Relationship of stroke and bleeding risk profiles to efficacy and safety of dabigatran dual therapy versus warfarin triple therapy in atrial fibrillation after percutaneous coronary intervention: An ancillary analysis from the RE-DUAL PCI trial.

BACKGROUND: In the RE-DUAL PCI trial of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), dabigatran dual therapy (110 or 150 mg bid, plus clopidogrel or ticagrelor) reduced International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis bleeding events compared with warfarin triple therapy, with noninferiority in overall thromboembolic events. This analysis assessed outcomes in relation to patient bleeding and stroke risk profiles, based on the modified HAS-BLED and CHA2DS2-VASc scores. METHODS: The primary endpoint, major bleeding event (MBE) or clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding event (CRNMBE), was compared across study arms in patients categorized by modified HAS-BLED score 0-2 or ≥3. The composite endpoint of death, thromboembolic event, and unplanned revascularization rates was compared in patients categorized by CHA2DS2-VASc score 0-1, 2, or ≥3. RESULTS: Risk of MBE or CRNMBE was lower with dabigatran dual therapy (both doses) versus warfarin triple therapy, irrespective of modified HAS-BLED category (treatment-by-subgroup interaction P-value 0.584 and 0.273 for dabigatran 110 and 150 mg dual therapy, respectively, vs warfarin). Risk of the composite thromboembolic endpoint was similar across CHA2DS2-VASc categories and consistent with overall study results (interaction P-value 0.739 and 0.075 for dabigatran 110 and 150 mg dual therapy, respectively, vs warfarin). Higher HAS-BLED scores were associated with higher risks of bleeding in AF patients after PCI in a treatment-independent analysis. CONCLUSION: Dabigatran dual therapy reduced bleeding events irrespective of bleeding risk category and demonstrated similar efficacy regardless of stroke risk category when compared with warfarin triple therapy.

Efficacy of dabigatran versus warfarin in patients with acute venous thromboembolism in the presence of thrombophilia: Findings from RE-COVER®, RE-COVER™ II, and RE-MEDY™.

It is unclear whether thrombophilia causes resistance to anticoagulant therapy. Post hoc analyses of data from RE-COVER®, RE-COVER™ II, and RE-MEDY™ were performed to compare dabigatran etexilate with warfarin for the treatment and prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with thrombophilia or antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS). There were no significant differences in symptomatic VTE/VTE-related deaths between dabigatran etexilate and warfarin in patients with or without thrombophilia. All bleeding event categories were less frequent with dabigatran etexilate than with warfarin, regardless of whether patients had thrombophilia, no thrombophilia, or were not tested. However, these differences did not reach significance in every group. In patients with APS, there was no significant difference in VTE/VTE-related deaths between the two treatment arms. Rates of bleeding events tended to be lower with dabigatran etexilate than with warfarin, reaching statistical significance for any bleeding event. In conclusion, the efficacy and safety of dabigatran etexilate were not significantly affected by the presence of thrombophilia or APS. ClinicalTrials.gov RECOVER IDENTIFIER NCT00291330; RECOVER II IDENTIFIER NCT00680186; RE-MEDY IDENTIFIER NCT00329238.

Are plasma natriuretic peptide levels influenced by automatic pacemaker algorithms for ventricular pacing minimization?

BACKGROUND: Automatic atrioventricular search hysteresis (AVSH) is designed to reduce the cumulative percentage of potentially deleterious right ventricular apical pacing (VP%) in dual-chamber pacemakers. We investigated whether minimizing VP% by AVSH can, in turn, reduce ventricular wall stretching/stress, as assessed by plasma concentrations of the amino-terminal fragment of the pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). METHODS: After dual-chamber pacemaker implantation in 81 patients (age: 69 ± 11 years; males: 55.6%), the fixed atrioventricular delay of 225 ms was programmed and AVSH was turned off for 1 month. The patients were thereafter randomly assigned to standard AVSH for 1 month, followed by an enhanced AVSH for another month, or vice versa. At the 1-, 2-, and 3-month follow-ups, VP% values were retrieved from the pacemaker memory, and venous blood samples were taken for NT-proBNP measurements. RESULTS: Both standard and enhanced AVSH reduced the median VP% value from 38.5% (for the fixed atrioventricular delay) to 2.1% (P < 0.001). However, plasma NT-proBNP concentrations for the fixed atrioventricular delay (median, 253 pg/mL), standard AVSH (225 pg/mL), and enhanced AVSH (276 pg/mL) did not differ significantly on the intrapatient basis (paired Wilcoxon tests) between any pair of these modalities. CONCLUSION: Minimizing ventricular pacing by AVSH during 1 month had no influence on plasma NT-proBNP levels (i.e., ventricular wall stretching/stress) compared with a constant, moderately prolonged atrioventricular delay.

Melagatran reduces advanced atherosclerotic lesion size and may promote plaque stability in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice.

OBJECTIVE: Inflammatory mechanisms are involved in atherosclerotic plaque rupture and subsequent thrombin formation. Thrombin not only plays a central role in thrombus formation and platelet activation, but also in the induction of inflammatory processes. We assessed the hypothesis that melagatran, a direct thrombin inhibitor, attenuates plaque progression and promotes stability of advanced atherosclerotic lesions. METHODS AND RESULTS: Melagatran (500 micromol/kg/d) or control diet was administered to apolipoprotein E-deficient mice (n=54) with advanced atherosclerotic lesions. Treatment reduced lesion progression in brachiocephalic arteries (P<0.005). Morphometric analysis confirmed that thrombin inhibition promoted plaque stability and resulted in thicker fibrous caps (28.4+/-14.2 microm versus 20.8+/-12.0 microm; P<0.05), increased media thickness (29.3+/-9.6 microm versus 24.4+/-6.7 microm; P<0.05), and smaller necrotic cores (73,537+/-41,301 microm2 versus 126,819+/-51,730 microm2; P<0.0005). Electro mobility shift assays revealed reduced binding activity of nuclear factor kappaB (P<0.05) and activator protein-1 (P<0.05) in aortas of treated mice. Furthermore, immunohistochemistry demonstrated reduced staining for matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 (P<0.05). Melagatran had no significant effect on early lesion formation in C57BL/6J mice. CONCLUSIONS: The direct thrombin inhibitor melagatran reduces lesion size and may promote plaque stability in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice, possibly through reduced activation of proinflammatory transcription factors and reduced synthesis of MMP-9.

Dabigatran treatment simulation in patients undergoing maintenance haemodialysis.

Patients with atrial fibrillation requiring maintenance haemodialysis are at increased risk of ischaemic stroke and bleeds. Currently, vitamin K antagonists such as warfarin are predominantly used in these patients as limited data are available on the use of non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants, including dabigatran etexilate (dabigatran). Dabigatran is approximately 85 % renally eliminated, thus, its half-life is prolonged in renal impairment. This study simulated the doseexposure relationship of dabigatran in patients undergoing haemodialysis. Dabigatran exposure was modelled at once- and twice-daily doses of 75 mg, 110 mg and 150 mg and at variations in non-renal clearance and dialysis settings. Resultant dose exposure (area under the curve [AUC]) was compared with values simulated from typical patients in the RE-LY® trial (based on a previously characterised pharmacometric model). In this simulation, all twice-daily dosages resulted in exposures above those simulated from typical RE-LY patients (1.5- to 3.3-fold increase in AUC) and thus may not be optimal for use in haemodialysis patients. However, dabigatran doses of 75 mg or 110 mg once daily produced exposures comparable to those simulated in typical RE-LY patients (-13.3 and +4.4 %, respectively). Of patient and dialysis variables, non-renal clearance had the highest impact on exposure (≤ 30.8 % change). These data could potentially inform dose selection in patients undergoing maintenance haemodialysis and the findings warrant investigation in future clinical trials.

Treatment of acute pulmonary embolism with dabigatran versus warfarin. A pooled analysis of data from RE-COVER and RE-COVER II.

Dabigatran was non-inferior to warfarin for prevention of recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE), and dabigatran had a lower rate of bleeding compared with warfarin in two large-scale randomised trials, RE-COVER and RE-COVER II. In this study, we investigate the efficacy and safety of dabigatran versus warfarin according to the index event that qualified the patient for enrollment, either symptomatic pulmonary embolism (PE) with or without deep-vein thrombosis (DVT), or DVT alone. We then analyse the anticoagulant effect of dabigatran vs warfarin on patients enrolled with PE. The pooled dataset for the efficacy analysis consisted of 2553 and 2554 patients who were randomised to dabigatran and warfarin, respectively. Recurrent VTE/VTE-related death during the study period and additional 30-day follow-up occurred in 2.7 % of all patients on dabigatran and in 2.4 % on warfarin (hazard ratio [HR] 1.09 [95 % confidence interval 0.77, 1.54]). In patients with PE as their index event, recurrent VTE/VTE-related death occurred in 2.9 % vs 3.1 % of patients (HR 0.93 [0.53, 1.64]). There were significantly fewer major bleeding events in patients treated with dabigatran than with warfarin (HR 0.60 [0.36, 0.99]). The pattern was similar both in patients with PE and in those with DVT alone as the index event. These analyses of the pooled dataset from the RE-COVER and RE-COVER II trials indicate that dabigatran is as effective as warfarin in preventing recurrent VTE, regardless of whether patients present with symptomatic PE (with or without DVT) or with symptomatic DVT alone. Dabigatran was also associated with a lower risk of bleeding than warfarin, regardless of the index event.

The proline 12 alanine substitution in the peroxisome proliferator--activated receptor-gamma2 gene is associated with lower lipoprotein lipase activity in vivo.

Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) plays a key role in lipid metabolism by hydrolyzing triglycerides in circulating lipoproteins. Low LPL activity has been linked to coronary artery disease (CAD), but the factors influencing LPL expression are not completely understood. Peroxisome proliferator--activated receptor (PPAR)-gamma is a nuclear receptor regulating lipid and glucose metabolism, and a PPAR-responsive element is present in the LPL promoter. We determined the Pro12Ala polymorphism in the PPAR-gamma2 gene in 194 male CAD patients because this allele is associated with decreased PPAR activity and reduced LPL promoter activity in vitro. Presence of 12Ala was associated with 20% lower LPL activity in postheparin plasma (141 +/- 58 vs. 177 +/- 77 nmol.ml(-1).min(-1), P < 0.005). Remarkably, the influence of 12Ala on LPL was greater than that of the frequent polymorphisms (HindIII +9%, PvuII +/- 0%, 447stop +12%) in the LPL gene itself. To confirm these results in a different group of patients, we analyzed 100 diabetic patients in whom the 12Ala allele was also associated with lower LPL activity (12Ala: 132 +/- 88 vs. 190 +/- 129 nmol.ml(-1).min(-1), P < 0.05). Our data demonstrate that the Pro12Ala substitution in PPAR-gamma2 is associated with lower LPL activity in vivo and provides a new target for the analysis of genetic influences on LPL activity and CAD risk.

Decreased plasma lipoprotein lipase in hypoadiponectinemia: an association independent of systemic inflammation and insulin resistance.

OBJECTIVE: Adiponectin is a plasma protein expressed in adipose tissue. Hypoadiponectinemia is associated with low HDL cholesterol and high plasma triglycerides, which also characterize lipoprotein lipase (LPL) deficiency syndromes. Recently, dramatically increased LPL activity was reported in mice overexpressing adiponectin. We therefore speculated that adiponectin may directly affect LPL in humans. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We measured plasma adiponectin and postheparin LPL in 206 nondiabetic men and in a second group of 110 patients with type 2 diabetes. Parameters were correlated with markers of systemic inflammation (C-reactive protein [CRP]) and insulin resistance (homeostatis model assessment of insulin resistance [HOMA-IR]). RESULTS: Nondiabetic subjects with decreased plasma adiponectin had lower LPL activity (r=0.42, P <0.0001). This association of plasma adiponectin with LPL activity was confirmed in the second group of patients with type 2 diabetes (r=0.37, P <0.0001). Multivariate analysis revealed that adiponectin was the strongest factor influencing LPL activity, accounting for 23% of the variation in LPL activity in nondiabetic subjects and for 26% of the variation in LPL activity in type 2 diabetic patients. These associations were independent of plasma CRP and HOMA-IR. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate an association of decreased postheparin LPL activity with low plasma adiponectin that is independent of systemic inflammation and insulin resistance. Therefore, LPL may represent a link between low adiponectin levels and dyslipidemia in both nondiabetic individuals and patients with type 2 diabetes.

Design and rationale for RE-VERSE AD: A phase 3 study of idarucizumab, a specific reversal agent for dabigatran.

Idarucizumab, a Fab fragment directed against dabigatran, produced rapid and complete reversal of the anticoagulation effect of dabigatran in animals and in healthy volunteers. The Study of the REVERSal Effects of Idarucizumab in Patients on Active Dabigatran (RE-VERSE AD™) is a global phase 3 prospective cohort study aimed at investigating idarucizumab in dabigatran-treated patients who present with uncontrollable or life-threatening bleeding, and in those requiring urgent surgery or intervention. We describe the rationale for, and design of the trial (clinicaltrials.gov NCT02104947).

Activity and concentration of lipoprotein lipase in post-heparin plasma and the extent of coronary artery disease.

Numerous studies have found polymorphisms in the lipoprotein lipase (LPL) gene to be associated with the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD), implicating LPL in the development of atherothrombotic disease. It remains controversial, however, whether LPL acts in a pro- or anti-atherogenic fashion. We quantitated activity and concentration of LPL in post-heparin plasma from 194 male patients undergoing coronary angiography. HDL cholesterol was significantly associated with LPL activity quartiles (1.09+/-0.26 the highest vs. 0.96+/-0.25 mmol/l the lowest quartile, P<0.01). There was also a trend towards higher total (5.61+/-1.33 vs. 5.16+/-1.44 mmol/l, P=0.059) and LDL cholesterol (3.92+/-1.39 vs. 3.46+/-1.06 mmol/l, P=0.09) with higher LPL activity. In contrast, measures of CAD extent showed no differences between LPL quartiles (P>0.30 for prior myocardial infarction, number of diseased vessels, Gensini and extent scores). Additionally, there was no difference in LPL activity (CAD: n=158, 168+/-70 nmol/ml/min, no CAD: n=36, 180+/-89 nmol/ml/min, P=0.47) or concentration (280+/-121 ng/ml and 288+/-111 ng/ml, P=0.72) between patients with and without CAD. Our data show that, in spite of an association with lipoprotein parameters, LPL in post-heparin plasma is unrelated to the presence or the extent of CAD. Therefore, lipoprotein lipase determination in plasma does not appear to be a useful marker in the assessment of CAD risk.

Long-term administration of 3-deazaadenosine does not alter progression of advanced atherosclerotic lesions in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice.

Inflammatory mechanisms are involved in initiation and progression of atherosclerotic lesions. Previous studies demonstrated antiinflammatory and consecutive antiatherosclerotic effects of the adenosine analogue 3-Deazaadenosine (c(3) Ado) on early lesion development. The present study evaluated the effect of long-term administration of c(3) Ado in a mouse model of advanced atherosclerosis. Apolipoprotein E-deficient mice (age, 35 weeks; n = 31) with already established advanced atherosclerotic lesions were fed either a diet supplemented with c Ado or a regular chow diet for 21 weeks. Treatment resulted in a significant reduction of serum homocysteine levels. Lesion size and lesion morphology, such as frequency of intraplaque hemorrhage, size of necrotic cores, thickness of fibrous caps, and macrophage content within the plaque, were not different between the groups. Lesion calcification, expression of alpha-actin, and intercellular adhesion molecule-1, but not vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, were inhibited by treatment with c(3) Ado. We could not detect any effect on serum concentrations of interleukin-10 (IL-10) and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) or on soluble adhesion molecules intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1). Electromobility shift assays of protein extracts isolated from aortas did not demonstrate different binding activities of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and activator protein-1 (AP-1) after treatment with c Ado. Long-term treatment with the adenosine analogue 3-Deazaadenosine did not show significant effects on progression and stability of advanced atherosclerotic lesions in older apolipoprotein E-deficient mice. A potential antiatherosclerotic effect of c(3)Ado (eg, mediated through inhibition of adhesion molecules) might therefore be limited to prevention of early lesion formation and does not seem to play a relevant role in modifying advanced atherosclerotic disease.

Immunosuppressive treatment protects against angiotensin II-induced renal damage.

Angiotensin (Ang) II promotes renal infiltration by immunocompetent cells in double-transgenic rats (dTGRs) harboring both human renin and angiotensinogen genes. To elucidate disease mechanisms, we investigated whether or not dexamethasone (DEXA) immunosuppression ameliorates renal damage. Untreated dTGRs developed hypertension, renal damage, and 50% mortality at 7 weeks. DEXA reduced albuminuria, renal fibrosis, vascular reactive oxygen stress, and prevented mortality, independent of blood pressure. In dTGR kidneys, p22phox immunostaining co-localized with macrophages and partially with T cells. dTGR dendritic cells expressed major histocompatibility complex II and CD86, indicating maturation. DEXA suppressed major histocompatibility complex II+, CD86+, dendritic, and T-cell infiltration. In additional experiments, we treated dTGRs with mycophenolate mofetil to inhibit T- and B-cell proliferation. Reno-protective actions of mycophenolate mofetil and its effect on dendritic and T cells were similar to those obtained with DEXA. We next investigated whether or not Ang II directly promotes dendritic cell maturation in vitro. Ang II did not alter CD80, CD83, and MHC II expression, but increased CCR7 expression and cell migration. To explore the role of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha on dendritic cell maturation in vivo, we treated dTGRs with the soluble TNF-alpha receptor etanercept. This treatment had no effect on blood pressure, but decreased albuminuria, nuclear factor-kappaB activation, and infiltration of all immunocompetent cells. These data suggest that immunosuppression prevents dendritic cell maturation and T-cell infiltration in a nonimmune model of Ang II-induced renal damage. Ang II induces dendritic migration directly, whereas in vivo TNF-alpha is involved in dendritic cell infiltration and maturation. Thus, Ang II may initiate events leading to innate and acquired immune response.