B Bellmann1, J B Fiebach2, S Guttmann3, T Lin4, K G Haeusler5, R Bathe-Peters2, L Koehler2, D Steffens3, M Kasner3, V Tscholl3, P Nagel3, M Roser3, U Landmesser3, A Rillig3. 1. Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, University Hospital, Department of Cardiology, Germany. Electronic address: barbara.bellmann@charite.de. 2. Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, University Hospital, Center for Stroke Research Berlin, Germany. 3. Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, University Hospital, Department of Cardiology, Germany. 4. Heartcare Victoria, Melbourne, Australia. 5. Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, University Hospital, Center for Stroke Research Berlin, Germany; Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Neurology, Germany.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: After electrical cardioversion (eCV) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), the risk for clinically apparent cerebral thromboembolism is increased in the subsequent weeks. To date, there is little evidence on the incidence of acute brain lesions (ABL) detected with cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after eCV, in particular in patients treated with the Non-Vitamin K Antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOAC). AIMS: The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the incidence of MRI-detected ABL, as well as the neuro-cognitive function after eCV in patients with persistent AF using NOACs as compared to phenprocoumon. METHODS AND RESULTS: 50 consecutive patients with persistent AF (mean age 69.6±3.5years, 26 male) were evaluated in this prospective study. Cerebral 3Tesla MRI and neuro-cognitive assessment using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Test (MoCA) were performed in all patients within 24h before eCV and after a median follow-up duration of 14days (Q1: 13, Q3: 19days). Patients were treated with an OAC for at least 4weeks after eCV and according to the CHA2DS2-Vasc-score thereafter. Thirty-nine patients were treated with NOACs (Dabigatran 10/50 [20%], Apixaban 21/50 [42%] and Rivaroxaban 8/50 [16]) and 11/50 patients with Phenprocoumon (22%). No patient developed ABL on cerebral MRI at the 2-week follow-up. Neurological as well as cognitive function were similar before and 2weeks after eCV (NIHSS-score: p=0.35; MoCa score: p=0.21). CONCLUSION: Electrical CV in patients with persistent AF, in particular when treated with NOACs, carries a low risk for the development of MRI-detected ABL or neurocognitive decline. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: GermanClinicalTrialsRegister number: DRKS00010460.
BACKGROUND: After electrical cardioversion (eCV) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), the risk for clinically apparent cerebral thromboembolism is increased in the subsequent weeks. To date, there is little evidence on the incidence of acute brain lesions (ABL) detected with cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after eCV, in particular in patients treated with the Non-Vitamin K Antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOAC). AIMS: The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the incidence of MRI-detected ABL, as well as the neuro-cognitive function after eCV in patients with persistent AF using NOACs as compared to phenprocoumon. METHODS AND RESULTS: 50 consecutive patients with persistent AF (mean age 69.6±3.5years, 26 male) were evaluated in this prospective study. Cerebral 3Tesla MRI and neuro-cognitive assessment using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Test (MoCA) were performed in all patients within 24h before eCV and after a median follow-up duration of 14days (Q1: 13, Q3: 19days). Patients were treated with an OAC for at least 4weeks after eCV and according to the CHA2DS2-Vasc-score thereafter. Thirty-nine patients were treated with NOACs (Dabigatran 10/50 [20%], Apixaban 21/50 [42%] and Rivaroxaban 8/50 [16]) and 11/50 patients with Phenprocoumon (22%). No patient developed ABL on cerebral MRI at the 2-week follow-up. Neurological as well as cognitive function were similar before and 2weeks after eCV (NIHSS-score: p=0.35; MoCa score: p=0.21). CONCLUSION: Electrical CV in patients with persistent AF, in particular when treated with NOACs, carries a low risk for the development of MRI-detected ABL or neurocognitive decline. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: GermanClinicalTrialsRegister number: DRKS00010460.
Authors: Nikolaos Dagres; Tze-Fan Chao; Guilherme Fenelon; Luis Aguinaga; Daniel Benhayon; Emelia J Benjamin; T Jared Bunch; Lin Yee Chen; Shih-Ann Chen; Francisco Darrieux; Angelo de Paola; Laurent Fauchier; Andreas Goette; Jonathan Kalman; Lalit Kalra; Young-Hoon Kim; Deirdre A Lane; Gregory Y H Lip; Steven A Lubitz; Manlio F Márquez; Tatjana Potpara; Domingo Luis Pozzer; Jeremy N Ruskin; Irina Savelieva; Wee Siong Teo; Hung-Fat Tse; Atul Verma; Shu Zhang; Mina K Chung; William-Fernando Bautista-Vargas; Chern-En Chiang; Alejandro Cuesta; Gheorghe-Andrei Dan; David S Frankel; Yutao Guo; Robert Hatala; Young Soo Lee; Yuji Murakawa; Cara N Pellegrini; Claudio Pinho; David J Milan; Daniel P Morin; Elenir Nadalin; George Ntaios; Mukund A Prabhu; Marco Proietti; Lena Rivard; Mariana Valentino; Alena Shantsila Journal: J Arrhythm Date: 2018-03-23