Safety of direct oral anticoagulant - and antiplatelet therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation treated by carotid artery stenting

Comparison of Cilostazol versus Clopidogrel in Addition to Aspirin in Patients with Ischemic Stroke who Underwent Intracranial or Extracranial Artery Stent Implantation

AIMS

The role of cilostazol after intracranial or extracranial artery stent implantation is still unclear. Therefore, we designed this trial to explore the efficacy and safety of cilostazol in this particular population.

METHODS

In this retrospective study, patients were divided into the cilostazol or clopidogrel group by the antiplatelet therapy received after artery stent implantation. The primary efficacy endpoint was ischemic stroke. Bleeding events and other antiplatelet drug-related adverse reactions (ADRs) were also recorded. Neurological function prognosis was evaluated by the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) after discharge.

RESULTS

A total of 156 patients were enrolled; 56 underwent intracranial artery stenting, 95 underwent extracranial artery stenting, and 5 underwent intracranial combined with extracranial artery stenting. Any stroke and bleeding events in the hospital of the two groups were comparable (P=0.38, P=0.34, respectively). The incidence of stroke recurrence tended to be lower in the cilostazol group, although not significant (cilostazol vs. clopidogrel, 1.35% vs. 4.88%, P=0.25). There was a significant difference of any bleeding events between the two groups (cilostazol vs. clopidogrel, 5.41% vs. 20.73%, P=0.02). During follow-up, we did not observe an apparent increase of ADRs in the cilostazol group (cilostazol vs. clopidogrel, palpitation 4.05% vs. 2.44%, P=0.58; gastrointestinal discomfort events 8.11% vs. 12.20%, P=0.80). There were no differences between the two groups of neurological function prognosis (P=0.29).

CONCLUSIONS

Cilostazol-based dual antiplatelet therapy could be recommended as an effective and safe therapy regimen among patients undergoing intracranial or extracranial artery stent implantation.

Analysis of Cerebrovascular Events after Coil Embolization of Unruptured Cerebral Aneurysms in Patients Taking Anticoagulants

Objective

Antiplatelet therapy is advised to prevent thrombotic complications during endovascular coil embolization of unruptured cerebral aneurysms. Due to multiple antithrombotic treatments, bleeding risk is a concern in patients using oral anticoagulants for existing comorbidities. We investigated the hemorrhagic and ischemic events following endovascular treatment (EVT) of unruptured cerebral aneurysms in patients taking anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapy.

Methods

Between March 2013 and February 2019, 262 patients undergoing EVT for unruptured cerebral aneurysms and having at least 6 months of postoperative follow-up data were included in this retrospective study. Patients taking oral anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugs for cerebral vascular events following EVT were compared with those taking only antiplatelet agents.

Results

Of the 262 patients, 12 (4.6%) used anticoagulants before EVT for a preexisting condition. Cerebrovascular events after coil embolization were observed in 3 patients taking both anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs and in 14 patients taking only antiplatelet drugs (25% vs. 5.6%, respectively, p = 0.035). Vitamin K antagonist (VKA) was administered in five patients and direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in seven patients. Patients taking VKA experienced cerebrovascular events, whereas those taking DOACs did not (p = 0.045).

Conclusion

Our study showed that patients using oral anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugs experienced more cerebrovascular events after EVT for unruptured cerebral aneurysms. These results suggest that in patients requiring oral anticoagulants, DOACs may be more beneficial than VKA for preventing stroke occurrences after EVT.

Antithrombotic treatment and outcome after endovascular treatment and acute carotid artery stenting in stroke patients with atrial fibrillation

Background

Oral anticoagulation (OAC) is the mainstay of secondary prevention in ischemic stroke patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, in AF patients with large vessel occlusion stroke treated by endovascular therapy (ET) and acute carotid artery stenting (CAS), the optimal antithrombotic medication remains unclear.

Methods

This is a subgroup analysis of the German Stroke Registry—Endovascular Treatment (GSR-ET), a prospective multicenter cohort of patients with large vessel occlusion stroke undergoing ET. Patients with AF and CAS during ET were included. We analyzed baseline and periprocedural characteristics, antithrombotic strategies and functional outcome at 90 days.

Results

Among 6635 patients in the registry, a total of 82 patients (1.2%, age 77.9 ± 8.0 years, 39% female) with AF and extracranial CAS during ET were included. Antithrombotic medication at admission, during ET, postprocedural and at discharge was highly variable and overall mortality in hospital (21%) and at 90 days (39%) was high.

Among discharged patients (n = 65), most frequent antithrombotic regimes were dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT, 37%), single APT + OAC (25%) and DAPT + OAC (20%). Comparing DAPT to single or dual APT + OAC, clinical characteristics at discharge were similar (median NIHSS 7.5 [interquartile range, 3–10.5] vs 7 [4–11], p = 0.73, mRS 4 [IQR 3–4] vs. 4 [IQR 3–5], p = 0.79), but 90-day mortality was higher without OAC (32 vs 4%, p = 0.02).

Conclusions

In AF patients who underwent ET and CAS, 90-day mortality was higher in patients not receiving OAC.

Registration: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT03356392.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s42466-022-00207-7.

Antithrombotic Treatment after Carotid Stenting in Patients with Concomitant Atrial Fibrillation

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Antithrombotic therapy following carotid artery stent placement with concomitant atrial fibrillation is not well-established. Our aim was to assess the safety and efficacy of the combination of direct oral anticoagulants and a P2Y12 inhibitor at 30 days after carotid artery stent placement in patients with atrial fibrillation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We designed an observational single-center study including patients who underwent carotid artery stent placement with concomitant atrial fibrillation. We studied 3 groups according to antithrombotic therapy: 1) the direct oral anticoagulants plus clopidogrel (DC) group: receiving direct oral anticoagulants plus a P2Y12 inhibitor; 2) the triple therapy group: anticoagulation and dual antiplatelet therapy; and 3) the dual antiplatelet therapy group: following dual antiplatelet therapy alone. The safety outcome was a major or clinically relevant non-major bleeding event at the first month. The efficacy outcomes were the thromboembolic events (myocardial infarction, stroke, systemic embolism, or stent thrombosis).

RESULTS

Of 959 patients with carotid artery stent placement, 91 met the inclusion criteria, including 24 patients in the DC group, 42 patients in the triple therapy group, and 25 in the dual antiplatelet therapy group. The mean age was 72.27 (SD, 8.1 ) years, with similar baseline characteristics. The median CHA₂DS₂-VASc score for each group was 6 (interquartile range  = 5-6), 5 (interquartile range = 4-6), and 5 (interquartile range = 4-6), respectively. The median HAS-BLED score was 4 in the 3 groups (P = .17). The primary safety end point was 23.8% in the triple therapy group compared with 4% in the dual antiplatelet therapy group (P = .032), with no bleeding events in the DC group (P = .007). There was 1 stent thrombosis in DC group and a cardioembolic stroke in the dual antiplatelet therapy group (P = .41).

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients with carotid artery stent placement with atrial fibrillation, triple therapy confers a high bleeding risk. A regimen of direct oral anticoagulants plus a P2Y12 inhibitor might confer a good safety profile with significantly lower rates of bleeding and optimal efficacy.

Choice of antithrombotic therapy for patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing carotid angioplasty and stenting: a nationwide population-based study

Nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) and carotid stenosis are important risk factors for stroke. Carotid angioplasty and stent placement (CAS) is recommended for patients with symptomatic high-grade carotid stenosis. The optimal medical management for patients with NVAF after CAS remains unclear. We aimed to clarify this issue using real-world data from the Taiwanese National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD). In total, 2116 consecutive NVAF patients who received CAS between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2016, from NHIRD were divided into groups based on post-procedure medication as follows: only antiplatelet agent (OAP, n = 587); only anticoagulation agent (OAC, n = 477); dual antiplatelet agents (DAP, n = 49); and a combination of antiplatelet and anticoagulation agents (CAPAC, n = 304). Mortality, vascular events, and major bleeding episodes were compared after matching with the Charlson comorbidity index and CHA2DS2-VASc score. The CAPAC and the OAC groups had lower mortality rates than the OAP group (P = 0.0219), with no statistical differences in major bleeding, ischemic stroke, or vascular events. Conclusively, OAC therapy after CAS appears suitable for NVAF patients. CAPAC therapy might be considered as initial therapy or when there is concern about vascular events.

Atherosclerosis and Atrial Fibrillation: Double Trouble

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review aims to evaluate the major cardiovascular adverse events (MACE) and antithrombotic approaches in concomitant atrial fibrillation (AF) and atherosclerosis.

RECENT FINDINGS

MACE in concomitant AF and atherosclerosis has been evaluated in recent studies. A recent retrospective study of 2670 patients with AF revealed that atherosclerosis burden with AF can be a marker of adverse vascular outcomes with extracranial atherosclerosis as a potent predictor of MACE. Trials to evaluate the antithrombotic approaches in concomitant atherosclerotic disease and AF has been mainly in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). AFIRE trial demonstrated that in patients with AF and stable CAD rivaroxaban alone is not inferior to rivaroxaban plus aspirin with better safety profile. Atherosclerosis is common in AF and poses additional risk to patients. Antithrombotic management of atherosclerosis in AF is not well investigated and needs further trial to identify the subgroups that benefit from more intensive antithrombotic measures.