Background: Dabigatran etexilate, a direct thrombin inhibitor and non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC), has been shown to effectively prevent thromboembolic events in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF). However, there is a paucity of data on the antithrombotic efficacy and safety of dabigatran in the resolution of left atrial appendage (LAA) thrombi in AF patients.
Objective: The primary objective of the RE-LATED AF trial is to assess whether dabigatran results in a faster complete LAA thrombus resolution as compared to vitamin K antagonist phenprocoumon. Secondary objectives are to assess the impact of dabigatran on complete LAA thrombus resolution rate within 6 weeks of treatment and change in LAA thrombus volume under treatment. Furthermore, this study aims to assess and compare safety and tolerability of dabigatran vs. phenprocoumon.
Methods: The study is designed as a prospective, randomized, open-label, controlled, explorative, blinded endpoint (PROBE) trial. Patients with AF and left atrial appendage thrombus confirmed by transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) will be randomized to receive either dabigatran (150 mg bid) or phenprocoumon (INR 2-3) for the resolution of LAA thrombus formation for at least 21 days. Thrombus resolution will be determined by TEE 3 weeks after treatment initiation and subsequently at weeks 4 and 6, if the LAA thrombus has not been resolved before. A total of 110 patients are planned to be randomized.
Conclusion: This is the first prospective, multicentre, randomized controlled clinical trial investigating safety and efficacy of a NOAC for the resolution of LAA thrombi in patients with non-valvular AF.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00392-015-0883-7 | DOI Listing |
Eur Heart J Case Rep
December 2024
Electrophysiology Department, Rede D'Or São Luiz, R. Santo Amaro, 80 - Glória, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 22211-230, Brazil.
Background: The congenital absence of the left atrial appendage (LAA) is an extremely rare anatomical anomaly, with only 23 cases documented in medical literature. The LAA plays a critical role in thrombus formation, particularly in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), thus impacting stroke prevention strategies and the management of anticoagulation.
Case Summary: We report a 48-year-old male with a 2-year history of hypertension and prior episodes of tachycardic palpitations, who presented with AF and chest pain.
Neurology
January 2025
From the Health Research Board (HRB) Stroke Clinical Trials Network Ireland (SCTNI) (Y.C., M.F., D.B., T.C., R.C., S.C., E.D., S.G., M.O.C., M.J.O.D., P.S., D.W., P.J.K., J.J.M.); Neurovascular Unit for Applied Translational and Therapeutics Research (Y.C., M.F., S.G., P.S., P.J.K., J.J.M.), Catherine McAuley Centre; School of Medicine (Y.C., M.F., T.C., S.G., P.S., P.J.K., J.J.M.), University College Dublin; Stroke Service (Y.C., M.F., S.G., P.S., J.J.M.), Department of Geriatric Medicine, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital; School of Medicine (D.B., R.C.), Trinity College Dublin; Department of Neurology (D.B.), St James Hospital; Department of Geriatric Medicine (T.C.), St Vincent's University Hospital; Stroke Service (R.C.), Department of Geriatric Medicine, Tallaght University Hospital, Dublin; Department of Neurology (S.C.), Cork University Hospital; Clinical Neurosciences (S.C.), School of Medicine, University College Cork; Stroke Service (E.D.), Department of Geriatric Medicine, James Connolly Memorial Hospital, Dublin, Ireland; Department of Clinical Neurosciences (K.K., I.I.), University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, United Kingdom; Department of Neurology & Stroke Centre (M.K., A.Z.), University Hospital Basel, Switzerland; Department of Geriatric Medicine (M.O.C.), Limerick University Hospital; College of Medicine (M.J.O.D.), Nursing and Health Sciences, University of Galway and University Hospital Galway; Department of Geriatric and Stroke Medicine (D.W.), RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences; Department of Geriatric Medicine (D.W.), and Department of Geriatric and Stroke Medicine (D.W.), Beaumont Hospital; and Stroke Service (P.J.K.), Department of Neurology, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
Background And Objectives: Despite effective secondary prevention, including oral anticoagulant (OAC) therapy, the risk of recurrent stroke (RS) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) remains substantial with an annualized risk of 3.2%-6.5% per year.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTransl Stroke Res
December 2024
Department of Interventional Radiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, No. 300, Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, 210000, People's Republic of China.
The objective of this study is to investigate the protein components of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) thrombi using four-dimensional independent data acquisition (4D-DIA) proteomics and reveal the correlations between thrombotic protein components and AIS etiology. From April to September 2023, we enrolled a total of 30 patients who underwent endovascular thrombectomy at our institute and were diagnosed in accordance with large artery atherosclerosis (LAA; n = 15) or cardioembolism (CE; n = 15). Thromboembolic material was collected for 4D-DIA proteomic detection.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Physiol
December 2024
School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common heart arrhythmia, linked to a five-fold increase in stroke risk. The left atrial appendage (LAA), prone to blood stasis, is a common thrombus formation site in AF patients. The LAA can be classified into four morphologies: broccoli, cactus, chicken wing and windsock.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFKyobu Geka
October 2024
Department of Surgery, Saiseikai Yamaguchi Hospital, Yamaguchi, Japan.
The left atrial appendage (LAA), a major source of thrombus formation, is also a common site for ectopic foci that initiate and maintain atrial fibrillation( AF). Depending on the patient's condition, various methods are available to exclude LAA, and each of these means is associated with advantages and disadvantages. We performed thoracoscopic stand-alone LAA amputation in 47 patients with AF, who were at risk of stroke with or without contraindications to anticoagulation therapy (between March 2017 and November 2022).
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