Atrial fibrillation is a predictor of nonobstructive coronary artery disease in elective angiography in old age: a cross-sectional study in Poland and Russia.

BACKGROUND: Significant changes in the coronary vessels are not confirmed in a large proportion of patients undergoing cardiac catheterization. AIMS: The present study aimed to determine correlates and independent predictors of nonobstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) in older adults referred for elective coronary angiography. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 2,214 patients referred to two medical centers (in Poland and Russia) between 2014 and 2016 for elective coronary angiography due to exacerbated angina, despite undergoing optimal therapy for CAD. The median age was 72 years (IQR: 68-76), and 49.5% patients were women. RESULTS: Significant stenosis (defined as stenosis of 50% or more of the diameter of the left main coronary artery stem or stenosis of 70% or more of the diameter of the remaining major epicardial vessels) was diagnosed only in 1135 (51.3%) patients. Female sex (odds ratio [OR], 3.01; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.44-3.72; p < 0.001) and atrial fibrillation (OR, 1.87; 95% CI 1.45-2.40; p < 0.001) were the main independent predictors of nonobstructive CAD. Significantly lower ORs were observed for diabetes (OR, 0.75; 95% CI 0.59-0.95; p = 0.02), chronic kidney disease (OR, 0.76; 95% CI 0.61-0.96; p = 0.02), and anemia (OR, 0.69; 95% CI 0.50-0.95; p = 0.02) after controlling for age, chronic heart failure, BMI, and study center. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The results confirmed that nonobstructive CAD occurs in a high percentage of older patients referred for elective coronary angiography. This suggests the need to improve patient stratification for invasive diagnosis of CAD, especially for older women and patients with atrial fibrillation. Trial registration number and date of registration: NCT04537507, September 3, 2020.

Patient perceptions of anticoagulant treatment with dabigatran or a vitamin K antagonist for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation according to region and age: an exploratory analysis from the RE-SONANCE study.

BACKGROUND: The oral anticoagulant dabigatran offers an effective alternative to vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (AF), yet patient preference data are limited. The prospective observational RE-SONANCE study demonstrated that patients with AF, newly initiated on dabigatran, or switching to dabigatran from long-term VKA therapy, reported improved treatment convenience and satisfaction compared with VKA therapy. This pre-specified sub-study aimed to assess the impact of country and age on patients' perceptions of dabigatran or VKA therapy in AF. METHODS: RE-SONANCE was an observational, prospective, multi-national study (NCT02684981) that assessed treatment satisfaction and convenience in patients switching from VKAs to dabigatran (Cohort A), or newly diagnosed with AF receiving dabigatran or VKAs (Cohort B), using the PACT-Q questionnaire. Pre-specified exploratory outcomes: variation in PACT-Q2 scores by country and age (< 65, 65 to < 75, ≥ 75 years) (both cohorts); variation in PACT-Q1 responses at baseline by country and age (Cohort B). RESULTS: Patients from 12 countries (Europe/Israel) were enrolled in Cohort A (n = 4103) or B (n = 5369). In Cohort A, mean (standard deviation) PACT-Q2 score increase was highest in Romania (convenience: 29.6 [23.6]) and Hungary (satisfaction: 26.0 [21.4]) (p < 0.001). In Cohort B, mean (standard error) increase in PACT-Q2 scores between dabigatran and VKAs was highest in Romania (visit 3: 29.0 [1.3]; 24.5 [0.9], p < 0.001). Mean PACT-Q2 score increase by age (all p < 0.001) was similar across ages. PACT-Q1 responses revealed lowest expectations of treatment success in Romania and greatest concerns about payment in Estonia, Latvia, and Romania, but were similar across ages. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment satisfaction and convenience tended to favor dabigatran over VKAs. Regional differences in treatment expectations exist across Europe. TRIAL AND CLINICAL REGISTRY: Trial registration number: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02684981. Trial registration date: February 18, 2016.

Prolonged dry apnoea: effects on brain activity and physiological functions in breath-hold divers and non-divers.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of voluntary breath-holding on brain activity and physiological functions. We hypothesised that prolonged apnoea would trigger cerebral hypoxia, resulting in a decrease of brain performance; and the apnoea's effects would be more pronounced in breath-hold divers. METHODS: Trained breath-hold divers and non-divers performed maximal dry breath-holdings. Lung volume, alveolar partial pressures of O2 and CO2, attention and anxiety levels were estimated. Heart rate, blood pressure, arterial blood oxygenation, brain tissue oxygenation, EEG, and DC potential were monitored continuously during breath-holding. RESULTS: There were a few significant changes in electrical brain activity caused by prolonged apnoea. Brain tissue oxygenation index and DC potential were relatively stable up to the end of the apnoea in breath-hold divers and non-divers. We also did not observe any decrease of attention level or speed of processing immediately after breath-holding. Interestingly, trained breath-hold divers had some peculiarities in EEG activity at resting state (before any breath-holding): non-spindled, sharpened alpha rhythm; slowed-down alpha with the frequency nearer to the theta band; and untypical spatial pattern of alpha activity. CONCLUSION: Our findings contradicted the primary hypothesis. Apnoea up to 5 min does not lead to notable cerebral hypoxia or a decrease of brain performance in either breath-hold divers or non-divers. It seems to be the result of the compensatory mechanisms similar to the diving response aimed at centralising blood circulation and reducing peripheral O2 uptake. Adaptive changes during apnoea are much more prominent in trained breath-hold divers.

Factors Affecting Trough Plasma Dabigatran Concentrations in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation and Chronic Kidney Disease.

INTRODUCTION: Dabigatran is effective and widely used to prevent ischemic stroke and systemic embolism (SE) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Chronic kidney disease (CKD) also has implications for choice of any medications, as it alters pharmacokinetic parameters of drugs. AIM: To evaluate trough plasma dabigatran concentration (DTPC) and to analyse potential factors affecting these values in patients with AF and CKD. METHODS: Patients with AF and stage 3 CKD were treated with dabigatran 110 mg or 150 mg have been included in the study and allocated into D110 or D150 group. DTPC was evaluated with high-performance liquid chromatography. A plasma trough concentration/dose (C/D) ratio was used as a pharmacokinetic index. Factors affecting the DTPC were investigated. RESULTS: A total of 60 patients, aged 51-89 years, were evaluated. Compared with patients given 150 mg twice a day, those given 110 mg twice a day were older (79 vs 67.5, p < 0.0001) and had lower creatinine clearance (CrCl) (50.5 vs 60.5 mL/min/1.73 m2, p = 0.015). During the median follow up of 9.5 months there were 11 bleedings in 9 patients. The C/D ratio was higher in patients aged > 75 years (p = 0.024) and was also affected by CrCl (CrCl < 50 mL/min, p = 0.02). Individuals with CKD 3B had higher concentration of dabigatran were compared with those with 3A stage (488.7 vs 332 pg/ml: mg/day, p = 0.02). However, there was also negative correlation between C/D and CrCl (r = - 0.4, p = 0.0015). Co-prescribed medications did not influence DTPC. In addition, patients with bleeding events were additionally evaluated for C/D and no significant differences were found. CONCLUSION: Patients on dabigatran treatment showed highly variable trough plasma concentrations. C/D values were significantly higher in patients with CKD 3B stage and were influenced by elder age and comorbidities.

Patient perception of anticoagulant treatment for stroke prevention (RE-SONANCE study).

Objective: We evaluated atrial fibrillation (AF) patients' perceptions of anticoagulation treatment with dabigatran or a vitamin K antagonist (VKA) for stroke prevention, according to accepted indications. Methods: The RE-SONANCE observational, prospective, multicentre, international study used the validated Perception on Anticoagulant Treatment Questionnaire (PACT-Q) to assess patients with AF already taking a VKA who were switched to dabigatran (cohort A), and newly diagnosed patients initiated on either dabigatran or a VKA (cohort B). Visit 1 (V1) was at baseline, and visit 2 (V2) and visit 3 (V3) were at 30-45 and 150-210 days after baseline, respectively. Primary outcomes were treatment satisfaction and convenience in cohort A at V2 and V3 versus baseline, and in cohort B for dabigatran and a VKA at V2 and V3. Results: The main analysis set comprised 4100 patients in cohort A and 5365 in cohort B (dabigatran: 3179; VKA: 2186). In cohort A, PACT-Q2 improved significantly (p<0.001 for all) for treatment convenience (mean change V1 vs V2=20.72; SD=21.50; V1 vs V3=24.54; SD=22.85) and treatment satisfaction (mean change V1 vs V2=17.60; SD=18.76; V1 vs V3=21.04; SD=20.24). In cohort B, mean PACT-Q2 scores at V2 and V3 were significantly higher (p<0.001 for all) for dabigatran versus a VKA for treatment convenience (V2=18.38; SE =0.51; V3=23.34; SE=0.51) and satisfaction (V2=15.88; SE=0.39; V3=19.01; SE=0.41). Conclusions: Switching to dabigatran from long-term VKA therapy or newly initiated dabigatran is associated with improved patient treatment convenience and satisfaction compared with VKA therapy.

Impact of atrial fibrillation on the rate of mild cognitive impairment in the elderly.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in patients with cardiovascular risks is a transitional state to vascular dementia but which still has a possibility of being managed. The objectives of this study were to assess the impact of atrial fibrillation (AF) on cognitive performances in the elderly in comparison with similar cardiovascular risks. One hundred unselected patients were included in AF+ and AF- groups. Patients with prodromal Alzheimer disease as shown by semantic cueing test, and those suffering from major cognitive decline according to DSM 5 criteria were evaluated separately from those patients analysed for vascular cognitive impairment. MCI was distinguished with the help of the Montreal cognitive assessment and the mood status was studied with the geriatric depression scale. AF+ patients predominantly had paroxysmal type of AF with a mean duration of 6.3 years, with 77% of the patients being on anticoagulation. AF- patients had arterial hypertension. Prevalence of MCI was significantly higher among AF- patients, possibly due to lower rates of BP control. These study results show less impact of AF itself on cognitive performances in comparison with uncontrolled hypertension.