Prevalence of Left Atrial Thrombus in Anticoagulated Patients With Atrial Fibrillation. 2021

Antony Lurie, and Jia Wang, and Kyra J Hinnegan, and William F McIntyre, and Emilie P Belley-Côté, and Guy Amit, and Jeff S Healey, and Stuart J Connolly, and Jorge A Wong
Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.

The prevalence of left atrial (LA) thrombus in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial flutter (AFL) on guideline-directed anticoagulation is not well known, yet this may inform transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) use before cardioversion or catheter ablation. The purpose of this study was to quantify LA thrombus prevalence among patients with AF/AFL on guideline-directed anticoagulation and to identify high-risk subgroups. EMBASE, MEDLINE, and CENTRAL were systematically searched from inception to July 2020 for studies reporting on LA thrombus prevalence among patients with AF/AFL undergoing TEE following at least 3 weeks of continuous therapeutic oral anticoagulation with vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) or direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). Meta-analysis was performed using random effects models. Thirty-five studies describing 14,653 patients were identified. The mean-weighted LA thrombus prevalence was 2.73% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.95% to 3.80%). LA thrombus prevalence was similar for VKA- and DOAC-treated patients (2.80%; 95% CI: 1.86% to 4.21% vs. 3.12%; 95% CI: 1.92% to 5.03%; p = 0.674). Patients with nonparoxysmal AF/AFL had a 4-fold higher LA thrombus prevalence compared with paroxysmal patients (4.81%; 95% CI: 3.35% to 6.86% vs. 1.03%; 95% CI: 0.52% to 2.03%; p < 0.001). LA thrombus prevalence was higher among patients undergoing cardioversion versus ablation (5.55%; 95% CI: 3.15% to 9.58% vs. 1.65%; 95% CI: 1.07% to 2.53%; p < 0.001). Patients with CHA2DS2-VASc scores ≥3 had a higher LA thrombus prevalence compared with patients with scores ≤2 (6.31%; 95% CI: 3.72% to 10.49% vs. 1.06%; 95% CI: 0.45% to 2.49%; p < 0.001). LA thrombus prevalence is high in subgroups of anticoagulated patients with AF/AFL, who may benefit from routine pre-procedural TEE use before cardioversion or catheter ablation.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D006331 Heart Diseases Pathological conditions involving the HEART including its structural and functional abnormalities. Cardiac Disorders,Heart Disorders,Cardiac Diseases,Cardiac Disease,Cardiac Disorder,Heart Disease,Heart Disorder
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000284 Administration, Oral The giving of drugs, chemicals, or other substances by mouth. Drug Administration, Oral,Administration, Oral Drug,Oral Administration,Oral Drug Administration,Administrations, Oral,Administrations, Oral Drug,Drug Administrations, Oral,Oral Administrations,Oral Drug Administrations
D000925 Anticoagulants Agents that prevent BLOOD CLOTTING. Anticoagulant Agent,Anticoagulant Drug,Anticoagulant,Anticoagulant Agents,Anticoagulant Drugs,Anticoagulation Agents,Indirect Thrombin Inhibitors,Agent, Anticoagulant,Agents, Anticoagulant,Agents, Anticoagulation,Drug, Anticoagulant,Drugs, Anticoagulant,Inhibitors, Indirect Thrombin,Thrombin Inhibitors, Indirect
D001281 Atrial Fibrillation Abnormal cardiac rhythm that is characterized by rapid, uncoordinated firing of electrical impulses in the upper chambers of the heart (HEART ATRIA). In such case, blood cannot be effectively pumped into the lower chambers of the heart (HEART VENTRICLES). It is caused by abnormal impulse generation. Auricular Fibrillation,Familial Atrial Fibrillation,Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation,Persistent Atrial Fibrillation,Atrial Fibrillation, Familial,Atrial Fibrillation, Paroxysmal,Atrial Fibrillation, Persistent,Atrial Fibrillations,Atrial Fibrillations, Familial,Atrial Fibrillations, Paroxysmal,Atrial Fibrillations, Persistent,Auricular Fibrillations,Familial Atrial Fibrillations,Fibrillation, Atrial,Fibrillation, Auricular,Fibrillation, Familial Atrial,Fibrillation, Paroxysmal Atrial,Fibrillation, Persistent Atrial,Fibrillations, Atrial,Fibrillations, Auricular,Fibrillations, Familial Atrial,Fibrillations, Paroxysmal Atrial,Fibrillations, Persistent Atrial,Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillations,Persistent Atrial Fibrillations
D012307 Risk Factors An aspect of personal behavior or lifestyle, environmental exposure, inborn or inherited characteristic, which, based on epidemiological evidence, is known to be associated with a health-related condition considered important to prevent. Health Correlates,Risk Factor Scores,Risk Scores,Social Risk Factors,Population at Risk,Populations at Risk,Correlates, Health,Factor, Risk,Factor, Social Risk,Factors, Social Risk,Risk Factor,Risk Factor Score,Risk Factor, Social,Risk Factors, Social,Risk Score,Score, Risk,Score, Risk Factor,Social Risk Factor
D013927 Thrombosis Formation and development of a thrombus or blood clot in BLOOD VESSELS. Atherothrombosis,Thrombus,Blood Clot,Blood Clots,Thromboses
D014943 Global Health A multi- and interdisciplinary field concerned with improving health and achieving equity in health for all people. It transcends national boundaries, promotes cooperation and collaboration within and beyond health science fields, and combines population-based disease prevention with individually-based patient care. International Health Problems,World Health,International Health,Worldwide Health,Health Problem, International,Health Problems, International,Health, Global,Health, International,Health, World,Health, Worldwide,Healths, International,International Health Problem,International Healths,Problem, International Health,Problems, International Health
D015995 Prevalence The total number of cases of a given disease in a specified population at a designated time. It is differentiated from INCIDENCE, which refers to the number of new cases in the population at a given time. Period Prevalence,Point Prevalence,Period Prevalences,Point Prevalences,Prevalence, Period,Prevalence, Point,Prevalences
D017548 Echocardiography, Transesophageal Ultrasonic recording of the size, motion, and composition of the heart and surrounding tissues using a transducer placed in the esophagus. Transesophageal Echocardiography

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