1.
Association Between Antithrombotic Medication Use After Bioprosthetic Aortic Valve Replacement and Outcomes in the Veterans Health Administration System.
Bravata, DM, Coffing, JM, Kansagara, D, Myers, J, Murphy, L, Homoya, BJ, Perkins, AJ, Snow, K, Quin, JA, Zhang, Y, et al
JAMA surgery. 2019;(2):e184679
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Abstract
IMPORTANCE The recommendations about antithrombotic medication use after bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement (bAVR) vary. OBJECTIVES To describe the post-bAVR antithrombotic medication practice across the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and to assess the association between antithrombotic strategies and post-bAVR outcomes. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Retrospective cohort study. Multivariable modeling with propensity scores was conducted to adjust for differences in patient characteristics across the 3 most common antithrombotic medication strategies (aspirin plus warfarin sodium, aspirin only, and dual antiplatelets). Text mining of notes was used to identify the patients with bAVR (fiscal years 2005-2015). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES This study used VHA and non-VHA outpatient pharmacy data and text notes to classify the following antithrombotic medications prescribed within 1 week after discharge from the bAVR hospitalization: aspirin plus warfarin, aspirin only, dual antiplatelets, no antithrombotics, other only, and warfarin only. The 90-day outcomes included all-cause mortality, thromboembolism risk, and bleeding events. Outcomes were identified using primary diagnosis codes from emergency department visits or hospital admissions. RESULTS The cohort included 9060 veterans with bAVR at 47 facilities (mean [SD] age, 69.3 [8.8] years; 98.6% male). The number of bAVR procedures per year increased from 610 in fiscal year 2005 to 1072 in fiscal year 2015. The most commonly prescribed antithrombotic strategy was aspirin only (4240 [46.8%]), followed by aspirin plus warfarin (1638 [18.1%]), no antithrombotics (1451 [16.0%]), dual antiplatelets (1010 [11.1%]), warfarin only (439 [4.8%]), and other only (282 [3.1%]). Facility variation in antithrombotic prescription patterns was observed. During the 90-day post-bAVR period, adverse events were uncommon, including all-cause mortality in 127 (1.4%), thromboembolism risk in 142 (1.6%), and bleeding events in 149 (1.6%). No differences in 90-day mortality or thromboembolism were identified across the 3 antithrombotic medication groups in either the unadjusted or adjusted models. Patients receiving the combination of aspirin plus warfarin had higher odds of bleeding than patients receiving aspirin only in the unadjusted analysis (odds ratio, 2.58; 95% CI, 1.71-3.89) and after full risk adjustment (adjusted odds ratio, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.17-3.14). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE These data demonstrate that bAVR procedures are increasingly being performed in VHA facilities and that aspirin only was the most commonly used antithrombotic medication strategy after bAVR. The risk-adjusted results suggest that the combination of aspirin plus warfarin does not improve either all-cause mortality or thromboembolism risk but increases the risk of bleeding events compared with aspirin only.
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A comparison of rt-PA thrombolysis guidelines between China and the USA: are changes needed?
Xu, J, Zhang, Y, Wei, H, Xu, Y, Wang, M, Cai, Z, Li, X
Neurological research. 2015;(1):57-63
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Thrombolytic treatment criteria vary significantly between China and the USA. We reviewed current intravenous (IV) thrombolytic therapy practices in China and the USA to determine the most appropriate. METHODS We conducted a systematic review of studies that used IV recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) therapy in China and the USA published between January 1950 and April 2012. RESULTS Literature search identified 17 American and 9 Chinese studies with a total of 2545 subjects. We found a significantly lower mortality rate in the US data compared with China (8% versus 13%; Chi-square = 24.412, P < 0.001). Our meta-regression analysis uncovered significant factors influencing mortality including male sex, hypertension, high cholesterol, smoking, and onset to treatment time (all P < 0.05). There were significantly more favorable outcomes in China than in the USA (61% versus 49%, Chi-square = 19.159, P < 0.001). No prior history of stroke and shorter onset to IV time were also significantly associated with a favorable outcome (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Onset to IV time is critical for reducing mortality and improving favorable outcomes. We suggest Chinese acute ischemic stroke treatment guidelines be revised to include an increase in the age limit of 80 years, removing contraindications such as a history of previous sever heart, liver, and kidney dysfunction, and placing more emphasis on physician expertise.
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Routine early versus deferred provisional tirofiban treatment in patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.
Zhang, Y, Gao, C, Liu, H, Wang, X, Yang, H, Li, M, Wang, X, Zhu, Z, Hu, D
Clinical and experimental pharmacology & physiology. 2013;(4):289-94
Abstract
The present study examined the optimal timing of tirofiban administration in moderate- or high-risk non-ST segment elevated acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Eligible patients were randomized into two groups. Tirofiban was administered routinely at ≥ 4 h before angiography (routine early group; n = 141 patients) or provisionally only for bailout after angiography (deferred provisional group; n = 145 patients). The parameters analysed were: creatine kinase MB isoenzyme (CK-MB), thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) flow, thrombotic complications during PCI, efficacy end-points (death, myocardial infarction or target vessel revascularization) at 7, 30 and 180 days and safety end-points (bleeding or thrombocytopenia). In the deferred provisional group, 48 patients (33.1%) required bailout tirofiban. Tirofiban was administered 5.8 h earlier in the routine early compared with the deferred provisional group. The routine early group showed a lower percentage increase in CK-MB (in U/L) 12-24 h after PCI compared with the deferred provisional group (0 (-4.0, 3.0) vs 0.4 (-3.0, 5.0), respectively; P = 0.045), as well as higher pre-PCI TIMI 3 (i.e. normal) flow (78.7% vs 64.8%, respectively; P = 0.042) and a lower incidence of thrombotic events (5.0% vs 33.1%, respectively; P < 0.0001). There were no significant differences in efficacy and safety end-points. In patients with moderate- or high-risk NSTE-ACS, early tirofiban combined with dual antiplatelet therapy was associated with better patency before PCI, attenuated minor myocardial damage and a lower prevalence of thrombotic complications during PCI, but had no significant benefit on the post-PCI TIMI 3 flow or short-term prognosis.