The use of novel oral anticoagulants compared to vitamin K antagonists (warfarin) in patients with left ventricular thrombus after acute myocardial infarction

Aim

Current guidelines recommend the use of vitamin K antagonist (VKA) for up to 3–6 months for treatment of left ventricular (LV) thrombus post-acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, based on evidence supporting non-inferiority of novel oral anticoagulants (NOAC) compared to VKA for other indications such as deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism (PE), and thromboembolic prevention in atrial fibrillation, NOACs are being increasingly used off licence for the treatment of LV thrombus post-AMI. In this study, we investigated the safety and effect of NOACs compared to VKA on LV thrombus resolution in patients presenting with AMI.

Methods and results

This was an observational study of 2328 consecutive patients undergoing coronary angiography ± percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for AMI between May 2015 and December 2018, at a UK cardiac centre. Patients’ details were collected from the hospital electronic database. The primary endpoint was rate of LV thrombus resolution with bleeding rates a secondary outcome. Left ventricular thrombus was diagnosed in 101 (4.3%) patients. Sixty patients (59.4%) were started on VKA and 41 patients (40.6%) on NOAC therapy (rivaroxaban: 58.5%, apixaban: 36.5%, and edoxaban: 5.0%). Both groups were well matched in terms of baseline characteristics including age, previous cardiac history (previous myocardial infarction, PCI, coronary artery bypass grafting), and cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolaemia). Over the follow-up period (median 2.2 years), overall rates of LV thrombus resolution were 86.1%. There was greater and earlier LV thrombus resolution in the NOAC group compared to patients treated with warfarin (82% vs. 64.4%, P = 0.0018, at 1 year), which persisted after adjusting for baseline variables (odds ratio 1.8, 95% confidence interval 1.2–2.9). Major bleeding events during the follow-up period were lower in the NOAC group, compared with VKA group (0% vs. 6.7%, P = 0.030) with no difference in rates of systemic thromboembolism (5% vs. 2.4%, P = 0.388).

Conclusion

These data suggest improved thrombus resolution in post-acute coronary syndrome (ACS) LV thrombosis in patients treated with NOACs compared to VKAs. This improvement in thrombus resolution was accompanied with a better safety profile for NOAC patients vs. VKA-treated patients. Thus, provides data to support a randomized trial to answer this question.

Evaluation of seed and seedling emergence enhancement of some population of Sahandy savory (Satureja sahendica) by gibberlic acid, potasium nitrate, pre-cooling, physical and chemical scarification treatment

In greenhouse experiment, the seed samples of 3 populations were treated with treatments including: cold stratification, Gibberlic Acid (50 ppm and 100 ppm), Potassium nitrate (0.2%, 0.4%), physical scarification (sand paper), chemical scarification (Ethylic alcohol 70%) and distilled water (control), then these treated seed samples were sown in pots as randomize design with three replication. The germination characteristics including: germination percentage, speed of germination, length of root and shoot, seedling length, ratio of root length by shoot length, vigor index, fresh weight arid dry weight, ratio of dry weight by fresh weight were evaluated during 45 days of experiment. Comparing between three populations of Sahandy savory, seed germination characteristics of the Ghazvin population was higher than the other two populations. According to effect of treatment on germination seed characteristics, the species of savory and their population, it was concluded that effect of Gibberlic Acid and Potassium nitrate was higher than physical scarification and chemical scarification comparing with control. With more effective of gibberlic acid and KNO3 and cold treatment on seed germination enhancement of the population, it was clarified that the type of dormancy of some population of Sahandy savory was physiological dormancy.