Almakadma, Abdul H.

ImportancePatients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who have ischemic stroke despite taking oral anticoagulation therapy (OAT) have a very high risk of recurrence. Left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) is a mechanical stroke prevention strategy that may provide additional protection in patients with thromboembolic events under OAT.ObjectiveTo compare percutaneous LAAO with continuing OAT alone regarding stroke prevention in patients with AF who had a thromboembolic event despite taking OAT.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis cohort study was a propensity score–matched comparison of the STR-OAC LAAO cohort, an international collaboration of 21 sites combining patients from multiple prospective registries of patients who underwent LAAO between 2010 and 2022. STR-OAC LAAO cohort patients who had follow-up longer than 3 months were propensity score–matched to a previously published control cohort comprising patients from an established international collaboration of investigator-initiated prospective studies. This control cohort included patients with nonvalvular AF, recent ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack, and follow-up longer than 3 months who were taking OAT before the index event. Analyses were adjusted for imbalances in gender, age, hypertension, diabetes, and CHA2 DS2-VASc score.ExposureLeft atrial appendage occlusion vs continuation of oral anticoagulation therapy alone (control group).Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe primary outcome was time to first ischemic stroke.ResultsFour hundred thirty-three patients from the STR-OAC LAAO cohort (mean [SD] age, 72 [9] years; 171 [39%] females and 262 [61%] males; mean [SD] CHA2 DS2-VASc score, 5.0 [1.6]) were matched to 433 of 1140 patients (38%) from the control group. During 2-year follow-up, 50 patients experienced ischemic stroke: an annualized event rate of 2.8% per patient-year in the STR-OAC LAAO group vs 8.9% per patient-year in the control group. Left atrial appendage occlusion was associated with a lower risk of ischemic stroke (hazard ratio, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.19-0.58; P < .001) compared with the control group. After LAAO, OAT was discontinued in 290 patients (67%), and the remaining 143 patients (33%) continued OAT after LAAO as an adjunctive therapy.Conclusions and RelevanceIn patients with nonvalvular AF and a prior thromboembolic event despite taking OAT, LAAO was associated with a lower risk of ischemic stroke compared with continued OAT alone. Randomized clinical trial data are needed to confirm that LAAO may be a promising treatment option for this population with a very high risk of stroke.

Abstract Background Pulmonary vein stenosis (PVS), which is often unrecognized, may arise from a variety of conditions resulting in major morbidity and mortality. In some patients, pharmacological therapy may help but more often in advance stages, mechanical treatment must be considered. Transcatheter approaches, both balloon angioplasty (BA) and stent implantation have been applied. While both may be effective, they continue to be limited by restenosis. Herein, we compare the outcomes following BA and stenting for PVS. Purpose PVS presents a challenge for both diagnosis and therapy, with BA and stenting being primarily limited by restenosis. Stenting is performed in most cases and is associated with improved patency rates. Historical comparisons of BA and stenting for PVS have yielded similar results. Our analysis incorporates more conventional studies (2010–2021) and provides a larger stent (N=361) versus BA (N=229) contemporary analysis of the current state of PV intervention practice. Methods From January 1, 2010 to August 2, 2021, studies, limited to English language and humans, were assessed in Ovid MEDLINE®, Ovid Embase, Ovid Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Ovid Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Scopus. Two independent reviewers screened articles including those in which balloon angioplasty or stenting was performed for pulmonary vein stenosis with reporting of restenosis outcomes and data was independently extracted. Systematic review was performed, and overall restenosis rates were reported across all included studies. Meta-analysis was then performed using RevMan 5.4 assessing rates of restenosis and restenosis requiring repeat intervention. Results Our systematic review yielded 34 studies reporting on BA and/or stenting for PVS. Of these, 7 studies (1–7), treating a total of 343 patients with 590 PV interventions (229 BA and 361 Stents) reported restenosis rates with mean follow-up ranging from 10 to 60 months. Stenting was associated with a lower risk of restenosis compared to balloon angioplasty [risk ratio 0.35, 95% CI (0.18, 0.64), p=0.0008] (Figure 1). Restenosis requiring repeat intervention was reported in 5 studies, including 303 patients with 502 PV interventions (160 BA and 342 Stents) with stenting similarly associated with a lower risk of restenosis requiring re-intervention [risk ratio 0.34, 95% CI (0.16, 0.72), p=0.005]. Conclusion Stenting for pulmonary vein stenosis is associated with reduced risk of restenosis and re-intervention as compared to balloon angioplasty. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.