surgery. Specific challenges are discussed in four phases of care. Pre-operatively, clinicians need to be able to identify high-risk patients, and initiate prophylaxis to prevent POAF. In hospital, when POAF is detected, clinicians need to manage symptoms, stabilize hemodynamics and prevent increases in length of stay. In the month after discharge, the focus is on minimizing symptoms and preventing readmission. Some patients require short term oral anticoagulation for stroke prevention. Over the long term (2-3  months after surgery and beyond), clinicians need to identify which patients with POAF have paroxysmal or persistent AF and can benefit from evidence-based therapies for AF, including long-term oral anticoagulation.

Evidence-based Management of Major Bleeding in Patients Receiving Direct Oral Anticoagulants: An Updated Narrative Review on the Role of Specific Reversal Agents

The indications of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have expanded over the past 15 years. DOACs are effective and safe oral anticoagulants associated with lower bleeding risks and mortality than vitamin K antagonists. However, DOAC users are prone to a considerable bleeding risk, which can occur at critical sites or lead to severe life-threatening conditions. Recent statistics indicated that major bleeding occurs in up to 6.62 DOAC users per 100 treatment years. With the increased use of DOACs in clinical practice, DOAC-associated major bleeding is expected to be encountered more frequently in the emergency department. The current international guidelines recommend specific reversal agents for the management of DOAC users with severe bleeding to reverse the anticoagulant effect and restore normal hemostasis. An individualized assessment was incorporated in specific clinical situations to guide the decision pathway of major bleeding management. However, specific reversal agents are unavailable or have limited availability in many countries, which is expected to negatively impact the clinical outcomes of DOAC-associated major bleeding. Limited real-world evidence is available from these countries regarding the clinical outcomes of patients with DOAC-associated major bleeding. This narrative review provided an updated assessment of the evidence-based approaches for the management of major bleeding in DOAC users. We also explored the clinical outcomes of patients with major bleeding from clinical settings where specific reversal agents are unavailable.

Evolution of and Evidence-Practice Gaps in Antithrombotic Management of Atrial Fibrillation Patients After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Background

The management of atrial fibrillation and flutter (AF) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has evolved rapidly in the past decade. We determine whether the publication of the 2016 Canadian Cardiovascular Society AF guidelines were associated with a shift in practice patterns.

Methods

Using Quebec provincial administrative database information for the period from 2010-2017, a retrospective cohort of patients with inpatient or outpatient coding for AF, who subsequently underwent PCI with placement of a coronary stent, was created and analyzed for the antithrombotic regimen received in the following year. Prescribing behavior was compared among 3 time periods (2010-2011, 2012-2015, 2016-2017), and use of antithrombotics was compared to guideline-predicted therapy using the χ² test. Predictors of oral anticoagulation (OAC) prescription were identified using adjusted logistic regression.

Results

A total of 3740 AF patients undergoing PCI were included. The proportion of OAC prescription increased over time (2010-2011 = 51.4%; 2012-2015 = 54.3%; 2016-2017 = 56.6%; P = 0.13), with a significant increase in direct OAC prescription (P < 0.01). A substantial treatment gap in OAC prescription persisted after publication of the 2016 guidelines (56.6% observed vs 89.7% predicted; P < 0.01). Previous stroke, CHADS₂ score, Charlson Comorbidity Index ≥ 4, and prior use of direct OAC or warfarin were predictors of being exposed to OAC claims; previous major bleeding, and low-dose acetylsalicylic acid or P2Y12 inhibitor use were predictors of not being exposed to OACs.

Conclusion

Expert guidance contributed to an increase in OAC prescription following PCI, but up to 2017, substantial further changes in practice patterns would have been required to achieve the recommended rates of OAC prescription.

The association of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants vs. warfarin and the risk of fractures for patients with atrial fibrillation: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The fracture risks of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) vs. warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) remain controversial.

METHODS

PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Clinical Trials.gov databases for RCTs, and cohort studies were systematically searched from inception to 10 June 2021.

RESULTS

Twelve-two studies met the inclusion criteria and 477,821 patients were included. Warfarin increased the risk of fracture in AF patients compared with NOACs in overall any fracture (RR = 0.79; 95% CI = 0.70-10.88; p = 0.00), osteoporotic fracture (RR = 0.746; 95% CI = 0.630-0.883; p = 0.001). No significant difference was observed in the hip or pelvic fracture, vertebral fracture, extremity fracture, wrist fracture, femoral neck fracture, and ankle fracture. In subgroup analyses based on several aspects, NOACs were associated with a significant reduction in any fracture (standard dosage NOACs, cohort studies, elderly patients, rivaroxaban in RCTs, dabigatran, rivaroxaban, and apixaban in cohort studies), in the hip/pelvic fracture (follow-up time ≤1 year, cohort studies), and osteoporotic fracture (cohort studies).

CONCLUSION

NOACs were associated with a significantly lower risk of any fracture and osteoporotic fracture compared to warfarin. This benefit was also observed in specific NOACs types of dabigatran, rivaroxaban, and apixaban. However, whether NOACs had a less fracture risk than warfarin on the other risk of fractures was still uncertain.

Development of a Care Pathway for Atrial Fibrillation Patients in the Emergency Department

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and its prevalence is continuously increasing in the United States, leading to a progressive rise in the number of disease-related emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations. Although optimal long-term outpatient management for AF is well defined, the guidelines for optimal ED management of acute AF episodes is less clear. Studies have demonstrated that discharging patients with AF from the ED after acute stabilization is both safe and cost effective; however, the majority of these patients in the United States and in our institution are admitted to the hospital. To improve care of these patients, we established a multidisciplinary collaboration to develop an evidence-based systematic approach for the treatment and management of AF in the ED, that led to the creation of the University of California-Cardioversion, Anticoagulation, Rate Control, Expedited Follow-up/Education Atrial Fibrillation Pathway. Our pathway focuses on the acute stabilization of AF, adherence to best practices for anticoagulation, and reduction in unnecessary admissions through discharge from the ED with expedited outpatient follow-up whenever safe. A novel aspect of our pathway is that it is primarily driven by the ED physicians, while other published protocols primarily involve consulting cardiologists to guide management in the ED. Our protocol is very pertinent considering the current trend toward increased AF prevalence in the United States, coupled with a need for widespread implementation of strategies aimed at improving management of these patients while safely reducing hospital admissions and the economic burden of AF.

Coordination of Oral Anticoagulant Care at Hospital Discharge (COACHeD): protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial

Background

Oral anticoagulants (OACs) are commonly prescribed, have well-documented benefits for important clinical outcomes but have serious harms as well. Rates of OAC-related adverse events including thromboembolic and hemorrhagic events are especially high shortly after hospital discharge. Expert OAC management involving virtual care is a research priority given its potential to reach remote communities in a more feasible, timely, and less costly way than in-person care. Our objective is to test whether a focused, expert medication management intervention using a mix of in-person consultation and virtual care follow-up, is feasible and effective in preventing anticoagulation-related adverse events, for patients transitioning from hospital to home.

Methods and analysis

A randomized, parallel, multicenter design enrolling consenting adult patients or the caregivers of cognitively impaired patients about to be discharged from medical wards with a discharge prescription for an OAC. The interdisciplinary multimodal intervention is led by a clinical pharmacologist and includes a detailed discharge medication reconciliation and management plan focused on oral anticoagulants at hospital discharge; a circle of care handover and coordination with patient, hospital team and community providers; and early post-discharge follow-up virtual medication check-up visits at 24 h, 1 week, and 1 month. The control group will receive usual care plus encouragement to use the Thrombosis Canada website.

The primary feasibility outcomes include recruitment rate, participant retention rates, trial resources management, and the secondary clinical outcomes include adverse anticoagulant safety events composite (AASE), coordination and continuity of care, medication-related problems, quality of life, and healthcare resource utilization. Follow-up is 3 months.

Discussion

This pilot RCT tests whether there is sufficient feasibility and merit in coordinating oral anticoagulant care early post-hospital discharge to warrant a full sized RCT.

Trial registration

NCT02777047.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40814-022-01130-z.

Assessment and Mitigation of Bleeding Risk in Atrial Fibrillation and Venous Thromboembolism: Executive Summary of a European and Asia-Pacific Expert Consensus Paper

While there is a clear clinical benefit of oral anticoagulation in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and venous thromboembolism (VTE) in reducing the risks of thromboembolism, major bleeding events (especially intracranial bleeds) may still occur and be devastating. The decision for initiating and continuing anticoagulation is often based on a careful assessment of both thromboembolism and bleeding risk. The more common and validated bleeding risk factors have been used to formulate bleeding risk stratification scores, but thromboembolism and bleeding risk factors often overlap. Also, many factors that increase bleeding risk are transient and modifiable, such as variable international normalized ratio values, surgical procedures, vascular procedures, or drug-drug and food-drug interactions. Bleeding risk is also not a static "one-off" assessment based on baseline factors but is dynamic, being influenced by aging, incident comorbidities, and drug therapies. In this executive summary of a European and Asia-Pacific Expert Consensus Paper, we comprehensively review the published evidence and propose a consensus on bleeding risk assessments in patients with AF and VTE, with a view to summarizing "best practice" when approaching antithrombotic therapy in these patients. We address the epidemiology and size of the problem of bleeding risk in AF and VTE, and review established bleeding risk factors and summarize definitions of bleeding. Patient values and preferences, balancing the risk of bleeding against thromboembolism, are reviewed, and the prognostic implications of bleeding are discussed. We propose consensus statements that may help to define evidence gaps and assist in everyday clinical practice.

Geographic and temporal variation in the treatment and outcomes of atrial fibrillation: a population-based analysis of national quality indicators

BACKGROUND

Assessment of potential geographic variation in quality indicators of atrial fibrillation care may identify opportunities for improvement in the quality of atrial fibrillation care. The objective of this study was to assess for potential geographic variation in the quality of atrial fibrillation care in Alberta, Canada.

METHODS

In a population-based cohort of adults (age ≥ 18 yr) with incident nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) diagnosed between Apr. 1, 2008, and Mar. 31, 2016, in Alberta, we investigated the variation in national quality indicators of atrial fibrillation care developed by the Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Specifically, we assessed the geographic and temporal variation in the proportion of patients with initiation of oral anticoagulant therapy, persistence with therapy, ischemic stroke and major bleeding outcomes 1 year after atrial fibrillation diagnosis using linked administrative data sets. We defined stroke risk using the CHADS₂ score. We assessed geographic variation using small-area variation statistics and geospatial data analysis.

RESULTS

Of the 64 093 patients in the study cohort (35 019 men [54.6%] and 29 074 women [45.4%] with a mean age of 69 [standard deviation 15.9] yr), 36 199 were at high risk for stroke and 14 411 were at moderate risk. Within 1 year of NVAF diagnosis, 20 180 patients (55.7%) in the high-risk group and 6448 patients (44.7%) in the moderate-risk group were prescribed anticoagulation. A total of 2187 patients (3.4%) had an ischemic stroke, and 2996 patients (4.7%) experienced a major bleed. There was substantial regional variation observed in initiation of oral anticoagulant therapy but not in the proportion of patients with ischemic stroke or major bleeding. Among the 64 Health Status Areas in Alberta, therapy initiation rates ranged from 22.6% to 71.2% among patients at high stroke risk and from 22.7% to 55.8% among those at moderate stroke risk, with clustering of lower therapy initiation rates in rural northern regions.

INTERPRETATION

The rate of initiation of oral anticoagulant therapy among adults with incident atrial fibrillation was less than 60% in patients in whom oral anticoagulant therapy would be considered guideline-appropriate care. The large geographic variation in oral anticoagulant prescribing warrants additional study into patient, provider and health care system factors that contribute to variation and drive disparities in high-quality, equitable atrial fibrillation care.

Augmented wide area circumferential catheter ablation for reduction of atrial fibrillation recurrence (AWARE) trial: Design and rationale

BACKGROUND

Recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) after a pulmonary vein isolation procedure is often due to electrical reconnection of the pulmonary veins. Repeat ablation procedures may improve freedom from AF but are associated with increased risks and health care costs. A novel ablation strategy in which patients receive "augmented" ablation lesions has the potential to reduce the risk of AF recurrence.

OBJECTIVE

The Augmented Wide Area Circumferential Catheter Ablation for Reduction of Atrial Fibrillation Recurrence (AWARE) Trial was designed to evaluate whether an augmented wide-area circumferential antral (WACA) ablation strategy will result in fewer atrial arrhythmia recurrences in patients with symptomatic paroxysmal AF, compared with a conventional WACA strategy.

METHODS/DESIGN

The AWARE trial was a multicenter, prospective, randomized, open, blinded endpoint trial that has completed recruitment (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02150902). Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to either the control arm (single WACAlesion set) or the interventional arm (augmented- double WACA lesion set performed after the initial WACA). The primary outcome was atrial tachyarrhythmia (AA; atrial tachycardia [AT], atrial flutter [AFl] or AF) recurrence between days 91 and 365 post catheter ablation. Patient follow-up included 14-day continuous ambulatory ECG monitoring at 3, 6, and 12 months after catheter ablation. Three questionnaires were administered during the trial- the EuroQuol-5D (EQ-5D) quality of life scale, the Canadian Cardiovascular Society Severity of Atrial Fibrillation scale, and a patient satisfaction scale.

DISCUSSION

The AWARE trial was designed to evaluate whether a novel approach to catheter ablation reduced the risk of AA recurrence in patients with symptomatic paroxysmal AF.

4S-AF scheme and ABC pathway guided management improves outcomes in atrial fibrillation patients

BACKGROUND

The 4S-AF scheme and the ABC pathway for integrated care have been proposed to better characterize and treat patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We aimed to evaluate the assessment of the 4S-AF scheme and ABC pathway in Chinese AF patients.

METHODS

The ChiOTEAF is a prospective, observational, multicentre registry. Consecutive AF patients from 44 centres across 20 Chinese provinces with available 1-year follow-up data were included.

RESULTS

A total of 6419 patients were included, median age 76 years (interquartile range 67-83; 39.1% female). Of these, 3503 (59.8%) patients were not characterized using the 4S-AF scheme and not management according to the ABC pathway (group 1); 1795 (28.0%) were characterized according to the 4S-AF scheme but ABC pathway non-adherent or vice versa (group 2); and 1121 (17.4%) characterized according to the 4S-AF scheme and were ABC pathway adherent (group 3). As compared with group 1, group 2 and group 3 were independently associated with lower odds of the composite endpoint of all-cause death/any thromboembolic event, with the greatest benefit observed in group 3 (OR: 0.19; 95% CI 0.12-0.31) [for group 2: OR: 0.28; 95% CI 0.20-0.37]. Similar results were observed for all-cause death (group 2: OR: 0.18; 95% CI 0.12-0.27; group 3: OR: 0.14; 95% CI 0.07-0.25).

CONCLUSIONS

In a contemporary real-word cohort of Chinese AF patients, it is feasible to characterize and manage AF patients using the novel 4S-AF scheme and ABC pathway for integrated care. The use of both these tools is associated with improved clinical outcomes.

Generalizability of the EAST-AFNET 4 Trial: Assessing Outcomes of Early Rhythm-Control Therapy in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation

Background

EAST‐AFNET 4 (Early Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation for Stroke Prevention Trial) demonstrated clinical benefit of early rhythm‐control therapy (ERC) in patients with new‐onset atrial fibrillation (AF) and concomitant cardiovascular conditions compared with current guideline‐based practice. This study aimed to evaluate the generalizability of EAST‐AFNET 4 in routine practice.

Methods and Results

Using a US administrative database, we identified 109 739 patients with newly diagnosed AF during the enrollment period of EAST‐AFNET 4. Patients were classified as either receiving ERC, using AF ablation or antiarrhythmic drug therapy, within the first year after AF diagnosis (n=27 106) or not receiving ERC (control group, n=82 633). After propensity score overlap weighting, Cox proportional hazards regression was used to compare groups for the primary composite outcome of all‐cause mortality, stroke, or hospitalization with the diagnoses heart failure or myocardial infarction. Most patients (79 948 of 109 739; 72.9%) met the inclusion criteria for EAST‐AFNET 4. ERC was associated with a reduced risk for the primary composite outcome (hazard ratio [HR], 0.85; 95% CI, 0.75–0.97 [P=0.02]) with largely consistent results between eligible (HR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.76–1.04 [P=0.14]) or ineligible (HR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.60–0.98 [P=0.04]) patients for EAST‐AFNET 4 trial inclusion. ERC was associated with lower risk of stroke in the overall cohort and in trial‐eligible patients.

Conclusions

This analysis replicates the clinical benefit of ERC seen in EAST‐AFNET 4. The results support adoption of ERC as part of the management of recently diagnosed AF in the United States.

Antiplatelet Therapy in Atherothrombotic Diseases: Similarities and Differences Across Guidelines

Antiplatelet therapy, mainly consisting of aspirin and P2Y₁₂ receptor antagonists, is the cornerstone of the pharmacological treatment and prevention of atherothrombotic diseases. Its use, especially in secondary cardiovascular prevention, has significantly improved patient clinical outcomes in the last decades. Primary safety endpoint (i.e., bleeding complications) remain a major drawback of antiplatelet drugs. National and international societies have published and regularly updated guidelines for antiplatelet therapy aiming to provide clinicians with practical recommendations for a better handling of these drugs in various clinical settings. Many recommendations find common ground between international guidelines, but certain strategies vary across the countries, particularly with regard to the choice of molecules, dosage, and treatment duration. In this review, we detail and discuss the main antiplatelet therapy indications in the light of the different published guidelines and the significant number of recently published clinical trials and meta-analyses and highlight the areas that deserve further investigation in order to improve antiplatelet therapy in patients with atherothrombotic diseases.

Obstructive sleep apnea and nocturnal attacks of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation

STUDY OBJECTIVES

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is commonly seen in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), but it is unclear to what extent this relationship is one of causation or association. We examined a cohort of patients with paroxysmal AF to determine whether the presence of OSA (apnea-hypopnea index ≥ 15 events/h) affects the time of onset of symptomatic AF episodes.

METHODS

Patients with a recent emergency department visit for a symptomatic episode of paroxysmal AF were recruited from an AF clinic. The time of onset of the AF attack was classified as occurring in "sleeping hours" or "waking hours" based on direct history from the patient and emergency department visit documentation.

RESULTS

Of 152 patients with paroxysmal AF, 67 underwent polysomnography; 1 (1.5%) had central sleep apnea, 46 (68.7%) had mild or no OSA, and 20 (29.8%) had OSA. In the OSA group, 14/20 (70.0%) had their symptomatic AF attack during sleeping hours compared to 12/46 (26.1%) in the mild or no OSA group (P = .001). Compared with those who had a paroxysmal AF attack during waking hours, and adjusting for confounders, those who had a paroxysmal AF attack during sleeping hours had almost 6 times the odds of having OSA (odds ratio, 5.53; P = .007).

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to patients with paroxysmal AF with mild or no OSA, those with OSA were far more likely to have a symptomatic AF attack during sleeping hours, supporting a causal role for OSA in the pathogenesis of AF in this population. These findings strongly suggest that patients who have nocturnal AF attacks should be evaluated for OSA.

CITATION

Lin C-H, Timofeeva M, O'Brien T, Lyons OD. Obstructive sleep apnea and nocturnal attacks of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. J Clin Sleep Med. 2022;18(5):1279-1286.

Which Recommendations Are You Using? A Survey of Emergency Physician Management of Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation

Background

Both the Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) and the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians (CAEP) have published documents to guide atrial fibrillation (AF) management. In 2021, the CAEP updated its AF checklist. Prior to this update, the recommendations of the 2 organizations differed in several key areas, including the suggested cardioversion timeframe, the factors determining cardioversion eligibility, and anticoagulant initiation after cardioversion. Whether emergency physicians (EPs) are aware of, or adhering to, one, both, or neither of these documents is unknown.

Methods

We assessed document awareness, adherence, and EP practice using a piloted questionnaire administered to EPs at 5 emergency departments in 3 provinces.

Results

Of 166 survey recipients, 123 (74.1%) responded. The majority (64.7%) worked at an academic site, 38.8% identified as female, and median years in practice was 10.0. Most (93.1%) were aware of at least one of the documents; 45.7% were aware of both. Reported awareness was higher for the CCS (77.6%) vs the CAEP (61.2%) guidelines. Respondents varied in their adherence, with 40.5% using parts of both documents. Considerable practice variability occurred when recommendations conflicted. Despite its use not being recommended by either organization, half of respondents (50.0%) reported using the CHA2DS2-VASc score as their stroke-risk assessment tool.

Conclusions

Although most surveyed EPs were aware of at least one organization's AF documents, many reported using parts of both. When recommendations conflicted, EPs were divided in their decision-making. These findings emphasize the need to improve consensus between organizations and further improve knowledge translation.

Canadian Cardiovascular Society 2022 Guidelines for Peripheral Arterial Disease

Patients with widespread atherosclerosis such as peripheral artery disease (PAD) have a high risk of cardiovascular and limb symptoms and complications, which affects their quality of life and longevity. Over the past 2 decades there have been substantial advances in diagnostics, pharmacotherapy, and interventions including endovascular and open surgical to aid in the management of PAD patients. To summarize the evidence regarding approaches to diagnosis, risk stratification, medical and intervention treatments for patients with PAD, guided by the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) framework, evidence was synthesized, and assessed for quality, and recommendations provided-categorized as weak or strong for each prespecified research question. Fifty-six recommendations were made, with 27% (15/56) graded as strong recommendations with high-quality evidence, 14% (8/56) were designated as strong recommendations with moderate-quality evidence, and 20% (11/56) were strong recommendations with low quality of evidence. Conversely 39% (22/56) were classified as weak recommendations. For PAD patients, strong recommendations on the basis of high-quality evidence, include smoking cessation interventions, structured exercise programs for claudication, lipid-modifying therapy, antithrombotic therapy with a single antiplatelet agent or dual pathway inhibition with low-dose rivaroxaban and aspirin; treatment of hypertension with an angiotensin converting enzyme or angiotensin receptor blocker; and for those with diabetes, a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor should be considered. Furthermore, autogenous grafts are more effective than prosthetic grafts for surgical bypasses for claudication or chronic limb-threatening ischemia involving the popliteal or distal arteries. Other recommendations indicated that new endovascular techniques and hybrid procedures be considered in patients with favourable anatomy and patient factors, and finally, the evidence for perioperative risk stratification for PAD patients who undergo surgery remains weak.

Assessment and mitigation of bleeding risk in atrial fibrillation and venous thromboembolism: A Position Paper from the ESC Working Group on Thrombosis, in collaboration with the European Heart Rhythm Association, the Association for Acute CardioVascular Care and the Asia-Pacific Heart Rhythm Society

Whilst there is a clear clinical benefit of oral anticoagulation (OAC) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and venous thromboembolism (VTE) in reducing the risks of thromboembolism, major bleeding events (especially intracranial bleeds) may still occur and be devastating. The decision to initiate and continue anticoagulation is often based on a careful assessment of both the thromboembolism and bleeding risk. The more common and validated bleeding risk factors have been used to formulate bleeding risk stratification scores, but thromboembolism and bleeding risk factors often overlap. Also, many factors that increase bleeding risk are transient and modifiable, such as variable international normalized ratio values, surgical procedures, vascular procedures, or drug-drug and food-drug interactions. Bleeding risk is also not a static 'one off' assessment based on baseline factors but is dynamic, being influenced by ageing, incident comorbidities, and drug therapies. In this Consensus Document, we comprehensively review the published evidence and propose a consensus on bleeding risk assessments in patients with AF and VTE, with the view to summarizing 'best practice' when approaching antithrombotic therapy in these patients. We address the epidemiology and size of the problem of bleeding risk in AF and VTE, review established bleeding risk factors, and summarize definitions of bleeding. Patient values and preferences, balancing the risk of bleeding against thromboembolism are reviewed, and the prognostic implications of bleeding are discussed. We propose consensus statements that may help to define evidence gaps and assist in everyday clinical practice.

Critical Appraisal of Guidelines for Antithrombotic Therapy in Atrial Fibrillation Post-Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Objective:

In our present study, our objective was to appraise guidelines on antithrombotic therapy in atrial fibrillation post-percutaneous coronary intervention and to explore the differences in treatment practices for better informed decision-making.

Methods:

We searched for English language guidelines published between January 2000 and December 2020 at MEDLINE, Embase and websites of guideline organizations. Guidelines with recommendations on antithrombotic regimens for patients with AF undergoing PCI were included. Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II) instrument was applied to assess guidelines. The reporting of conflicts of interest (COI) was evaluated separately by the RIGHT (Reporting Item for Practice Guidelines in Healthcare) checklist as supplementary items.

Results:

Sixteen guidelines were included, among which 13 (81.25%) were considered as ‘recommended’ and 1 (6.25%) as ‘unrecommended.’ The average scores of guidelines ranged from 55% to 88% (<60% as low quality, 60–70% as sufficient quality, and >70% as good quality). Among the 6 domains of AGREE II, scope and purpose (84%) and editorial independence(87%) were considered to be the fields in which CPGs performed best, evidenced by the highest mean AGREE II scores. The domains in which the reviewed CPGs received the lowest mean scores were stakeholder involvement (63%) and applicability (58%). The intraclass correlation coefficient scores were excellent in each domain. The overall quality of the selected CPGs was optimal, with the highest score in domain ‘scope and purpose’, and the lowest score in the domain ‘applicability.’ The reporting of COI was satisfactory.

Conclusions:

For the recommendations on antithrombotic strategies, guidelines with high AGREE II scores still exist discrepancy on the timing and selection. Current guidance documents on the treatment vary in methodological rigor and recommendations are not always consistent.

Rhythm Monitoring Strategy and Arrhythmia Recurrence in Atrial Fibrillation Ablation Trials: A Systematic Review

Background

: The rhythm-monitoring strategy after catheter ablation (CA) for atrial fibrillation (AF) impacts the detection of atrial arrhythmia recurrence and is not well characterized. We performed a systematic review and meta-regression analysis to determine whether the duration and mode of rhythm monitoring after CA affects detection of atrial arrhythmia recurrence.

Methods

Databases were systematically searched for randomized controlled trials of adult patients undergoing first CA for AF from 2007 to 2021. Duration and strategy of rhythm monitoring were extracted. Meta-regression was used to identify any association between duration of monitoring and detection of atrial arrhythmia recurrence. The primary measure of outcome was single-procedure recurrence of atrial arrhythmia.

Results

The search strategy yielded 57 trial arms from 56 randomized controlled trials comprising 5322 patients: 36 arms of patients with paroxysmal AF (PAF), and 21 arms of patients with persistent AF (PeAF) or both PAF/PeAF. Intermittent monitoring was associated with detection of significantly less atrial arrhythmia recurrence than continuous monitoring in PAF arms (31.2% vs 46.9%, P = 0.001), but not in PeAF/PAF-PeAF combined arms (43.3% vs 63.6%, P = 0.12). No significant relationship was seen between the duration of intermittent rhythm monitoring and atrial arrhythmia recurrence detection in either the PAF (P = 0.93) or PeAF/PAF-PeAF combined arms (P = 0.20).

Conclusions

Continuous rhythm monitoring detected higher atrial arrhythmia recurrence rates, compared to intermittent rhythm monitoring, in patients with PAF. The duration of intermittent monitoring did not show a statistically significant relationship to the yield of arrhythmia detection, in near identical cohorts of trial subjects undergoing similar interventions, with clinical and research implications.

A Population-Based Study of Unexplained/Lone Atrial Fibrillation: Temporal Trends, Management, and Outcomes

Background

Previous studies on lone/unexplained atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter (AF) did not exclude patients with contemporary secondary AF triggers. We characterized unexplained AF using a strict definition, and compared it to secondary AF.

Methods

In this population-based study, unexplained AF was defined by the lack of any identifiable triggering medical/surgical diagnosis. Comparisons by AF type (unexplained vs secondary), age-of-onset (≤ / > 65 years), and sex were undertaken. Data were acquired by linking 6 population databases maintained by the Alberta Ministry of Health over a 9-year period (April 2006 to March 2015). The primary composite outcome of stroke, transient ischemic attack, thromboembolism, and/or death was assessed.

Results

There were 33,150 incident AF diagnoses identified, including 1145 patients (3.5%) with unexplained AF, 931 (81.2%) of whom were aged ≤ 65 years (2.8% of diagnoses, and 79% male). Patients with unexplained AF less often received rate/rhythm-control drugs (P < 0.0001), but they more often underwent electrical cardioversion (P < 0.0001) vs secondary AF patients. Men were younger at unexplained AF diagnosis (45 [interquartile range: 34-59] vs 58 [interquartile range: 40-69] years; P < 0.001). After adjusting for age at diagnosis, there were no sex-based differences in the primary outcome. Event-free survival in young unexplained AF (age ≤ 65 years) was 99.4% at 1 year and 98.3% at 3 years. At 3 years, hospitalization(s)/emergency visit(s) for noncardiovascular reasons and for AF occurred in 56.6% and 23.8% of these patients, respectively.

Conclusions

Using a strict contemporary definition of unexplained AF, this study shows that the condition is rare, predominantly male, and has excellent event-free survival. However, the high rate of acute hospital utilization after diagnosis is concerning.

Predicting New-Onset Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation Following Isolated Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: Development and Validation of a Novel Nomogram

Objective

To select variables associated with new-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) following isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and develop a nomogram for risk prediction in a Chinese population.

Methods

The study retrospectively enrolled 4854 consecutive patients undergoing isolated CABG from February 2018 to September 2019, they were divided into derivation cohort and validation cohort with a 3:1 ratio according to the order of operation date. In the derivation cohort, significant variables were selected by use of the multivariate logistic backward stepwise regression analysis and a nomogram model was built on the strength of the results. The model performance was assessed in terms of discrimination and calibration. Besides, we compared the discriminative ability for POAF of the nomogram with established prediction models (CHA2DS2-VASc and HATCH scores) in the two cohorts.

Results

POAF occurred in 1025 (28.2%) out of 3641 patients in the derivation cohort, and in 337 (27.8%) out of 1213 patients in the validation cohort. A nomogram, composed of eight prognostic variables, namely age, sex, heart rate, hypertension, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <50%, left atrial diameter (LAD) > 40mm, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) level, and on-pump surgery, was constructed from the derivation cohort. The nomogram had substantial discriminative ability in derivation and validation cohorts with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) of 0.661 (95% confidence interval, 0.642–0.681) and 0.665 (95% confidence interval, 0.631–0.699), respectively, and showed well-fitted calibration curves. Compared with CHA2DS2-VASc, HATCH and POAF scores, respectively, the nomogram had superior discrimination performance.

Conclusion

We constructed a novel nomogram with improved accuracy for predicting the risk of POAF following isolated CABG, which might help clinicians predict individual probability of POAF and achieve effective prophylaxis.

Satisfaction With Oral Anticoagulants Among Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: A Prospective Observational Study

Background

Satisfaction with treatment has been identified as an important contributing factor to adherence with oral anticoagulant (OAC) therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We aimed to evaluate the satisfaction level of patients with AF regarding OAC use over time, using validated patient-reported outcome instruments, and to identify associated patient characteristics.

Methods

Participants were recruited from specialized AF clinics in Canada. Eligible AF patients who were prescribed OACs were followed for up to 2 years. Participants were interviewed via telephone every 3-4 months using a structured survey. The Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication (TSQM II) and the Anti-Clot Treatment Scale (ACTS) were used to measure satisfaction over time.

Results

Among the 306 participants, satisfaction scores on the TSQM II and ACTS instruments were high. Unadjusted analyses showed significantly greater satisfaction with the burden of therapy with direct OACs (DOACs) compared to that with warfarin (small-magnitude effect) and greater satisfaction with the convenience of rivaroxaban, compared with that of all other OACs (moderate-magnitude effect). After adjustment for all other variables, vitamin K antagonist therapy was associated with greater global satisfaction than was DOAC treatment. Satisfaction with benefit and burden as measured by the ACTS scale, and global satisfaction on the TSQM II scale, tended to increase over time. Patient factors that were somewhat consistently associated with greater satisfaction were female sex and younger age.

Conclusions

Patients with AF were highly satisfied with their therapy, with few differences among OAC classes and individual OACs. Individual patients may or may not be more satisfied with DOAC than VKA therapy, and regardless of the OAC prescribed, the may require significant support to maintain therapy adherence.

Antithrombotic Therapy After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: Findings From the CONNECT AF+PCI Study

BACKGROUND

In patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), selecting an antithrombotic regimen requires balancing risks of ischemic cardiac events, stroke, and bleeding.

METHODS

We studied 467 patients with AF undergoing PCI in the time period from December 2015 to July 2018 identified via a chart audit by 47 Canadian cardiologists in the CONNECT AF+PCI (the Coordinated National Network to Engage Interventional Cardiologists in the Antithrombotic Treatment of Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention) study, to determine patterns of initial antithrombotic therapy selection.

RESULTS

The median (25th, 75th percentile) CHADS2 score was 2 (1, 3), and PCI was performed in the setting of acute coronary syndrome in 62.1%. Triple antithrombotic therapy (TAT) was the initial treatment in 62.7%, dual-pathway therapy in 25.7%, and dual antiplatelet therapy in 11.6%, with a temporal increase in use of dual-pathway therapy during the course of the study; median intended TAT duration was 1 (1, 3) month. Compared with patients selected for TAT, patients selected for dual-pathway therapy were less likely to have prior myocardial infarction (35.8% vs 25.8%, P = 0.045) and prior PCI (33.8% vs 23.3%, P = 0.03), and they received shorter total length of stents (38 [23, 56] vs 30 [20, 46] mm, P = 0.03). Patients selected for dual-pathway therapy had a higher prevalence of prior stroke/transient ischemic attack (13.0% vs 23.3%, P = 0.01). There was no difference in prevalence of anemia (21.5% vs 25.8%, P = 0.30). Use of dual-pathway therapy was similar among patients with acute coronary syndrome and those with stable disease (24.1% vs 28.2%, P = 0.32).

CONCLUSIONS

Approximately one-quarter of AF patients undergoing PCI are treated with dual-pathway therapy in Canadian practice, with its use increasing during the studied period. Patients selected for dual-pathway therapy have less-complex coronary disease history and intervention.

Effectiveness of Direct Oral Anticoagulants in Obese Adults With Atrial Fibrillation: A Systematic Review of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis

Background: Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia. Obesity is an independent risk factor for AF. Anticoagulants have been strongly recommended by all international guidelines to prevent stroke. However, altered pathophysiology in obese adults may influence anticoagulant pharmacology. Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in the context of obesity and AF have been examined in recent systematic reviews. Despite the similarities in included studies, their results and conclusions do not agree.

Methods and Results: The protocol for this review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020181510). Seven key electronic databases were searched using search terms such as “atrial fibrillation,” “obese,^*” “overweight,” “novel oral anticoagulant,” “direct oral anticoagulant,” “DOAC,” “NOAC,” “apixaban,” dabigatran,” “rivaroxaban,” and “edoxaban” to locate published and unpublished studies. Only systematic reviews with meta-analyses that examined the effect of DOACs in overweight or obese adults with AF, published in the English language, were included. A total of 9,547 articles were initially retrieved. After removing the duplicates, title and abstract review and full-text review, five articles were included in the systematic review. From these only RCTs were included in the meta-analyses. There was disagreement within the published systematic reviews on DOACs in obesity. The results from our meta-analysis did not show any significant difference between all body mass index (BMI) groups for all outcomes at both 12 months and for the entire trial duration. Non-significant differences were seen among the different types of DOACs.

Conclusion: There was no difference between the BMI classes in any of the outcomes assessed. This may be due to the limited number of people in the trial that were in the obese class, especially obese class III. There is a need for large prospective trials to confirm which DOACs are safe and efficacious in the obese class III adults and at which dose.

Interrupted versus uninterrupted anticoagulation therapy for catheter ablation in adults with arrhythmias

BACKGROUND

The management of anticoagulation therapy around the time of catheter ablation (CA) procedure for adults with arrhythmia is critical and yet is variable in clinical practice. The ideal approach for safe and effective perioperative management should balance the risk of bleeding during uninterrupted anticoagulation while minimising the risk of thromboembolic events with interrupted therapy.

OBJECTIVES

To compare the efficacy and harms of interrupted versus uninterrupted anticoagulation therapy for catheter ablation (CA) in adults with arrhythmias.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, and SCI-Expanded on the Web of Science for randomised controlled trials on 5 January 2021. We also searched three registers on 29 May 2021 to identify ongoing or unpublished trials. We performed backward and forward searches on reference lists of included trials and other systematic reviews and contacted experts in the field. We applied no restrictions on language or publication status.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised controlled trials comparing uninterrupted anticoagulation with any modality of interruption with or without heparin bridging for CA in adults aged 18 years or older with arrhythmia.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors conducted independent screening, data extraction, and assessment of risk of bias. A third review author resolved disagreements. We extracted data on study population, interruption strategy, ablation procedure, thromboembolic events (stroke or systemic embolism), major and minor bleeding, asymptomatic thromboembolic events, cardiovascular and all-cause mortality, quality of life (QoL), length of hospital stay, cost, and source of funding. We used GRADE to assess the certainty of the evidence.  MAIN RESULTS: We identified 12 studies (4714 participants) that compared uninterrupted periprocedural anticoagulation with interrupted anticoagulation. Studies performed an interruption strategy by either a complete interruption (one study) or by a minimal interruption (11 studies), of which a single-dose skipped strategy was used (nine studies) or two-dose skipped strategy (two studies), with or without heparin bridging. Studies included participants with a mean age of 65 years or greater, with only two studies conducted in relatively younger individuals (mean age less than 60 years). Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) was the primary type of AF in all studies, and seven studies included other types of AF (persistent and long-standing persistent). Most participants had CHADS2 or CHADS2-VASc demonstrating a low-moderate risk of stroke, with almost all participants having normal or mildly reduced renal function. Ablation source using radiofrequency energy was the most common (seven studies). Ten studies (2835 participants) were conducted in East Asian countries (Japan, China, and South Korea), while the remaining two studies were conducted in the USA. Eight studies were conducted in a single centre. Postablation follow-up was variable among studies at less than 30 days (three studies), 30 days (six studies), and more than 30 days postablation (three studies). Overall, the meta-analysis showed high uncertainty of the effect between the interrupted strategy compared to uninterrupted strategy on the primary outcomes of thromboembolic events (risk ratio (RR) 1.76, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.33 to 9.46; I2 = 59%; 6 studies, 3468 participants; very low-certainty evidence). However, subgroup analysis showed that uninterrupted vitamin A antagonist (VKA) is associated with a lower risk of thromboembolic events without increasing the risk of bleeding. There is also uncertainty on the outcome of major bleeding events (RR 1.10, 95% CI 0.59 to 2.05; I2 = 6%; 10 studies, 4584 participants; low-certainty evidence). The uncertainty was also evident for the secondary outcomes of minor bleeding (RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.46 to 2.22; I2 = 87%; 9 studies, 3843 participants; very low-certainty evidence), all-cause mortality (RR 0.34, 95% CI 0.01 to 8.21; 442 participants; low-certainty evidence) and asymptomatic thromboembolic events (RR 1.45, 95% CI 0.85 to 2.47; I2 = 56%; 6 studies, 1268 participants; very low-certainty evidence). There was a lower risk of the composite endpoint of thromboembolic events (stroke, systemic embolism, major bleeding, and all-cause mortality) in the interrupted compared to uninterrupted arm (RR 0.23, 95% CI 0.07 to 0.81; 1 study, 442 participants; low-certainty evidence). In general, the low event rates, different comparator anticoagulants, and use of different ablation procedures may be the cause of imprecision and heterogeneity observed.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis showed that the evidence is uncertain to inform the decision to either interrupt or continue anticoagulation therapy around CA procedure in adults with arrhythmia on outcomes of thromboembolic events, major and minor bleeding, all-cause mortality, asymptomatic thromboembolic events, and a composite endpoint of thromboembolic events (stroke, systemic embolism, major bleeding, and all-cause mortality).  Most studies in the review adopted a minimal interruption strategy which has the advantage of reducing the risk of bleeding while maintaining a lower level of anticoagulation to prevent periprocedural thromboembolism, hence low event rates on the primary outcomes of thromboembolism and bleeding. The one study that adopted a complete interruption of VKA showed that uninterrupted VKA reduces the risk of thromboembolism without increasing the risk of bleeding. Hence, future trials with larger samples, tailored to a more generalisable population and using homogeneous periprocedural anticoagulant therapy and ablation source are required to address the safety and efficacy of the optimal management of anticoagulant therapy prior to ablation.

Early Coagulation Disorder Is Associated With an Increased Risk of Atrial Fibrillation in Septic Patients

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) and coagulation disorder, two common complications of sepsis, are associated with the mortality. However, the relationship between early coagulation disorder and AF in sepsis remains elusive. This study aimed to evaluate the interaction between AF and early coagulation disorder on mortality.

Methods: In this retrospective study, all data were extracted from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III (MIMIC-III) database. Septic patients with coagulation tests during the first 24 h after admission to intensive care units (ICUs) meeting study criteria were included in the analysis. Early coagulation disorder is defined by abnormalities in platelet count (PLT), international normalized ratio (INR) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) within the first 24 h after admission, whose score was defined with reference to sepsis-induced coagulopathy (SIC) and coagulopathy. Patients meeting study criteria were divided into AF and non-AF groups.

Results: In total, 7,528 septic patients were enrolled, including 1,243 (16.51%) with AF and 5,112 (67.91%) with early coagulation disorder. Compared with patients in the non-AF group, patients in the AF group had higher levels of INR and APTT (P < 0.001). Multivariable logistic regression analyses showed that stroke, early coagulation disorder, age, gender, congestive heart failure (CHF), chronic pulmonary disease, renal failure, and chronic liver disease were independent risk factors for AF. In addition, AF was related to in-hospital mortality and 90-day mortality. In the subgroup analysis stratified by the scores of early coagulation disorder, AF was associated with an increased risk of 90-day mortality when the scores of early coagulation disorder were 1 or 2 and 3 or 4.

Conclusion: In sepsis, coagulation disorder within the first 24 h after admission to the ICUs is an independent risk factor for AF. The effect of AF on 90-day mortality varies with the severity of early coagulation disorder.

Alphabetical Mnemonic to Assist in the Treatment of an Acute Ischemic Stroke

Determining the treatment plan and how to successfully manage a patient suffering from an acute ischemic stroke can be challenging for a registered nurse (RN) in the emergency department. Using a mnemonic in the treatment process assists in reducing medical errors and increases the likelihood of making positive clinical outcomes. Mnemonics sum up complex strategies into relevant information that can be comprehensible for users. The authors have created a mnemonic strategy to provide RNs in the emergency department with a structured approach to the pharmacotherapeutic strategies used in treating patients with an acute ischemic stroke. All guidelines used throughout the article are in concurrence.

Association of Oral Anticoagulation With Stroke in Atrial Fibrillation or Heart Failure: A Comparative Meta-Analysis

Background and Purpose

Atrial fibrillation and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) are common sources of cardioembolism. While oral anticoagulation is strongly recommended for atrial fibrillation, there are marked variations in guideline recommendations for HFrEF due to uncertainty about net clinical benefit. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluates the comparative association of oral anticoagulation with stroke and other cardiovascular risk in populations with atrial fibrillation or HFrEF in sinus rhythm and identify factors mediating different estimates of net clinical benefit.

Methods

PubMed and Embase were searched from database inception to November 20, 2019 for randomized clinical trials comparing oral anticoagulation to control. A random-effects meta-analysis was used to estimate a pooled treatment-effect overall and within atrial fibrillation and HFrEF trials. Differences in treatment effect were assessed by estimating I2 among all trials and testing the between-trial-population P-interaction. The primary outcome measure was all stroke. Secondary outcome measures were ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, mortality, myocardial infarction, and major hemorrhage.

Results

Twenty-one trials were eligible for inclusion, 15 (n=19 332) in atrial fibrillation (mean follow-up: 23.1 months), and 6 (n=9866) in HFrEF (mean follow-up: 23.9 months). There were differences in primary outcomes between trial populations, with all-cause mortality included for 95.2% of HFrEF trial population versus 0.38% for atrial fibrillation. Mortality was higher in controls groups of HFrEF populations (19.0% versus 9.6%) but rates of stroke lower (3.1% versus 7.0%) compared with atrial fibrillation. The association of oral anticoagulation with all stroke was consistent for atrial fibrillation (odds ratio, 0.51 [95% CI, 0.42–0.63]) and HFrEF (odds ratio, 0.61 [95% CI, 0.47–0.79]; I2=12.4%; P interaction=0.31). There were no statistically significant differences in the association of oral anticoagulation with cardiovascular events, mortality or bleeding between populations.

Conclusions

The relative association of oral anticoagulation with stroke risk, and other cardiovascular outcomes, is similar for patients with atrial fibrillation and HFrEF. Differences in the primary outcomes employed by trials in HFrEF, compared with atrial fibrillation, may have contributed to differing conclusions of the relative efficacy of oral anticoagulation.

Evolution of Antithrombotic Management of Atrial Fibrillation After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Over 10 Years and Guidelines Uptake

Background

The management of atrial fibrillation and/or flutter (AF) patients requiring percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has evolved significantly. The Canadian Cardiovascular Society AF guidelines, last updated in 2020, seek to aid physicians in balancing both bleeding and thrombotic risks.

Methods

A tertiary academic centre registry of patients with AF who had PCI was examined for the antithrombotic therapy at discharge in 4 time periods (cohort 2010–2011; cohort 2014–2015; cohort 2017; cohort 2019). Discharge prescription patterns were compared among the cohorts, using the χ² test. In addition, antithrombotic management in cohorts 2017 and 2019 were compared to guideline-expected therapy, using the χ² test.

Results

A total of 576 AF patients undergoing PCI were included. Clinical and procedural characteristics were similar among cohorts, except for an increase in drug-eluting stent use in the most recent cohort (94% vs 99%; P = 0.04). The rate of oral anticoagulation increased over time (75% vs 89%; P < 0.01), driven primarily by an increase in direct oral anticoagulants prescription (63% vs 84%; P < 0.01). In contrast to previous cohorts, there was no significant difference between the observed and the guideline-expected anticoagulation rate in cohort 2019 (89% vs 94%; P = 0.23).

Conclusions

A combination of expert guidance and educational initiatives in the past decade contributed to dramatic changes in the management of patients with AF undergoing PCI.