Wei-Chieh Lee1, Chih-Yuan Fang1, Yung-Lung Chen1, Hsiu-Yu Fang1, Huang-Chung Chen1, Wen-Hao Liu1, Morgan Fu1, Mien-Cheng Chen2. 1. Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, Republic of China. 2. Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, Republic of China. Electronic address: chenmien@ms76.hinet.net.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: There are few reports about non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC) treatment for resolution of left atrium (LA) or left atrial appendage (LAA) thrombus. LAA thrombus is an important cause of cardiogenic cerebral thromboembolism, and the detection rate increases due to more and more patients receiving catheter ablation. However, the results from NOAC use for LA or LAA thrombus are still unknown in real-world practice. The aim of this study was to discover the resolution of LA or LAA thrombus after anticoagulant treatment in real-world practice. METHOD: From January 2013 to December 2016, a total 864 patients underwent transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), and 41 cases of LA or LAA thrombus were detected in our hospital. Among them, a total of 22 patients underwent follow-up TEE to detect the resolution of LA or LAA thrombus. RESULT: The average age of the study patients was 72.0 ± 11 years old, and 61% were male. The average CHA2DS2-VASc scores were 3.76 ± 2.01 points. A total of 22 patients underwent follow-up TEE, and 19 (86.4%) patients presented LA or LAA thrombus resolution. The average resolution duration was 258.47 ± 218.17 days. One-year all-cause mortality was 4.9%, and the incidence of ischemic stroke was 4.9%. Most physicians favored titration of the dosage of NOAC or warfarin in real-world practice. CONCLUSION: In real-world practice, most physicians favored titration of the dosage of NOAC or warfarin for LA or LAA thrombus. LA or LAA thrombus could exist if the patient received a reduced dose of NOAC. High frequency of LAA or LA thrombi could resolve, and a low incidence of ischemic stroke occurred after adjustment of oral anticoagulant treatment.
BACKGROUND: There are few reports about non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC) treatment for resolution of left atrium (LA) or left atrial appendage (LAA) thrombus. LAA thrombus is an important cause of cardiogenic cerebral thromboembolism, and the detection rate increases due to more and more patients receiving catheter ablation. However, the results from NOAC use for LA or LAA thrombus are still unknown in real-world practice. The aim of this study was to discover the resolution of LA or LAA thrombus after anticoagulant treatment in real-world practice. METHOD: From January 2013 to December 2016, a total 864 patients underwent transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), and 41 cases of LA or LAA thrombus were detected in our hospital. Among them, a total of 22 patients underwent follow-up TEE to detect the resolution of LA or LAA thrombus. RESULT: The average age of the study patients was 72.0 ± 11 years old, and 61% were male. The average CHA2DS2-VASc scores were 3.76 ± 2.01 points. A total of 22 patients underwent follow-up TEE, and 19 (86.4%) patients presented LA or LAA thrombus resolution. The average resolution duration was 258.47 ± 218.17 days. One-year all-cause mortality was 4.9%, and the incidence of ischemic stroke was 4.9%. Most physicians favored titration of the dosage of NOAC or warfarin in real-world practice. CONCLUSION: In real-world practice, most physicians favored titration of the dosage of NOAC or warfarin for LA or LAA thrombus. LA or LAA thrombus could exist if the patient received a reduced dose of NOAC. High frequency of LAA or LA thrombi could resolve, and a low incidence of ischemic stroke occurred after adjustment of oral anticoagulant treatment.