Coagulation, fibrinolytic system activation and endothelial dysfunction in patients with mitral stenosis and sinus rhythm.

Anticoagulation treatment can prevent systemic embolism in patients with mitral stenosis (MS) and atrial fibrillation (AF), but this treatment is under debate if patients are in sinus rhythm. The authors aimed to determine the hemostatic changes in patients with MS and sinus rhythm. Forty-six patients (28 in sinus rhythm and 18 in AF) with mitral stenosis were enrolled in this study.

Regional left atrial coagulation and fibrinolytic activities in patients with mitral stenosis.

Systemic thromboembolism is a major complication of mitral stenosis (MS), especially in those patients having atrial fibrillation (AF). Recent evidence has suggested that regional left atrial coagulation activity may be increased in MS and may contribute to the pathophysiology of left atrial thrombus. However, the relation of left atrial coagulation activity to factors that predispose to left atrial thrombus formation is unknown.