Genetic profiling of fatty acid desaturase polymorphisms identifies patients who may benefit from high-dose omega-3 fatty acids in cardiac remodeling after acute myocardial infarction-Post-hoc analysis from the OMEGA-REMODEL randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The double-blind OMEGA-REMODEL placebo-controlled randomized trial of high-dose omega-3 fatty acids (O-3FA) post-acute myocardial infarction (AMI) reported improved cardiac remodeling and attenuation of non-infarct myocardial fibrosis. Fatty acid desaturase 2 (FADS2) gene cluster encodes key enzymes in the conversion of essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids into active arachidonic (ArA) and eicosapentaenoic acids (EPA), which influence cardiovascular outcomes. METHODS AND RESULTS: We tested the hypothesis that the genotypic status of FADS2 (rs1535) modifies therapeutic response of O-3FA in post-AMI cardiac remodeling in 312 patients. Consistent with known genetic polymorphism of FADS2, patients in our cohort with the guanine-guanine (GG) genotype had the lowest FADS2 activity assessed by arachidonic acid/linoleic acid (ArA/LA) ratio, compared with patients with the adenine-adenine (AA) and adenine-guanine (AG) genotypes (GG:1.62±0.35 vs. AA: 2.01±0.36, p<0.0001; vs. AG: 1.76±0.35, p = 0.03). When randomized to 6-months of O-3FA treatment, GG patients demonstrated significant lowering of LV end-systolic volume index (LVESVi), N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), and galectin-3 levels compared to placebo (-4.4 vs. 1.2 ml/m2, -733 vs. -181 pg/mL, and -2.0 vs. 0.5 ng/mL; p = 0.006, 0.006, and 0.03, respectively). In contrast, patients with either AA or AG genotype did not demonstrate significant lowering of LVESVi, NT-proBNP, or galectin-3 levels from O-3FA treatment, compared to placebo. The odds ratios for improving LVESVi by 10% with O-3FA treatment was 7.2, 1.6, and 1.2 in patients with GG, AG, and AA genotypes, respectively. CONCLUSION: Genetic profiling using FADS2 genotype can predict the therapeutic benefits of O-3FA treatment against adverse cardiac remodeling during the convalescent phase of AMI. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION INFORMATION: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00729430.

Effect of Omega-3 Acid Ethyl Esters on Left Ventricular Remodeling After Acute Myocardial Infarction: The OMEGA-REMODEL Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil have been associated with beneficial cardiovascular effects, but their role in modifying cardiac structures and tissue characteristics in patients who have had an acute myocardial infarction while receiving current guideline-based therapy remains unknown. METHODS: In a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, participants presenting with an acute myocardial infarction were randomly assigned 1:1 to 6 months of high-dose omega-3 fatty acids (n=180) or placebo (n=178). Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging was used to assess cardiac structure and tissue characteristics at baseline and after study therapy. The primary study endpoint was change in left ventricular systolic volume index. Secondary endpoints included change in noninfarct myocardial fibrosis, left ventricular ejection fraction, and infarct size. RESULTS: By intention-to-treat analysis, patients randomly assigned to omega-3 fatty acids experienced a significant reduction of left ventricular systolic volume index (-5.8%, P=0.017), and noninfarct myocardial fibrosis (-5.6%, P=0.026) in comparison with placebo. Per-protocol analysis revealed that those patients who achieved the highest quartile increase in red blood cell omega-3 index experienced a 13% reduction in left ventricular systolic volume index in comparison with the lowest quartile. In addition, patients in the omega-3 fatty acid arm underwent significant reductions in serum biomarkers of systemic and vascular inflammation and myocardial fibrosis. There were no adverse events associated with high-dose omega-3 fatty acid therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of patients with acute myocardial infarction with high-dose omega-3 fatty acids was associated with reduction of adverse left ventricular remodeling, noninfarct myocardial fibrosis, and serum biomarkers of systemic inflammation beyond current guideline-based standard of care. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00729430.

Management of Bleeding With Non-Vitamin K Antagonist Oral Anticoagulants in the Era of Specific Reversal Agents.

Vitamin K antagonists are commonly used by clinicians to provide anticoagulation to patients who have or are at risk of having thrombotic events. In addition to familiarity with the dosing and monitoring of vitamin K antagonists, clinicians are accustomed to using vitamin K if there is a need to reverse the anticoagulant effect of vitamin K antagonists. There are now 4 new non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) that are attractive alternatives to vitamin K antagonists. Despite similar or lower rates of serious bleeding with NOACs in comparison with warfarin, there is a pressing need for strategies to manage bleeding when it does occur with NOACs and to reverse the pharmacological effect of these agents if needed. Important steps in minimizing bleeding risks with NOACs include dose adjustment of the agents in the setting of renal dysfunction and avoidance of the concomitant use of other antithrombotic agents if feasible. Laboratory measurement of the anticoagulant effect of NOACs is best accomplished with specialized assays, although some of the more widely available coagulation tests can provide information that is potentially useful to clinicians. Nonspecific hemostatic agents such as prothrombin complex concentrates and recombinant factor VIIa can be used to reverse the effect of NOACs. More specific reversing agents include the approved humanized monoclonal antibody fragment idarucizumab for reversing the effects of dabigatran, the investigational factor Xa decoy andexanet alfa, and the synthetic small molecule ciraparantag. Both andexanet and ciraparantag have been reported to reverse the effects of the anti-Xa NOACs (rivaroxaban, apixaban, and edoxaban), and a number of other anticoagulant agents in common clinical use, as well.

Precision medicine in cardiology.

The cardiovascular research and clinical communities are ideally positioned to address the epidemic of noncommunicable causes of death, as well as advance our understanding of human health and disease, through the development and implementation of precision medicine. New tools will be needed for describing the cardiovascular health status of individuals and populations, including 'omic' data, exposome and social determinants of health, the microbiome, behaviours and motivations, patient-generated data, and the array of data in electronic medical records. Cardiovascular specialists can build on their experience and use precision medicine to facilitate discovery science and improve the efficiency of clinical research, with the goal of providing more precise information to improve the health of individuals and populations. Overcoming the barriers to implementing precision medicine will require addressing a range of technical and sociopolitical issues. Health care under precision medicine will become a more integrated, dynamic system, in which patients are no longer a passive entity on whom measurements are made, but instead are central stakeholders who contribute data and participate actively in shared decision-making. Many traditionally defined diseases have common mechanisms; therefore, elimination of a siloed approach to medicine will ultimately pave the path to the creation of a universal precision medicine environment.

Concomitant Use of Single Antiplatelet Therapy With Edoxaban or Warfarin in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: Analysis From the ENGAGE AF-TIMI48 Trial.

BACKGROUND: We studied the concomitant use of single antiplatelet therapy (SAPT) on the efficacy and safety of the anti-Xa agent edoxaban in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). METHODS AND RESULTS: ENGAGE AF-TIMI 48 was a randomized trial that compared 2 dose regimens of edoxaban with warfarin. We studied both the approved high-dose edoxaban regimen (HDER; 60 mg daily reduced by one half in patients with anticipated increased drug exposure), as well as a lower-dose edoxaban regimen (LDER; 30 mg daily, also reduced by one half in patients with anticipated increased drug regimen). SAPT (aspirin in 92.5%) was administered at the discretion of the treating physician. Cox proportional hazard regressions stratified by SAPT at 3 months with treatment as a covariate were performed. The 4912 patients who received SAPT were more frequently male, with histories of coronary artery disease and diabetes, and had higher CHADS2Vasc and HAS BLED scores than did the 14 977 patients not receiving SAPT. When compared to patients not receiving SAPT, those receiving SAPT had a higher incidence of major bleeding; (adjusted hazard ratio [HRadj]=1.46; 95% CI, 1.27-1.67, P<0.001). SAPT did not alter the relative efficacy of edoxaban compared to warfarin in preventing stroke or systemic embolic events (SEEs): edoxaban versus warfarin without SAPT, hazard ratio (HRadj for HDER)=0.94; (95% CI: 0.77-1.15) with SAPT, HRadj=0.70 (95% CI: 0.50-0.98), P interaction (Pint)=0.14. (HRadj for LDER versus warfarin without SAPT=1.19 (95% CI 0.99-1.43) With SAPT, 1.03 (95% CI, 0.76-1.39) Pint=0.42. Major bleeding was lower with edoxaban than warfarin both without SAPT, HRadj for HDER=0.80 (95% CI, 0.68-0.95), and with SAPT, HRadj=0.82 (95% CI, 0.65-1.03; Pint=0.91). For LDER without SAPT (HRadj=0.56 [95% CI 0.46-0.67]) and with SAPT (HRadj=0.51 [95% CI 0.39-0.66]). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with AF who were selected by their physicians to receive SAPT in addition to an anticoagulant had a similar risk of stroke/SEE and higher rates of bleeding than those not receiving SAPT. Edoxaban exhibited similar relative efficacy and reduced bleeding compared to warfarin, with or without concomitant SAPT. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/. Unique identifier: NCT00781391.

Transition of patients from blinded study drug to open-label anticoagulation: the ENGAGE AF-TIMI 48 trial.

BACKGROUND: At the end of 2 previous trials, an excess of stroke and bleeding was observed in patients with AF randomized to a new oral anticoagulant (NOAC) who transitioned to a vitamin K antagonist (VKA). OBJECTIVES: The ENGAGE AF-TIMI 48 (Effective Anticoagulation with Factor Xa Next Generation in Atrial Fibrillation-Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction 48) trial compared once-daily edoxaban to warfarin for stroke prevention in patients with AF. An end-of-trial transition plan was developed to minimize the risks of stroke due to inadequate anticoagulation and bleeding from excessive anticoagulation during this critical period. METHODS: All patients on the blinded study drug at the trial's conclusion were included in this analysis. In pre-specified analyses, stroke, bleeding, and death that occurred through 30 days after the end-of-trial visit were stratified by randomized treatment allocation and open-label anticoagulant selected post-trial. RESULTS: Of the 13,642 patients taking the blinded study drug at the end of the trial, 9,304 (68.2%) were transitioned to open-label VKA and 4,258 patients (31.2%) to an NOAC. There were 21 strokes evenly distributed across the 3 randomized treatment arms: warfarin 7 (1.90%/year), edoxaban high dose 7 (1.89%/year), edoxaban low dose 7 (1.85%/year). Major bleeding was also similar across the 3 treatment arms: warfarin 11 (2.98%/year), edoxaban high dose 10 (2.69%/year), edoxaban low dose 18 (4.76%/year). In patients transitioned to VKA, 85% of patients had at least 1 INR ≥ 2 by day 14 after the transition and 99% by day 30. CONCLUSIONS: The ENGAGE AF-TIMI 48 transition plan protected patients from an excess of thrombotic and bleeding events and should be helpful in clinical practice when patients are transitioned between oral anticoagulants. (Global Study to Assess the Safety and Effectiveness of Edoxaban [DU-176b] vs Standard Practice of Dosing With Warfarin in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation [EngageAFTIMI48]; NCT00781391).

Cerebrovascular events in 21 105 patients with atrial fibrillation randomized to edoxaban versus warfarin: Effective Anticoagulation with Factor Xa Next Generation in Atrial Fibrillation-Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction 48.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The once-daily oral factor Xa inhibitor, edoxaban, is as effective as warfarin in preventing stroke and systemic embolism while decreasing bleeding in a phase III trial of patients with atrial fibrillation at moderate-high stroke risk. Limited data regarding cerebrovascular events with edoxaban were reported previously. METHODS: We analyzed the subtypes of cerebrovascular events in 21 105 patients participating in Effective Anticoagulation with Factor Xa Next Generation in Atrial Fibrillation-Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction 48 (ENGAGE AF-TIMI 48) comparing outcomes among patients randomized to warfarin versus 2 edoxaban regimens (high dose, low dose). The primary end point for this prespecified analysis of cerebrovascular events was all stroke (ischemic plus hemorrhagic), defined as an abrupt onset of focal neurological deficit because of infarction or bleeding with symptoms lasting ≥24 hours or fatal in <24 hours. Independent stroke neurologists unaware of treatment adjudicated all cerebrovascular events. RESULTS: Patients randomized to high-dose edoxaban had fewer strokes on-treatment (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% confidence interval, 0.65-0.98) than warfarin (median time-in-therapeutic range, 68.4%); patients in the low-dose edoxaban group had similar rates (hazard ratio, 1.10 versus warfarin; 95% confidence interval, 0.91-1.32). Rates of ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack were similar with high-dose edoxaban (1.76% per year) and warfarin (1.73% per year; P=0.81), but more frequent with low-dose edoxaban (2.48% per year; P<0.001). Both edoxaban regimens significantly reduced hemorrhagic stroke and other subtypes of intracranial bleeds. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with atrial fibrillation, once-daily edoxaban was as effective as warfarin in preventing all strokes, with significant reductions in various subtypes of intracranial bleeding. Ischemic cerebrovascular event rates were similar with high-dose edoxaban and warfarin, whereas low-dose edoxaban was less effective than warfarin. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00781391.

Edoxaban versus warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Edoxaban is a direct oral factor Xa inhibitor with proven antithrombotic effects. The long-term efficacy and safety of edoxaban as compared with warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation is not known. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, double-dummy trial comparing two once-daily regimens of edoxaban with warfarin in 21,105 patients with moderate-to-high-risk atrial fibrillation (median follow-up, 2.8 years). The primary efficacy end point was stroke or systemic embolism. Each edoxaban regimen was tested for noninferiority to warfarin during the treatment period. The principal safety end point was major bleeding. RESULTS: The annualized rate of the primary end point during treatment was 1.50% with warfarin (median time in the therapeutic range, 68.4%), as compared with 1.18% with high-dose edoxaban (hazard ratio, 0.79; 97.5% confidence interval [CI], 0.63 to 0.99; P<0.001 for noninferiority) and 1.61% with low-dose edoxaban (hazard ratio, 1.07; 97.5% CI, 0.87 to 1.31; P=0.005 for noninferiority). In the intention-to-treat analysis, there was a trend favoring high-dose edoxaban versus warfarin (hazard ratio, 0.87; 97.5% CI, 0.73 to 1.04; P=0.08) and an unfavorable trend with low-dose edoxaban versus warfarin (hazard ratio, 1.13; 97.5% CI, 0.96 to 1.34; P=0.10). The annualized rate of major bleeding was 3.43% with warfarin versus 2.75% with high-dose edoxaban (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.71 to 0.91; P<0.001) and 1.61% with low-dose edoxaban (hazard ratio, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.41 to 0.55; P<0.001). The corresponding annualized rates of death from cardiovascular causes were 3.17% versus 2.74% (hazard ratio, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.77 to 0.97; P=0.01), and 2.71% (hazard ratio, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.76 to 0.96; P=0.008), and the corresponding rates of the key secondary end point (a composite of stroke, systemic embolism, or death from cardiovascular causes) were 4.43% versus 3.85% (hazard ratio, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.78 to 0.96; P=0.005), and 4.23% (hazard ratio, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.86 to 1.05; P=0.32). CONCLUSIONS: Both once-daily regimens of edoxaban were noninferior to warfarin with respect to the prevention of stroke or systemic embolism and were associated with significantly lower rates of bleeding and death from cardiovascular causes. (Funded by Daiichi Sankyo Pharma Development; ENGAGE AF-TIMI 48 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00781391.).

Systems of care for ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction: a report From the American Heart Association's Mission: Lifeline.

BACKGROUND: National guidelines call for participation in systems to rapidly diagnose and treat ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). In order to characterize currently implemented STEMI reperfusion systems and identify practices common to system organization, the American Heart Association surveyed existing systems throughout the United States. METHODS AND RESULTS: A STEMI system was defined as an integrated group of separate entities focused on reperfusion therapy for STEMI within a geographic region that included at least 1 hospital that performs percutaneous coronary intervention and at least 1 emergency medical service agency. Systems meeting this definition were invited to participate in a survey of 42 questions based on expert panel opinion and knowledge of existing systems. Data were collected through the American Heart Association Mission: Lifeline website. Between April 2008 and January 2010, 381 unique systems involving 899 percutaneous coronary intervention hospitals in 47 states responded to the survey, of which 255 systems (67%) involved urban regions. The predominant funding sources for STEMI systems were percutaneous coronary intervention hospitals (n = 320, 84%) and /or cardiology practices (n = 88, 23%). Predominant system characteristics identified by the survey included: STEMI patient acceptance at percutaneous coronary intervention hospital regardless of bed availability (N = 346, 97%); single phone call activation of catheterization laboratory (N = 335, 92%); emergency department physician activation of laboratory without cardiology consultation (N = 318, 87%); data registry participation (N = 311, 84%); and prehospital activation of the laboratory through emergency department notification without cardiology notification (N = 297, 78%). The most common barriers to system implementation were hospital (n = 139, 37%) and cardiology group competition (n = 81, 21%) and emergency medical services transport and finances (n = 99, 26%). CONCLUSIONS: This survey broadly describes the organizational characteristics of collaborative efforts by hospitals and emergency medical services to provide timely reperfusion in the United States. These findings serve as a benchmark for existing systems and should help guide healthcare teams in the process of organizing care for patients with STEMI.

Intrinsic platelet reactivity before P2Y12 blockade contributes to residual platelet reactivity despite high-level P2Y12 blockade by prasugrel or high-dose clopidogrel. Results from PRINCIPLE-TIMI 44.

It was the objective of this study to determine whether the intrinsic platelet response to adenosine diphosphate (ADP) before thienopyridine exposure contributes to residual platelet reactivity to ADP despite high level P2Y12 blockade by prasugrel (60 mg loading dose [LD]), 10 mg daily maintenance dose [MD]) or high-dose clopidogrel (600 mg LD, 150 mg daily MD). High residual platelet function during clopidogrel therapy is associated with poor clinical outcomes. It remains unknown whether the relationship between platelet reactivity prior to treatment with clopidogrel (300 mg LD, 75 mg daily MD) and residual on-treatment platelet reactivity is maintained after more potent P2Y12 inhibition. PRINCIPLE-TIMI 44 was a randomised, double-blind, two-phase crossover study of prasugrel compared with high-dose clopidogrel in 201 patients undergoing cardiac catheterisation for planned percutaneous coronary intervention. ADP-stimulated platelet-monocyte aggregates, platelet surface P-selectin and platelet aggregation were measured pre-treatment, during LD (6 h and 18-24 h) and MD (15 d). Correlations of pre-treatment to on-treatment values were determined by Spearman rank order. Prasugrel resulted in greater platelet inhibition than high-dose clopidogrel for each measure. However, for both drugs, pre-treatment reactivity to ADP predicted 6 h, 18-24 h and 15 day reactivity to ADP (correlations 0.24-0.62 for platelet-monocyte aggregates and P-selectin). In conclusion, a patient's intrinsic platelet response to ADP before exposure to thienopyridines contributes to residual platelet reactivity to ADP despite high level P2Y12 blockade with high-dose clopidogrel or even higher level P2Y12 blockade with prasugrel. Patients who are hyper-responsive to ADP pre-treatment are more likely to be hyper-responsive to ADP on-treatment, which may be relevant to therapeutic strategies.

Combining enoxaparin and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antagonists for the treatment of acute coronary syndromes: final results of the National Investigators Collaborating on Enoxaparin-3 (NICE-3) study.

BACKGROUND: In high-risk patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS), there have been concerns relating to the safety of using low molecular weight heparins (LMWH) in combination with a glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa antagonist, and the continued use of LMWH in patients brought to the cardiac catheterization laboratory for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS: The National Investigators Collaborating on Enoxaparin-3 (NICE-3) study was an open-label observational study of enoxaparin in combination with any 1 of 3 available GP IIb/IIIa antagonists in patients presenting with non-ST-elevation ACS. The primary end point was the incidence of major bleeding not related to coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Data were also recorded on the incidence of death, myocardial infarction (MI), and urgent revascularization for repeat ischemia. RESULTS: A total of 671 patients with validated data were treated with enoxaparin; 628 of these patients also received a GP IIb/IIIa antagonist (tirofiban, n = 229; eptifibatide, n = 272; abciximab, n = 127); 283 of 628 underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The 30-day incidence of non-CABG major bleeding was 1.9%, and was not significantly higher than a prespecified historical control rate of 2.0%. Outcome events included death (1.0% at hospital discharge and 1.6% at 30 days), MI (3.5% and 5.1%, respectively), and urgent revascularization (2.7% and 6.8%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The safety of enoxaparin plus a GP IIb/IIIa antagonist was comparable to that of unfractionated heparin plus a GP IIb/IIIa antagonist, as reported in other recent major trials. Patients undergoing PCI can be safely managed with enoxaparin and a GP IIb/IIIa antagonist, without supplemental use of unfractionated heparin.