Triple vs Dual Antithrombotic Therapy in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation and Coronary Artery Disease

Treatment of cerebral aneurysms with flow diversion or stent assisted coiling in patients on concurrent oral anticoagulation

BACKGROUND

Flow diversion and stent assisted coiling are increasingly utilized strategies in the endovascular treatment of cerebral aneurysms. Ischemic and hemorrhagic complications play an important role in the outcome following such embolizations. Little is published regarding patients on concurrent oral anticoagulation and undergoing such embolizations and the rates of complications and patient outcomes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Retrospective data for consecutive patients on concurrent oral anticoagulation undergoing flow diversion or stent assisted coiling for cerebral aneurysms was accessed from databases at the participating sites. Patient demographics, comorbidities, antiplatelet regimens, aneurysm characteristics, complications, and radiographic results were recorded and descriptive statistics reported.

RESULTS

Eleven patients were identified undergoing embolization in the setting of preoperative anticoagulant use and included seven patients undergoing flow diversion and four patients undergoing stent assisted coiling. There was a wide range of antiplatelet and anticoagulant management strategies. There were four major complications in three patients (27.2%) to include two serious bleeding events in addition to ischemic strokes. Both serious bleeding events occurred in patients continued on oral anticoagulation with the addition of antiplatelets. At a mean follow-up of 9.6 months, three aneurysms had continued filling for a good radiographic outcome of 72.7%.

CONCLUSIONS

Anticoagulant and antiplatelet use in the setting of flow diversion or stent assisted coiling may carry increased risks as compared to historical norms and, for flow diversion, offer decreased efficacy.

Is It Really Safe to Discontinue Antiplatelet Therapy 12 Months After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation?

The prevalence of AF in patients with coronary artery disease is high. The guidelines from many professional groups, including the European Society of Cardiology, American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association and Heart Rhythm Society, recommend a maximum duration of 12 months of combination single antiplatelet and anticoagulation therapy in patients who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention and who have concurrent AF, followed by anticoagulation alone beyond 1 year. However, the evidence that anticoagulation alone without antiplatelet therapy adequately reduces the well-documented attritional risk of stent thrombosis after coronary stent implantation is relatively sparse, particularly given that very late stent thrombosis (>1 year from stent implantation) is the commonest type. By contrast, the elevated risk of bleeding from combined anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapy is clinically important. The aim of this review is to assess the evidence for long-term anticoagulation alone without antiplatelet therapy 1 year post-percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with AF.

A Cardiologists’ Survey on the Use of Anticoagulants and Antiplatelets in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation and Acute Coronary Syndrome or Those Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in India

PURPOSE

The management of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) requires appropriate antithrombotic regimens for stroke prevention and in-stent thrombosis. Current practice recommendations are largely based on consensus options as there is limited evidence from randomized clinical trials. Hence, by surveying a group of cardiologists across India, we sought to better understand the current practice patterns of using oral anticoagulants (vitamin K antagonist, VKA or non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant, NOAC) and antiplatelet therapy in those patients in India.

METHODS

A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted across India to better understand the clinical practices in AF management.

RESULTS

A total of 151 cardiologists participated in this survey. The most commonly prescribed combination therapy in patients with AF and ACS/undergoing PCI was triple therapy (NOAC + dual antiplatelet [aspirin and P2Y12 inhibitor]) (54.30%) followed by NOAC + single antiplatelet (33.11%). Only 11.26% of cardiologists prescribed VKA + dual antiplatelet therapy. Among anticoagulants, cardiologists prescribed NOACs to 66.11% of patients and VKAs to 25.54% of patients. Among P2Y12 inhibitors, ticagrelor (50.99%) and clopidogrel (47.02%) were the most preferred medication. The physician reported patient adherence rates to NOACs were higher compared to VKAs. Around 41.06% of cardiologists reportedly changed antiplatelet therapy for patients from dual antiplatelet to single antiplatelet therapy in three months; 36.42%, in one month; and 19.21% in six months after PCI. Around 61.59% of cardiologists stopped prescribing antiplatelet therapy for patients by one year.

CONCLUSION

Our survey demonstrated that the majority of cardiologists used triple therapy (NOAC + dual antiplatelet), followed by NOAC + single antiplatelet for managing patients with AF and ACS or undergoing PCI in line with the available guidelines.

Dual antithrombotic therapy and gastroprotection in atrial fibrillation: an observational primary care study

BACKGROUND

Patients with both atrial fibrillation (AF) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) may receive dual antithrombotic therapy (DAT) with both an anticoagulant and ≥1 antiplatelet agents. Avoiding prolonged duration of DAT and use of gastroprotective therapies reduces bleeding risk.

AIM

To describe the extent and duration of DAT and use of gastroprotection in a primary care cohort of patients with AF.

DESIGN & SETTING

Observational study in 1.2 million people registered with GPs across four east London clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), covering prescribing from January 2020-June 2021.

METHOD

In patients with AF, factors associated with DAT prescription, prolonged DAT prescription (>12 months), and gastroprotective prescription were characterised using logistic regression.

RESULTS

There were 8881 patients with AF, of whom 4.7% (n = 416) were on DAT. Of these, 65.9% (n = 274) were prescribed DAT for >12 months and 84.4% (n = 351) were prescribed concomitant gastroprotection. Independent of all other factors, females with AF were less likely to receive DAT than males (odds ratio [OR] 0.61, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.49 to 0.77). Similarly, older (aged ≥75 years) individuals (OR 0.79, 95% CI = 0.63 to 0.98) were less likely to receive DAT than younger patients. Among those with AF on DAT, pre-existing CVD (OR 3.33, 95% CI = 1.71 to 6.47) and South Asian ethnicity (OR 2.70, 95% CI = 1.15 to 6.32) were associated with increased gastroprotection prescriptions. Gastroprotection prescription (OR 1.80, 95% CI = 1.01 to 3.22) was associated with prolonged DAT prescription.

CONCLUSION

Almost two-thirds of patients with AF on DAT were prescribed prolonged durations of therapy. Prescription of gastroprotection therapies was suboptimal in one in six patients. Treatment decisions varied by sex, age, ethnic group, and comorbidity. Duration of DAT and gastroprotection in patients with AF requires improvement.

Dual versus triple antithrombotic therapy after percutaneous coronary intervention: the prospective multicentre WOEST 2 Study

BACKGROUND

For patients on oral anticoagulants (OAC) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), European guidelines have recently changed their recommendations to dual antithrombotic therapy (DAT; P2Y₁₂ inhibitor and OAC) without aspirin.

AIMS

The prospective WOEST 2 registry was designed to obtain contemporary real-world data on antithrombotic regimens and related outcomes after PCI in patients with an indication for OAC.

METHODS

In this analysis, we compare DAT (P2Y₁₂ inhibitor and OAC) to triple antithrombotic therapy (TAT; aspirin, P2Y₁₂ inhibitor, and OAC) on thrombotic and bleeding outcomes after one year. Clinically relevant bleeding was defined as Bleeding Academic Research Consortium classification (BARC) grade 2, 3, or 5; major bleeding as BARC grade 3 or 5. Major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) was defined as a composite of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis, ischaemic stroke, and transient ischaemic attack.

RESULTS

A total of 1,075 patients were included between 2014 and 2021. Patients used OAC for atrial fibrillation (93.6%) or mechanical heart valve prosthesis (4.7%). Non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (NOAC) were prescribed in 53.1% and vitamin K antagonists in 46.9% of patients. At discharge, 60.9% received DAT, and 39.1% TAT. DAT was associated with less clinically relevant and similar major bleeding (16.8% vs 23.4%; p<0.01 and 7.6% vs 7.7%, not significant), compared to TAT. The difference in MACCE between the two groups was not statistically significant (12.4% vs 9.7%; p=0.17). Multivariable adjustment and propensity score matching confirmed these results.

CONCLUSIONS

Dual antithrombotic therapy is associated with a substantially lower risk of clinically relevant bleeding without a statistically significant penalty in ischaemic events.

Safety and Efficacy Evaluation of Antithrombotic Therapy with Rivaroxaban and Clopidogrel After PCI in Chinese Patients

Objective

To investigate the efficacy and safety of the antithrombotic therapy using the oral anticoagulant rivaroxaban and clopidogrel in Chinese patients with acute coronary syndrome complicated with atrial fibrillation after percutaneous coronary intervention.

Methods

A total of 100 patients were selected. Patients were randomly divided into two groups: the treatment group (rivaroxaban group) received a therapy of rivaroxaban and clopidogrel. The control group (warfarin group) receivied a combined treatment of warfarin, clopidogrel, and aspirin. The primary outcome endpoint was evaluated based on the adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events within 12 months.

Results

A total of 8 (8.00%) main adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events occurred during the 12 months of follow-up, including 5 (9.80%) in the warfarin group and 3 (6.10%) in the rivaroxaban group. The risk of having main adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events in the two groups was comparable (P = 0.479). A total of 9 patients (9.00%) were found to have bleeding events, among which 8 patients (15.7%) were in the warfarin group, whereas only 1 patient (2.00%) was in the rivaroxaban group. Therefore, the risk of bleeding in the warfarin group was significantly higher than that in the rivaroxaban group (P = 0.047).

Conclusions

In Chinese patients with acute coronary syndrome complicated with atrial fibrillation, the efficacy of the dual therapy of oral anticoagulant rivaroxaban plus clopidogrel after percutaneous coronary intervention was similar to that of the traditional triple therapy combined with warfarin, aspirin and clopidogrel, but it has a better safety property, which has potential to widely apply to antithrombotic therapy after PCI

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.

Triple Antithrombotic Therapy (Triple Therapy) After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Chronic Anticoagulation: A Literature Review

Selecting anticoagulation therapy for patients with atrial fibrillation and coronary artery disease has always been challenging for physicians. The treatment modalities have evolved with time. Oral anticoagulation with warfarin was used in the initial era of stenting to prevent stent thrombosis, and dual antiplatelet therapy is the current recommendation. Triple anticoagulation therapy, i.e., aspirin, P2Y12 inhibitor, and oral anticoagulation, is associated with higher bleeding episodes and mortality compared to the combination of an anticoagulant and a P2Y12 inhibitor.

The role of triple antithrombotic therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention

Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with aspirin plus clopidogrel forms the backbone of secondary prevention in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) or who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), but in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), oral anticoagulation (OAC) is superior to antiplatelet therapy for the prevention of stroke and systemic embolism. Patients with AF who undergo PCI or have an ACS event therefore have an indication for both OAC and DAPT, so-called triple antithrombotic therapy. However, observational analyses have shown that the annual rate of major bleeding on triple therapy exceeds 10%. For this reason, five major randomized clinical trials have compared double antithrombotic therapy with OAC and a P2Y₁₂ inhibitor versus triple therapy in patients with AF who underwent PCI or had an ACS event. Each of the trials showed that double antithrombotic therapy reduced the rate of major and clinically relevant non-major bleeding compared with triple therapy and was non-inferior for prevention of ischemic events, including cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke. In the one trial that directly compared warfarin with a non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC), apixaban reduced the rate of major or clinically relevant non-major bleeding compared with warfarin and was non-inferior with respect to prevention of ischemic events. As a result of these trials, consensus guidelines recommend that patients with AF who undergo PCI or have an ACS event should be treated with triple antithrombotic therapy (OAC + P2Y₁₂ inhibitor + aspirin) for 7 days or less, followed by double antithrombotic therapy (OAC + P2Y₁₂ inhibitor) for 6 to 12 months.

Comparison of effects of triple antithrombotic therapy and dual antiplatelet therapy on long-term outcomes of acute myocardial infarction

Warfarin is an alternate choice for patients who are not eligible for non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This study aimed to compare the long-term outcome of triple antithrombotic therapy (TAT) with that of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) after AMI. This was a nationwide, propensity score-matched, case-control study of 186,112 first AMI patients, of whom 2,825 received TAT comprising aspirin, clopidogrel, and warfarin. Propensity score matching in a ratio of 1:4 by age, sex, comorbidities, and treatment was adopted, Finally, 2,813 AMI patients and 11,252 matched controls that were administered TAT and DAPT (aspirin and clopidogrel), respectively, were included in our analysis. The 12-year overall survival rate did not differ between both strategies (P = .3167). TAT was beneficial in old age (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.92), female sex (HR = 0.86), atrial fibrillation (AF) (HR = 0.80), hypertension (HR = 0.92), cerebrovascular accident (HR = 0.90), and in the absence of percutaneous coronary intervention (HR = 0.79). TAT reduced the rate of recurrent myocardial infarction (P = .0108) but did not affect the rate of stroke (P = .4867), gastrointestinal bleeding (P = .3889), or intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) (P = .3449). TAT reduces the incidence of recurrent myocardial infarction and does not increase the risk of major bleeding, while compared to DAPT.

Safety and efficacy of dual versus triple antithrombotic therapy (DAT vs TAT) in patients with atrial fibrillation following a PCI: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Creating an appropriate antithrombotic therapy for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who have undergone percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains a dilemma. Several clinical trials compared the use of a dual antithrombotic therapy (DAT) regimen with a direct oral anticoagulants including (apixaban, dabigatran, edoxaban or rivaroxaban) and a P2Y12 inhibitor versus a triple antithrombotic therapy (TAT) that includes a vitamin K antagonist plus aspirin and a P2Y12 inhibitor in patients with AF who have undergone PCI. However, there are no head-to-head trials comparing the DAT regimens to each other. We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of DAT regimens using a network meta-analysis (NMA) approach.

DESIGN

A systematic review and NMA of randomised clinical trials.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic literature review to identify relevant randomised clinical trials and performed a Bayesian NMA for International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) major or clinically relevant non-major (CRNM) bleeding, all-cause mortality, stroke, myocardial infarction (MI) and stent thrombosis outcomes. We used NetMetaXL V.1.6.1 and WinBUGS V.1.4.3 for the NMA and estimated the probability of ranking the treatments based on the surface under the cumulative ranking curve.

RESULTS

The comparison between DAT regimens showed no significant difference in the safety or efficacy outcomes. Apixaban regimen was ranked first as the preferred therapy in terms of ISTH major or CRNM bleeding and stroke, with a probability of 52% and 54%, respectively. Rivaroxaban regimen was the preferred therapy in terms of MI and stent thrombosis, with a probability of 34% and 27%, respectively. Dabigatran regimen was ranked first in terms of all-cause mortality, with a probability of 28%.

CONCLUSION

The DAT regimens are as safe and effective as TAT regimens. However, ranking probabilities for the best option in the selected outcomes can be used to guide the selection among these agents based on different patients' conditions.

Assessment of OMT-28, a synthetic analog of omega-3 epoxyeicosanoids, in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation: Rationale and design of the PROMISE-AF phase II study

We designed a placebo controlled, double-blind, randomized, dose-finding phase II study on OMT-28 in the maintenance of sinus rhythm after electrical cardioversion (DCC) in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (PROMISE-AF). OMT-28 is a first-in-class, synthetic analog of 17,18-epoxyeicosatetetraenoic acid, a bioactive lipid mediator generated by cytochrome P450 enzymes from the omega-3 fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid. OMT-28 improves Ca²⁺-handling and mitochondrial function in cardiomyocytes and reduces pro-inflammatory signaling. This unique mode of action may provide a novel approach to target key mechanism contributing to AF pathophysiology. In a recent phase I study, OMT-28 was safe and well tolerated and showed favorable pharmacokinetics. The PROMISE-AF study (NCT03906799) is designed to assess the efficacy (primary objective), safety, and population pharmacokinetics (secondary objectives) of three different doses of OMT-28, administered once daily, versus placebo until the end of the follow-up period. Recruitment started in March 2019 and the study will include a total of 120 patients. The primary efficacy endpoint is the AF burden (% time with any AF), evaluated over a 13-week treatment period after DCC. AF burden is calculated based on continuous ECG monitoring using an insertable cardiac monitor (ICM). The primary efficacy analysis will be conducted on the modified intention-to-treat (mITT) population, whereas the safety analysis will be done on the safety population. Although ICMs have been used in other interventional studies to assess arrhythmia, PROMISE-AF will be the first study to assess antiarrhythmic efficacy and safety of a novel rhythm-stabilizing drug after DCC by using ICMs.

Combination of Oral Anticoagulants and Single Antiplatelets versus Triple Therapy in Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation and Acute Coronary Syndrome: Stroke Prevention among Asians

Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most prevalent arrhythmic disease, tends to foster thrombus formation due to hemodynamic disturbances, leading to severe disabling and even fatal thromboembolic diseases. Meanwhile, patients with AF may also present with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and coronary artery disease (CAD) requiring stenting, which creates a clinical dilemma considering that majority of such patients will likely receive oral anticoagulants (OACs) for stroke prevention and require additional double antiplatelet treatment (DAPT) to reduce recurrent cardiac events and in-stent thrombosis. In such cases, the gentle balance between bleeding risk and atherothromboembolic events needs to be carefully considered. Studies have shown that congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥ 75 years (doubled), diabetes mellitus, and previous stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA; doubled)-vascular disease, age 65 to 74 years, sex category (female; CHA ₂ DS ₂ -VASc) scores outperform other scoring systems in Asian populations and that the hypertension, abnormal renal/liver function (1 point each), stroke, bleeding history or predisposition, labile international normalized ratio (INR), elderly (>65 years), drugs/alcohol concomitantly (1 point each; HAS-BLED) score, a simple clinical score that predicts bleeding risk in patients with AF, particularly among Asians, performs better than other bleeding scores. A high HAS-BLED score should not be used to rule out OAC treatment but should instead prompt clinicians to address correctable risk factors. Therefore, the current review attempted to analyze available data from patients with nonvalvular AF who underwent stenting for ACS or CAD and elaborate on the direct-acting oral anticoagulant (DOAC) and antiplatelet management among such patients. For majority of the patients, "triple therapy" comprising OAC, aspirin, and clopidogrel should be considered for 1 to 6 months following ACS. However, the optimal duration for "triple therapy" would depend on the patient's ischemic and bleeding risks, with DOACs being obviously safer than vitamin-K antagonists.

Risk/Benefit Tradeoff of Antithrombotic Therapy in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Early and Late After an Acute Coronary Syndrome or Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Background:

In AUGUSTUS (Open-Label, 2×2 Factorial, Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Safety of Apixaban vs Vitamin K Antagonist and Aspirin vs Aspirin Placebo in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation and Acute Coronary Syndrome and/or Percutaneous Coronary Intervention), patients with atrial fibrillation and a recent acute coronary syndrome and those undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention had less bleeding with apixaban than vitamin K antagonist (VKA) and with placebo than aspirin. However, the number of ischemic events was numerically higher with placebo. The aim of this analysis is to assess the tradeoff of risk (bleeding) and benefit (ischemic events) over time with apixaban versus VKA and aspirin versus placebo.

Methods:

In AUGUSTUS, 4614 patients with atrial fibrillation and recent acute coronary syndrome or percutaneous coronary intervention on a P2Y 12 inhibitor were randomized to blinded aspirin or placebo and to open-label apixaban or VKA for 6 months. In a post hoc analysis, we compared the risk of 3 composite bleeding outcomes and 3 composite ischemic outcomes from randomization through 30 days and from 30 days to 6 months with apixaban and VKA and with aspirin and placebo.

Results:

Compared with VKA, apixaban had either a lower or a similar risk of bleeding and ischemic outcomes from randomization to 30 days and from 30 days to 6 months. From randomization to 30 days, aspirin caused more severe bleeding (absolute risk difference, 0.97% [95% CI, 0.23–1.70]) and fewer severe ischemic events (absolute risk difference, −0.91% [95% CI, −1.74 to −0.08]) than placebo. From 30 days to 6 months, the risk of severe bleeding was higher with aspirin than placebo (absolute risk difference, 1.25% [95% CI, 0.23–2.27]), whereas the risk of severe ischemic events was similar (absolute risk difference, −0.17% [95% CI, −1.33 to 0.98]).

Conclusions:

In patients with atrial fibrillation and recent acute coronary syndrome or percutaneous coronary intervention receiving a P2Y 12 inhibitor, apixaban is preferred over VKA. Use of aspirin immediately and for up to 30 days results in an equal tradeoff between an increase in severe bleeding and a reduction in severe ischemic events. After 30 days, aspirin continues to increase bleeding without significantly reducing ischemic events. These results inform shared, patient-centric decision making on the ideal duration of the use of aspirin after an acute coronary syndrome or percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with atrial fibrillation receiving oral anticoagulation.

Registration:

URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov ; Unique identifier: NCT02415400.

Outcomes of Cardiac Catheterization in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation on Anticoagulation in Contemporary in Practice: An Analysis of the ORBIT II Registry

BACKGROUND

Patients with atrial fibrillation on oral anticoagulation (OAC) undergoing cardiac catheterization face risks for embolic and bleeding events, yet information on strategies to mitigate these risks in contemporary practice is lacking.

METHODS

We aimed to describe the clinical/procedural characteristics of a contemporary cohort of patients with atrial fibrillation on OAC who underwent cardiac catheterization. Use of bleeding avoidance strategies and bridging therapy were described and outcomes including death, stroke, and major bleeding at 30 days and 1 year were compared by OAC type.

RESULTS

Of 13 404 patients in the Outcomes Registry for Better Informed Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation II Registry from 2013 to 2016, 741 underwent cardiac catheterization (139 with percutaneous coronary intervention) in the setting of OAC. The patients' median age was 71, 61.8% were male, white (87.2%), had hypertension (83.7%), hyperlipidemia (72.1%), diabetes mellitus (31.6%), and chronic kidney disease (28.2%); 20.2% received warfarin while 79.8% received direct acting oral anticoagulant. One third of patients underwent radial artery access, and bivalirudin was used in 4.6%. Bridging therapy was used more often in patients on warfarin versus direct acting oral anticoagulant (16.7% versus10.0%). OAC was interrupted in 93.8% of patients. Patients on warfarin versus direct acting oral anticoagulant were equally likely to restart OAC (58.0% versus 60.7%), had similar use of antiplatelet therapy (44.0% versus 41.3%) after catheterization, and had similar rates of myocardial infarction and death at 1 year, but higher rates of major bleeding (43.3 versus 12.9 events/100 patient years) and stroke (4.9 versus 1.9 events/100 patient years).

CONCLUSIONS

In a real-world registry of patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing cardiac catheterization, most cases are elective, performed by femoral access, with interruption of OAC. Bleeding avoidance strategies such as radial artery access and bivalirudin were used infrequently and use of bridging therapy was uncommon. Nearly 40% of patients did not restart OAC postprocedure, exposing patients to risk for stroke. Further research is necessary to optimize the management of patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing cardiac catheterization.

Is dual therapy the correct strategy in frail elderly patients with atrial fibrillation and acute coronary syndrome?

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a very common arrhythmia in clinical practice. Its incidence and prevalence are age-related and are growing in the last years. Age is a risk factor also for coronary artery disease (CAD), and with the evolution of preventive care, the first event (acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)) takes place at a later age. If elderly patients with AF and CAD undergo ACS or PCI, they have indication to assume triple therapy. Triple therapy (oral anticoagulation (OAC) plus dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT)) exposes patients to high bleeding risk. In the last 10 years, several clinical trials have tested dual therapy (OAC plus single antiplatelet therapy) in AF patients who undergo ACS or elective PCI. WOEST trial has tested warfarin + clopidogrel against triple therapy. PIONEER AF-PCI trial has tested low-dose rivaroxaban + P2Y12 inhibitor or very low-dose rivaroxaban + DAPT against standard triple therapy with warfarin. RE-DUAL PCI trial has tested two doses of dabigatran + P2Y12 inhibitor against standard triple therapy with Warfarin. AUGUSTUS trial has tested apixaban against warfarin both in dual therapy with P2Y12 inhibitor and in triple therapy with a P2Y12 inhibitor and aspirin. ENTRUST-AF PCI, last published study, has tested edoxaban + P2Y12 inhibitor against triple therapy. All these trials show dual therapy reduces significantly bleeding risk than triple therapy. In this paper, we analyze these clinical trials to understand if dual therapy results can be applied to elderly patients and what is probably the better approach in elderly AF patients undergo to ACS or PCI.

The 2018 European Heart Rhythm Association Practical Guide on the use of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants in patients with atrial fibrillation

The current manuscript is the second update of the original Practical Guide, published in 2013 [Heidbuchel et al. European Heart Rhythm Association Practical Guide on the use of new oral anticoagulants in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation. Europace 2013;15:625-651; Heidbuchel et al. Updated European Heart Rhythm Association Practical Guide on the use of non-vitamin K antagonist anticoagulants in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation. Europace 2015;17:1467-1507]. Non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) are an alternative for vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) to prevent stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and have emerged as the preferred choice, particularly in patients newly started on anticoagulation. Both physicians and patients are becoming more accustomed to the use of these drugs in clinical practice. However, many unresolved questions on how to optimally use these agents in specific clinical situations remain. The European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) set out to coordinate a unified way of informing physicians on the use of the different NOACs. A writing group identified 20 topics of concrete clinical scenarios for which practical answers were formulated, based on available evidence. The 20 topics are as follows i.e., (1) Eligibility for NOACs; (2) Practical start-up and follow-up scheme for patients on NOACs; (3) Ensuring adherence to prescribed oral anticoagulant intake; (4) Switching between anticoagulant regimens; (5) Pharmacokinetics and drug-drug interactions of NOACs; (6) NOACs in patients with chronic kidney or advanced liver disease; (7) How to measure the anticoagulant effect of NOACs; (8) NOAC plasma level measurement: rare indications, precautions, and potential pitfalls; (9) How to deal with dosing errors; (10) What to do if there is a (suspected) overdose without bleeding, or a clotting test is indicating a potential risk of bleeding; (11) Management of bleeding under NOAC therapy; (12) Patients undergoing a planned invasive procedure, surgery or ablation; (13) Patients requiring an urgent surgical intervention; (14) Patients with AF and coronary artery disease; (15) Avoiding confusion with NOAC dosing across indications; (16) Cardioversion in a NOAC-treated patient; (17) AF patients presenting with acute stroke while on NOACs; (18) NOACs in special situations; (19) Anticoagulation in AF patients with a malignancy; and (20) Optimizing dose adjustments of VKA. Additional information and downloads of the text and anticoagulation cards in different languages can be found on an EHRA website (www.NOACforAF.eu).

[Severe bleeding with antiplatelet therapy: What to do?]

Antiplatelet therapy is the cornerstone of coronary artery disease treatment and prevention. Combination of aspirin and P2Y₁₂ inhibitor is recommended after acute coronary syndrome and after elective percutaneous coronary intervention. The optimal duration of dual antiplatelet therapy depends on the individual ischemic and bleeding risk of the patient. Bleeding on dual anti platelet therapy remains the most frequent complication of antiplatelet therapy even is mostly minimal or moderate. Beyond individualized evaluation of patients' bleeding risk, management of patients with severe bleeding complications is a challenging situation and requires general and specific recommendations with interruption of the dual antiplatelet therapy in the vast majority of the cases.

Anti-thrombotic therapy strategies with long-term anticoagulation after percutaneous coronary intervention - a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Long-term oral anticoagulants (OAC) increases bleeding risk after the percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with Aspirin and P2Y₁₂ inhibitors. We hypothesize that dual anti-thrombotic therapy (DATT) reduces bleeding without increased cardiovascular events.

Objectives: DATT does not increase adverse cardiovascular events compared to triple anti-thrombotic therapy (TATT).

Method: We searched MEDLINE, PUBMED, Google Scholar, Cochrane and EMBASE from inception to 6 April 2019 for randomized control trials (RCTs) comparing DATT to TATT after PCI.

Results: We identified 641 citations (411 after excluding duplicates). Four RCTs with 5,317 patients (3,039 on DATT vs 2,278 on TATT) were included. DATT arm showed significantly reduced [total bleeding, 731 vs. 784, odds ratio [OR] = 0.51, Confidence Interval [CI] = 0.39–0.67, p < 0.00001, I² = 71% (I² = 0% without WOEST study)], [TIIMI major bleeding 60 vs. 80, OR = 0.56, CI = 0.4–0.79, p = 0.0009, I² = 0%], and [TIIMI minor bleeding, 70 vs 126, OR = 0.43, CI = 0.32–0.59, p < 0.00001, I² = 0%]. There was no difference in subsequent strokes, myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis, and mortality. A trend towards decreased non-cardiac deaths with DATT was observed, 14 vs 26, OR = 0.55, CI = 0.27–1.10, p = 0.09, I² = 6%.

Conclusions: DATT is associated with significantly reduced bleeding and a trend towards reduced non-cardiac death with no difference in adverse cardiovascular outcomes.

Clinical Outcomes of Antithrombotic Strategies for Patients with Atrial Fibrillation After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Antithrombotic strategies for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remain challenging. This study aims to explore the best antithrombotic strategy for AF patients after PCI based on a network meta-analysis. This study was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42018093928). The PubMed, Cochrane, and EMBASE databases were searched to identify clinical trials concerning antithrombotic therapy for AF patients with PCI from inception to April 2018. Pairwise and network meta-analysis were conducted to compare clinical outcomes of different antithrombotic therapy. The primary endpoint was major bleeding. Fifteen studies including 16,382 patients were identified with follow-up ranging from 3 to 12 months. Non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (NOAC) plus P2Y₁₂ inhibitor ranked first with a reduced risk of major bleeding compared with vitamin K antagonist (VKA) plus dual antiplatelet therapy (OR: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.43-0.75) but with no significant difference compared with VKA plus single platelet therapy (OR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.62-1.16). Similar thrombotic events were evident among these groups. Subgroup analysis showed that VKA plus aspirin exhibited a similar risk of major bleeding compared with VKA plus clopidogrel (OR: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.73-1.23) but was associated with increased risks of ischaemic stroke (OR: 2.10, 95% CI: 1.33-3.32) and all-cause death (OR: 1.77, 95% CI: 1.15-2.74) versus VKA plus clopidogrel. In AF patients undergoing PCI, NOAC plus P2Y₁₂ inhibitor and VKA plus clopidogrel, but not VKA plus aspirin, were associated with reduced risk of major bleeding compared with the recommended VKA-based triple therapy, while thrombotic events were similar among these treatments.

Antithrombotic Therapy after Acute Coronary Syndrome or PCI in Atrial Fibrillation

BACKGROUND

Appropriate antithrombotic regimens for patients with atrial fibrillation who have an acute coronary syndrome or have undergone percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are unclear.

METHODS

In an international trial with a two-by-two factorial design, we randomly assigned patients with atrial fibrillation who had an acute coronary syndrome or had undergone PCI and were planning to take a P2Y₁₂ inhibitor to receive apixaban or a vitamin K antagonist and to receive aspirin or matching placebo for 6 months. The primary outcome was major or clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding. Secondary outcomes included death or hospitalization and a composite of ischemic events.

RESULTS

Enrollment included 4614 patients from 33 countries. There were no significant interactions between the two randomization factors on the primary or secondary outcomes. Major or clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding was noted in 10.5% of the patients receiving apixaban, as compared with 14.7% of those receiving a vitamin K antagonist (hazard ratio, 0.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.58 to 0.81; P<0.001 for both noninferiority and superiority), and in 16.1% of the patients receiving aspirin, as compared with 9.0% of those receiving placebo (hazard ratio, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.59 to 2.24; P<0.001). Patients in the apixaban group had a lower incidence of death or hospitalization than those in the vitamin K antagonist group (23.5% vs. 27.4%; hazard ratio, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.74 to 0.93; P = 0.002) and a similar incidence of ischemic events. Patients in the aspirin group had an incidence of death or hospitalization and of ischemic events that was similar to that in the placebo group.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with atrial fibrillation and a recent acute coronary syndrome or PCI treated with a P2Y₁₂ inhibitor, an antithrombotic regimen that included apixaban, without aspirin, resulted in less bleeding and fewer hospitalizations without significant differences in the incidence of ischemic events than regimens that included a vitamin K antagonist, aspirin, or both. (Funded by Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer; AUGUSTUS ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02415400.).

Antithrombotic treatment in atrial fibrillation patients undergoing PCI: Is dual therapy the winner?

Approximately 7% of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stent implantation have atrial fibrillation. The optimal antithrombotic treatment in such of patients remains one of the most challenging and difficult scenarios in Cardiology. Triple antithrombotic therapy (TAT), consisting of dual antiplatelet therapy plus an oral anticoagulant, has been used for decades in order to reduce ischemic and thromboembolic events, while significantly increasing the risk for severe bleeding. Recently, results of several clinical trials suggest that the use of dual antithrombotic therapy (DAT), consisting of single antiplatelet therapy plus an oral anticoagulant, reduces the risk of bleeding, while maintaining the same level of efficacy as compared to TAT. These data have been interpreted in a variety of ways, often giving conflicting recommendations and leaving many unanswered questions on the optimal antithrombotic treatments of patients with atrial fibrillation who undergo PCI. DAT consisting of a non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant and clopidogrel, while omitting aspirin from the immediate post discharge period, appears as an attractive, simplified strategy for most patients and supported by many experts in the field. In this review we aim to better define the role of DAT versus TAT in atrial fibrillation patients undergoing PCI and analyze remaining controversial issues and future expectations.

Antithrombotic Therapy in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation after Myocardial Infarction: Clinical Guidelines and Actual Practice

Aim. To study the frequency of oral anticoagulants (ОАС) prescription for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) after myocardial infarction (MI). Material and methods. The study includes 106 patients (60 men, 55.6%) with a previously established diagnosis of AF, who were on hospital treatment in the period 2016-2017 years in one of the university hospitals of the city and having at the time of discharge from the hospital the final diagnosis of МI. The median age was 70.0 (61.0;78.0) years. Patients with the first and only paroxysm of AF were excluded from the analysis and all further calculations were performed for 104 patients. In 64 (60.2%) of cases, AF was presented by paroxysmal form, while in 2 (1.9%) cases this paroxysm was the first and only, in 20 (18.9%) cases – persistent AF and in 20 (18.9%) – pernanent. Results. While assessing the risk of thromboembolic complications on the CHA2DS2-VASc scale, the median score for all patients was 5.0 (4.0;6.0) points. While assessing the risk of hemorrhagic complications on the HAS-BLED scale, the median score for all patients was 2.0 (2.0;3.0) points. HAS-BLED≤2 value had 71 (68.3%) patients, HAS-BLED≥3 – 33 (31.7%). Only one antiplatelet agent was prescribed to 4 (3.8%) patients. Aspirin was the only antiplatelet agent in 3 cases and clopidogrel – in one case. In 80 (76.9%) cases, patients were prescribed dual antiplatelet therapy, in 17 (16.3%) – ОАС therapy, among which 7 (6.7%) cases – a triple antithrombotic therapy (ATT), 9 (8.7%) cases – a double ATT (ОАС+ antiplatelet agent) and 1 (1.0%) case – a monotherapy. Among all cases of OAC prescription warfarin was prescribed in 11 (64.7%) cases and rivaroxaban – in 6 (35.3%). Conclusion. In real clinical practice, the prescription or refusal of ОАС occurs without taking into account the risk of thromboembolic and hemorrhagic complications according to appropriate scales.

Usefulness of Antithrombotic Therapy in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation and Acute Myocardial Infarction

To examine patterns of preadmission and discharge antithrombotic therapies in coronary artery disease (CAD) and atrial fibrillation (AF) patients admitted for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), we performed a retrospective analysis of the Acute Coronary Treatment and Intervention Outcomes Network Registry-Get With the Guidelines (ACTION Registry-GWTG), which captures consecutive AMI patients treated at participating US hospitals. We included patients with CAD, AF, and CHA₂DS₂-VASc score ≥2 admitted for AMI (07/01/2013-09/30/2016). In the 15,034 AMI patients with previous AF and CAD, median age was 75; 32% were female. Preadmission, 32% of patients were on P2Y₁₂ inhibitors, 36% were anticoagulated, 72% were on aspirin, and 5% were on triple therapy. At discharge post-AMI, 73% were prescribed P2Y₁₂ inhibitors and 41% anticoagulation. Discharge anticoagulation use did not vary directly with CHA₂DS₂-VASc score; 16% of previously anticoagulated patients had discontinued anticoagulation at discharge. In patients receiving anticoagulants at discharge, 27% used nonvitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants. Triple therapy was prescribed in 23% at discharge; 27% of these were with nonvitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants and 14% with prasugrel or ticagrelor. P2Y₁₂ inhibitors and anticoagulants without aspirin were used in 2%. In conclusion, patients with previous CAD and AF are undertreated for both recurrent ischemic events and stroke prevention. After AMI hospitalization, P2Y₁₂ inhibition was preferentially selected over oral anticoagulation.

Previous and New Onset Atrial Fibrillation and Associated Outcomes in Acute Coronary Syndromes (from the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events)

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a frequent complication of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and is associated with an increased risk of in-hospital and long-term mortality. Our objective was to determine whether patients with previous AF and those who presented with or developed AF during their ACS hospitalization (new onset) have an associated increased risk of short- and mid-term cardiovascular events, death, or a composite. We included 7,228 patients from the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events electrocardiogram core laboratory substudy, who presented with an ACS. Associated multivariable-adjusted risk of death and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) of death, re-infarction, or stroke in-hospital and at 6 months were estimated. New-onset AF and previous AF patients had higher rates of in-hospital mortality (14.9% and 10.9%, respectively) compared with patients without AF (3.8%; both p < 0.001). New-onset AF and previous AF patients had higher rates of 6-month mortality (22.3% and 21.3%, respectively) compared with patients without AF (7.0%; both p <0.001). After adjustment for clinical prognosticators, including those in the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events risk model, new-onset AF was associated with higher mortality in-hospital (OR_adj 1.87, 95% CI 1.30 to 2.70) and at 6 months (OR_adj 1.75, 95% CI 1.29 to 2.39) as well as MACE at 6 months (OR_adj 1.43, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.81) compared with patients without AF, but were at similar risk compared to those with previous AF (all p > 0.40). In conclusion, the risk of death and MACE after ACS in patients with new-onset and previous AF appears similar and significantly increased compared with patients without AF.

Triple Antithrombotic Therapy in Atrial Fibrillation Patients Undergoing PCI: a Fading Role

Triple antithrombotic therapy (TAT), consisting of aspirin, a P2Y₁₂ receptor antagonist and oral anticoagulant (OAC) medication has been considered as an 'unavoidable' strategy for a 1-12 months for atrial fibrillation (AF) patients post acute coronary syndrome or percutaneous coronary angioplasty with stenting. However, TAT has rather poorly been adopted in real life practice, mainly because of an accompanying increased bleeding potential and lack of definitive results of randomized clinical trials. Several registries, meta-analyses and small randomized trials have so far provided the base of guidelines recommendations. Furthermore, in the recently published Open-Label, Randomized, Controlled, Multicenter Study Exploring Two Treatment Strategies of Rivaroxaban and a Dose-Adjusted Oral Vitamin K Antagonist Treatment Strategy in Subjects with Atrial Fibrillation who Undergo Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PIONEER AF-PCI) trial involving 2124 patients, the primary safety endpoint of clinically significant bleeding was significantly reduced in the rivaroxaban low dose (15 mg daily) plus single P2Y₁₂ receptor antagonist arm compared to TAT, with no difference in the secondary efficacy endpoint. Despite several limitations of the PIONEER AF-PCI trial, it appears that among patients who omit aspirin, there may be equivalent ischemic protection with dual therapy and no disadvantage for additional risk of thrombotic events.

Optimum Antithrombotic Therapy in Patients Requiring Long-Term Anticoagulation and Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Management of patients on long-term anticoagulation requiring percutaneous coronary intervention is challenging. Triple therapy with oral anticoagulant and dual antiplatelet therapy is the standard of care. However, there is no strong evidence to support this strategy. There is emerging data regarding the safety and efficacy of dual therapy with oral anticoagulant and single antiplatelet therapy in these patients. In this comprehensive review we highlight available evidence regarding various antithrombotic regimens' efficacy and safety in patient with coronary artery disease undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention with long-term anticoagulation therapy requirements.

Meta-Analysis of Antithrombotic Therapy in Atrial Fibrillation After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Current clinical practice prefers oral anticoagulation (OAC) plus dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in atrial fibrillation (AF) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We conducted a meta-analysis to test the hypothesis that the superiority of OAC plus DAPT is mainly endorsed by observational studies (OSs); conversely, randomized clinical trials (RCTs) have suggested that OAC plus a single antiplatelet (SAP) agent is a safer and equally effective approach. Nine studies (4 RCTs and 5 OSs) were selected using MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CENTRAL (Inception, October 31, 2017). In analysis of RCTs, OAC plus SAP was safer in terms of major bleeding compared with OAC plus DAPT (relative risk [RR] 0.70, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.60 to 0.81, p <0.001). Conversely, analysis of OSs showed comparable risk of major bleeding among both groups (RR 0.92, 95% CI 0.65 to 1.29, p = 0.61). For major adverse cardiovascular events, RCTs restricted analysis (RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.68 to 1.27, p = 0.64) and analysis of OSs (RR 1.43, 95% CI 0.84 to 2.42, p = 0.19) showed similar outcomes between both strategies. Both regimens had a similar risk of myocardial infarction (MI) in RCTs restricted analysis (RR 1.18, 95% CI 0.89 to 1.56, p = 0.24); however, analysis of OSs showed 76% higher risk of MI with OAC plus SAP. In conclusion, in patients with AF after PCI, RCTs recommend OAC plus SAP for better safety and equal efficacy compared with OAC plus DAPT. These findings oppose the results of OSs that showed similar safety and reduced risk of MI with OAC plus DAPT.

Antithrombotic Therapy in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Where Are We Now?

OBJECTIVE

To synthesize the literature and provide guidance to practitioners regarding double therapy (DT) and triple therapy (TT) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) requiring percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

DATA SOURCES

PubMed and MEDLINE (January 2000 to February 2018) were searched using the following terms: atrial fibrillation, myocardial infarction, acute coronary syndrome, percutaneous coronary intervention, anticoagulation, dual-antiplatelet therapy, clopidogrel, aspirin, ticagrelor, prasugrel, and triple therapy.

STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION

The results included randomized and nonrandomized clinical trials and meta-analyses. Each study was reported based on study design, population, intervention, comparator, and key cardiovascular (CV) and bleeding outcomes.

DATA SYNTHESIS

A total of 15 studies were included in the review. The majority of studies evaluating DT and TT utilized clopidogrel and warfarin as components of the regimen, although there are emerging data with newer agents. Evidence purporting DT regimens to be equally effective in preventing CV events and improved safety profiles compared with TT regimens included populations with relatively low risk for recurrent CV events, and many of these studies were observational in nature. Overall, current evidence as well as American and European guidelines support the use of TT in patients with AF who require PCI for the least possible amount of time, depending on patient-specific factors involving bleeding and thrombosis.

CONCLUSIONS

In the majority of patients with AF who require PCI, TT should be used for the shortest period of time possible. DT regimens may be used in patients requiring PCI who have low risk for thrombosis and/or high bleeding risk.

Optimal antithrombotic therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation following percutaneous coronary intervention: A systemic review and meta-analysis

A challenge for antithrombotic treatment is patients who present with atrial fibrillation (AF) and acute coronary syndrome, particularly in patients who have undergone coronary percutaneous intervention with stenting (PCIS). In the present study, a total of nine observational trials published prior to July 2017 that investigated the effects of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT; aspirin + clopidogrel) and triple oral antithrombotic therapy (TOAT; DAPT + warfarin) among patients with AF concurrent to PCIS were collected from the Medline, Cochrane and Embase databases and conference proceedings of cardiology, gastroenterology and neurology meetings. A meta-analysis was performed using fixed- or random-effect models according to heterogeneity. The subgroups were also analyzed on the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE), stroke and bleeding events in the two treatment groups. Analysis of baseline characteristics indicated that there was no significant difference in the history of coexistent disease or conventional therapies between the DAPT and TOAT groups. The primary end point incidence was 2,588 patients in the DAPT group (n=13,773) and 871 patients in the TOAT group (n=5,262) following pooling of all nine trials. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of primary end points between the DAPT and TOAT groups. Odds ratio (OR)=0.96, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.73-1.27, P=0.79, with heterogeneity between trials (I2=82%, P<0.00001). Subsequently, on subgroup analysis, the results indicated no increased risk of major bleeding or ischemic stroke in the DAPT or TOAT group. However, compared with the TOAT group, there was an apparent increased risk of MACE plus ischemic stroke in the DAPT group (OR=1.62, 95% CI=1.43-1.83, P<0.00001) with heterogeneity between trials (I2=70%, P=0.01). In conclusion, the present meta-analysis suggests that TOAT (aspirin + clopidogrel + warfarin) therapy for patients with AF concurrent to PCIS significantly reduced the risk of MACE and stroke compared with DAPT (aspirin + clopidogrel) therapy. Further randomized controlled clinical trials are required to confirm the efficacy of the optimal antithrombotic therapy in patients with AF following PCIS.

Efficacy and safety of triple versus dual antithrombotic therapy in atrial fibrillation and ischemic heart disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The optimal antithrombotic regimen for patients with atrial fibrillation and ischemic heart disease remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of triple therapy (TT [an anticoagulant and 2 antiplatelet drugs]) with dual therapy (DAPT [2 antiplatelet drugs] or DT [an anticoagulant and a single antiplatelet drug]) in patients with atrial fibrillation and ischemic heart disease. We systematically searched the Cochrane Library, PubMed and Embase databases for all relevant studies up to August 2017. The overall risk estimates were calculated using the random-effects model. A total of 17 observational studies were included. Regarding the efficacy outcomes, no differences were observed between the triple therapy and the dual therapy for all-cause death, cardiovascular death, or thrombotic complications (i.e., acute coronary syndrome, stent thrombosis, thromboembolism/stroke, and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events). Regarding the safety outcomes, compared with DAPT, TT was associated with increased risks of major bleeding (a relative risk of 1.96 [1.40–2.74]), minor bleeding (1.69 [1.06–2.71]) and overall bleeding (1.80 [1.23–2.64]). Compared wtih DT, TT was associated with a greater risk of major bleeding (1.65 [1.23–2.21]), but rates of minor bleeding (0.99 [0.56–1.77]) and overall bleeding (1.14 [0.76–1.71]) were similar. Overall, TT confers an increased hazard of major bleeding with no thromboembolic protection compared with dual therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation and ischemic heart disease.

The safety and efficacy of oral anticoagulants with dual versus single antiplatelet therapy in patients after percutaneous coronary intervention: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

A growing number of patients require oral anticoagulant (OAC) after undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stent implantation due to the development of atrial fibrillation, but the optimal antithrombotic regimen remains controversial in these patients.

METHODS

We systematically searched PUBMED, EMBASE, and CENTRAL from inception until September 2016 for randomized controlled trials or cohort studies that evaluated the comparative effects of TT versus DT. Relative risks (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were pooled by a random-effects model or a fixed-effects model.

RESULTS

Twelve studies with a total of 30,823 patients were included in this analysis, including 6134 in the TT group and 24,689 in the DT group. No significant differences were found between the TT group and the DT group regarding major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) (RR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.58-1.17; I = 87.3%), stroke (RR = 1.08, 95% CI: 0.56-2.07; I = 65.5%), all-cause mortality (RR = 0.90, 95% CI: 0.54-1.51; I = 79.1%), or stent thrombosis (RR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.41-1.24; I = 12.7%), and lower rates were observed for myocardial infarction (RR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.50-0.70; I = 31.1%) and major bleeding with TT (RR = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.74-0.99; I = 24.3%). Meanwhile, we also found that compared with TT, OAC with clopidogrel treatment shows equal efficacy and safety outcomes.

CONCLUSION

In patients on OAC undergoing PCI with stent implantation, compared with DT, TT shows equal effectiveness in terms of MACE, stroke, all-cause mortality, and stent thrombosis and lower risks of myocardial infarction and major bleeding. However, similar efficacy and safety outcomes were observed between the TT group and the OAC along with clopidogrel group.

Safety and efficacy of anti-thrombotic regimens in patients with percutaneous coronary intervention requiring oral anticoagulation: A traditional and network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Previous reports have been inconsistent in generating a consensus for optimal treatment strategy for patients with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) who also require oral anticoagulation (OAC). We conducted a traditional and network meta-analysis to evaluate the safety and efficacy of anti-thrombotic regimens in this subset of patients.

METHODS

30 articles were recovered through preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) using MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Clinical Trials (CENTRAL) from inception to December 2016.

RESULTS

Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) was found to be the safest treatment modality when compared to triple therapy (TT) or combination of OAC and single antiplatelet agent (OAC+SAP) [Major bleeding: (DAPT vs OAC+SAP: odds ratio (OR), 0.53; 95% credible interval (CrI), 0.30-0.91) (DAPT vs TT: OR, 0.45; 95% CrI, 0.31-0.64)]. There were no significant differences in major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), myocardial infarction (MI), cardiovascular (CV) or total survival, stent thrombosis or target vessel revascularization (TVR) amongst the three treatment arms. TT was ranked superior for stroke reduction (SUCRA, 69%) followed by OAC+SAP and DAPT. When traditional analysis was adjusted for randomized data, OAC+SAP was equivalent to TT with regards to stroke (OR, 0.74; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.38-1.46; p=0.39) and showed significant reduction in MACE and total mortality.

CONCLUSION

DAPT was found to be the safest and equally effective regimen when compared to TT and OAC+SAP. However this strategy bears considerable risk to patients with high thromboembolic risk. This issue can be encountered by using OAC+SAP as an alternative of TT in patients with intermediate to high stroke risk and intermediate to high bleeding propensity.

Comparing the clinical outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation receiving dual antiplatelet therapy and patients receiving an addition of an anticoagulant after coronary stent implantation: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

BACKGROUND

Data regarding the clinical outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) receiving dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) and an anticoagulant in addition to DAPT (DAPT + vitamin K antagonist [VKA]) after coronary stent implantation are still controversial. Therefore, in order to solve this issue, we aim to compare the adverse clinical outcomes in AF patients receiving DAPT and DAPT + VKA after percutaneous coronary intervention and stenting (PCI-S).

METHODS

Observational studies comparing the adverse clinical outcomes such as major bleeding, major adverse cardiovascular events, stroke, myocardial infarction, all-cause mortality, and stent thrombosis (ST) in AF patients receiving DAPT + VKA therapy, and DAPT after PCI-S have been searched from Medline, EMBASE, and PubMed databases. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to express the pooled effect on discontinuous variables, and the pooled analyses were performed with RevMan 5.3.

RESULTS

Eighteen studies consisting of a total of 20,456 patients with AF (7203 patients received DAPT + VKA and 13,253 patients received DAPT after PCI-S) were included in this meta-analysis. At a mean follow-up period of 15 months, the risk of major bleeding was significantly higher in DAPT + VKA group, with OR 0.62 (95% CI 0.50-0.77, P < 0.0001). There was no significant differences in myocardial infarction and major adverse cardiovascular event between DAPT + VKA and DAPT, with OR 1.27 (95% CI 0.92-1.77, P = 0.15) and OR 1.17 (95% CI 0.99-1.39, P = 0.07), respectively. However, the ST, stroke, and all-cause mortality were significantly lower in the DAPT + VKA group, with OR 1.98 (95% CI 1.03-3.81, P = 0.04), 1.59 (95% CI 1.08-2.34, P = 0.02), and 1.41 (95% CI 1.03-1.94, P = 0.03), respectively.

CONCLUSION

At a mean follow-up period of 15 months, DAPT + VKA was associated with significantly lower risk of stroke, ST, and all-cause mortality in AF patients after PCI-S compared with DAPT group. However, the risk of major bleeding was significantly higher in the DAPT + VKA group.

Antiplatelet and Antithrombotic Therapy in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation Undergoing Coronary Stenting

Stroke prevention is the main priority in the management cascade of atrial fibrillation. Most patients require long-term oral anticoagulation (OAC) and may require percutaneous coronary intervention. Prevention of recurrent cardiac ischemia and stent thrombosis necessitate dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) for up to 12 months. Triple antithrombotic therapy with OAC plus DAPT of shortest feasible duration is warranted, followed by dual antithrombotic therapy of OAC and antiplatelet agent, and OAC alone after 12 months. Because of elevated risk of hemorrhagic complications, new-generation drug-eluting stents, lower-intensity OAC, radial access, and routine use of gastric protection with proton pump inhibitors are recommended.