BACKGROUND: Inflammation plays a critical role in severe cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) pathogenesis, but the benefits of anti-inflammatory therapies remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association between steroid therapy combined with anticoagulation and the prognosis of acute/subacute severe CVT patients. METHODS: A prospective cohort study enrolled patients with acute/subacute severe CVT at Xuanwu Hospital (July 2020-January 2024). Patients were allocated into steroid and non-steroid groups based on the treatment they received. Functional outcomes (modified Rankin scale [mRS]) were evaluated at admission, discharge, and 6 months after discharge. Serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) IL-6, and intracranial pressure were measured at admission and discharge in the steroid group. Fundoscopic Frisén grades were assessed at admission and 6 months after discharge. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to evaluat associations between steroid use and favorable outcomes (mRS ≤2) at the 6-month follow-up. Paired tests assessed changes in hs-CRP and other variables before and after treatment, and Spearman's correlations were used to analyze relationships between these changes and functional improvements. RESULTS: A total of 107 and 58 patients in the steroid and non-steroid groups, respectively, were included in the analysis. Compared with the non-steroid group, the steroid group had a higher likelihood of achieving an mRS score of 0-2 (93.5% vs . 82.5%, odds ratio [OR] = 2.98, P  = 0.037) at the 6-month follow-up. After adjusting for confounding factors, the result remained consistent. Pulsed steroid therapy did not increase mortality during hospitalization or follow-up, nor did it lead to severe steroid-related complications (all P  >0.05). Patients in the steroid group showed a significant reduction in serum hs-CRP, IL-6, CSF IL-6, and intracranial pressure at discharge compared to at admission, as well as a significant reduction in the fundoscopic Frisén grade at the 6-month follow-up compare to at admission (all P  <0.001). A reduction in serum inflammatory marker levels during hospitalization positively correlated with improvements in functional outcomes ( P  <0.05). CONCLUSION: Short-term steroid use may be an effective and safe adjuvant therapy for acute/subacute severe CVT when used alongside standard anticoagulant treatments, which are likely due to suppression of the inflammatory response. However, these findings require further validation in randomized controlled trials. TRAIL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT05990894.
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Anticoagulants/therapeutic use* ; C-Reactive Protein/metabolism* ; Interleukin-6/metabolism* ; Intracranial Thrombosis/drug therapy* ; Prospective Studies ; Steroids/therapeutic use* ; Venous Thrombosis/drug therapy*

OBJECTIVE: To review current status of clinical application and research progress of different anticoagulants in perioperative period of free flap transplantation. METHODS: A comprehensive review of recent relevant literature was conducted, focusing on clinical research concerning the application of anticoagulants in the perioperative period of free flap transplantation. The administration route, timing, dosage selection, effectiveness, and safety of commonly used and novel anticoagulants were summarized. RESULTS: At present, the anticoagulants mainly used in the perioperative period of free flap transplantation include drugs for venous thrombosis prophylaxis, drugs for arterial thrombosis prophylaxis, and physical/colloidal anticoagulants, etc. The administration strategies can be classified into two major categories: single-agent anticoagulation and combined anticoagulation. Single-agent anticoagulation mainly includes unfractionated heparin, low-molecular-weight heparin, aspirin, and novel anticoagulants. Combined anticoagulation is commonly a synergistic anticoagulation regimen dominated by heparin drugs, combined with aspirin, different antiplatelet drugs, and expansion agents. Studies indicate that perioperative anticoagulant administration can effectively reduce the risk of thrombosis in free flaps and improve the overall flap survival rate. However, significant differences exist in the impact of drug types, administration routes, initiation timing, and dosage intensity on efficacy and bleeding risk. A unified, standardized application protocol has not yet been established. In addition, there has been a growing number of studies on novel anticoagulant drugs. However, their superiority and optimal application strategies in the field of free flap transplantation still necessitate more high-quality evidence. CONCLUSION Perioperative anticoagulation therapy represents one of the key strategies for improving the survival rate of free flaps. However, there is still a lack of high-level evidence to establish a standard protocol. Future research should focus on the optimization of individualized anticoagulation strategies, the validation of the effectiveness of new anticoagulants, and the exploration of the advantages of different anticoagulation strategies. At the same time, attention should be paid to balancing anticoagulation and bleeding risks to promote the standardization of clinical practice and the improvement of treatment safety.
Humans ; Anticoagulants/therapeutic use* ; Free Tissue Flaps/blood supply* ; Thrombosis/prevention & control* ; Perioperative Care/methods* ; Heparin/therapeutic use* ; Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight/administration & dosage* ; Perioperative Period ; Aspirin/therapeutic use*

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of systemic thrombolysis(ST)and standard anticoagulation(SA)in the treatment of lower extremity fracture complicated with distal deep vein thrombosis(DDVT).Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 60 patients with lower extremity fracture complicated with DDVT treated from January 2021 to December 2023.When the lower limb venography indicated a calf thrombus burden score ≥3 points,a retrievable inferior vena cava filter(IVCF)was successfully placed in the healthy femoral vein before orthopedic surgery.The patients who received further anticoagulant or thrombolytic therapy after surgery were allocated into a ST group(n=30,urokinase ST and SA)and a SA group(n=30,only SA).The two groups were compared in terms of calf thrombus burden score,thrombus dissolution rate,IVCF placement time,IVCF retrieval rate,intercepted thrombi,hemoglobin level,platelet count,D-dimer level,and complications.Results There was no statistically significant difference in the calf thrombus burden score between the two groups before treatment(P=0.431).However,after treatment,the scores in both groups decreased(both P<0.001),with the ST group showing lower score than the SA group(P=0.002).The thrombus dissolution rate in the ST group was higher than that in the SA group(P<0.001).There was no statistically significant difference in the IVCF placement time between the two groups(P=0.359),and the IVCF retrieval rate was 100% in both groups.The ST group had fewer intercepted thrombi than the SA group(P=0.002).There was no statistically significant difference in hemoglobin level(P=0.238),platelet count(P=0.914),or D-dimer level(P=0.756)between the two groups before treatment.However,after treatment,both groups showed an increase in platelet count(both P<0.001)and a decrease in D-dimer level(both P<0.001).There was no statistically significant difference in the occurrence of complications between the two groups(P=0.704).Conclusions Both SA and ST demonstrate safety and efficacy in the treatment of lower extremity fractures complicated with DDVT,serving as valuable options for clinical application.Compared with SA,ST not only enhances the thrombus dissolution in the calf but also mitigates the risk of thrombosis associated with IVCF.
Humans ; Venous Thrombosis/therapy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Thrombolytic Therapy/methods* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Fractures, Bone/complications* ; Lower Extremity/injuries* ; Anticoagulants/therapeutic use* ; Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Adult

The introduction of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC) into clinical use heralds a new age for anticoagulation therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).However,anticoagulation-related bleeding is currently a major challenge in the anticoagulation process.Assessing the risk of anticoagulation-related bleeding is an important part for the management of patients with AF.Clinical risk factor scores have moderate ability to predict the risk of anticoagulation-related bleeding.To improve the anticoagulation safety of NOACs,additional clinical and biological markers and genetic polymorphisms should be considered to enhance the predictive capability for anticoagulation-related bleeding.This review summarizes the challenges in the management of anticoagulation therapy,with emphases on the bleeding risk scores,biomarkers,clinical indicators,and genetic loci currently used to guide the risk assessment of anticoagulation-related bleeding in AF patients.This review is expected to provide research insights and reference frameworks for predicting and evaluating the bleeding risk associated with NOACs.
Humans ; Atrial Fibrillation/drug therapy* ; Anticoagulants/therapeutic use* ; Hemorrhage/chemically induced* ; Risk Assessment ; Administration, Oral ; Risk Factors

Humans ; Venous Thromboembolism/prevention & control* ; Anticoagulants/therapeutic use* ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Patients ; Hospitalization ; Risk Factors

Child ; Humans ; Anticoagulants/therapeutic use*

Objective: To investigate current use of oral anticoagulant (OAC) therapy and influencing factors among coronary artery disease (CAD) patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) in China. Methods: Results of this study derived from "China Atrial Fibrillation Registry Study", the study prospectively enrolled atrial fibrillation (AF) patients from 31 hospitals, and patients with valvular AF or treated with catheter ablation were excluded. Baseline data such as age, sex and type of atrial fibrillation were collected, and drug history, history of concomitant diseases, laboratory results and echocardiography results were recorded. CHA₂DS₂-VASc score and HAS-BLED score were calculated. The patients were followed up at the 3rd and 6th months after enrollment and every 6 months thereafter. Patients were divided according to whether they had coronary artery disease and whether they took OAC. Results: 11 067 NVAF patients fulfilling guideline criteria for OAC treatment were included in this study, including 1 837 patients with CAD. 95.4% of NVAF patients with CAD had CHA₂DS₂-VASc score≥2, and 59.7% of patients had HAS-BLED≥3, which was significantly higher than NVAF patients without CAD (P<0.001). Only 34.6% of NVAF patients with CAD were treated with OAC at enrollment. The proportion of HAS-BLED≥3 in the OAC group was significantly lower than in the no-OAC group (36.7% vs. 71.8%, P<0.001). After adjustment with multivariable logistic regression analysis, thromboembolism(OR=2.48,95%CI 1.50-4.10,P<0.001), left atrial diameter≥40 mm(OR=1.89,95%CI 1.23-2.91,P=0.004), stain use (OR=1.83,95%CI 1.01-3.03, P=0.020) and β blocker use (OR=1.74,95%CI 1.13-2.68,P=0.012)were influence factors of OAC treatment. However, the influence factors of no-OAC use were female(OR=0.54,95%CI 0.34-0.86,P=0.001), HAS-BLED≥3 (OR=0.33,95%CI 0.19-0.57,P<0.001), and antiplatelet drug(OR=0.04,95%CI 0.03-0.07,P<0.001). Conclusion: The rate of OAC treatment in NVAF patients with CAD is still low and needs to be further improved. The training and assessment of medical personnel should be strengthened to improve the utilization rate of OAC in these patients.
Humans ; Female ; Male ; Atrial Fibrillation/drug therapy* ; Coronary Artery Disease/complications* ; Anticoagulants/therapeutic use* ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors/therapeutic use* ; Risk Factors ; China ; Administration, Oral ; Stroke

Humans ; Factor XI ; Thromboembolism/drug therapy* ; Anticoagulants/therapeutic use*

Objective: For patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) complicated with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), both anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapy should be applied, but the use of anticoagulation therapy is still poor in these patients in China. The purpose of this study was to explore the status and adherence of antithrombotic therapy in AF patients with ACS and the impact on 1 year clinical outcomes. Methods: Patients with AF hospitalized for ACS were retrospectively included from 6 tertiary hospitals in China between July 2015 and December 2020. According to the use of anticoagulant drugs at discharge, patients were divided into two groups: anticoagulant treatment group and non-anticoagulant treatment group. Logistic regression model was used to analyze the main factors influencing the use of anticoagulant drugs in patients with atrial fibrillation complicated with ACS. Major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) were defined as all-cause death, non-fatal myocardial infarction or coronary revascularization, and ischemic stroke and Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) 3 bleeding events were also collected at 1 year after discharge. After propensity score matching, Cox proportional hazards models and Kaplan-Meier analysis were used to evaluate the effect of anticoagulant treatment and non-anticoagulant treatment on 1-year prognosis. The patients were divided into different groups according to whether anticoagulation was performed at discharge and follow-up, and the sensitivity of the results was analyzed. Results: A total of 664 patients were enrolled, and 273 (41.1%) were treated with anticoagulant therapy, of whom 84 (30.8%) received triple antithrombotic therapy, 91 (33.3%) received double antithrombotic therapy (single antiplatelet combined with anticoagulant), and 98 (35.9%) received single anticoagulant therapy. Three hundred and ninety-one (58.9%) patients were treated with antiplatelet therapy, including 253 (64.7%) with dual antiplatelet therapy and 138 (35.3%) with single antiplatelet therapy. After 1∶1 propensity score matching between the anticoagulant group and the non-anticoagulant group, a total of 218 pairs were matched. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that history of diabetes, HAS-BLED score≥3, and percutaneous coronary intervention were predictors of the absence of anticoagulant therapy, while history of ischemic stroke and persistent atrial fibrillation were predictors of anticoagulant therapy. At 1-year follow-up, 218 patients (79.9%) in the anticoagulant group continued to receive anticoagulant therapy, and 333 patients (85.2%) in the antiplatelet group continued to receive antiplatelet therapy. At 1-year follow-up, 36 MACEs events (13.2%) occurred in the anticoagulant group, and 81 MACEs events (20.7%) in the non-anticoagulant group. HR values and confidence intervals were calculated by Cox proportional risk model. Patients in the non-anticoagulant group faced a higher risk of MACEs (HR=1.802, 95%CI 1.112-2.921, P=0.017), and the risk of bleeding events was similar between the two group (HR=0.825,95%CI 0.397-1.715, P=0.607). Conclusions: History of diabetes, HAS-BLED score≥3, and percutaneous coronary intervention are independent factors for the absence of anticoagulant therapy in patients with AF complicated with ACS. The incidence of MACEs, death and myocardial infarction is lower in the anticoagulant group, and the incidence of bleeding events is similar between the two groups. The risk of bleeding and ischemia/thrombosis should be dynamically assessed during follow-up and antithrombotic regiments should be adjusted accordingly.
Humans ; Atrial Fibrillation/drug therapy* ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors/adverse effects* ; Acute Coronary Syndrome/drug therapy* ; Fibrinolytic Agents/therapeutic use* ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Anticoagulants ; Myocardial Infarction/complications* ; Hemorrhage ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Ischemic Stroke/drug therapy* ; Stroke

Objective: To compare the safety and efficacy of different anticoagulants in patients with indications for anticoagulation after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Methods: This is a retrospective study. Patients who underwent TAVR from April 2016 to February 2022 in Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital and had indications for anticoagulation were included and divided into two groups according to the type of anticoagulants, i.e. non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC) and warfarin, and patients were followed up for 30 days. The primary endpoint was the combination of death, stroke, myocardial infarction, valve thrombosis, intracardiac thrombosis and major bleeding. The incidence of endpoints was compared between two groups, and multivariate logistic regression analysis was applied to adjust the bias of potential confounders. Results: A total of 80 patients were included. Mean age was (74.4±7.1) years, 43 (53.8%) were male. Forty-nine (61.3%) patients used NOAC, 31 used warfarin, and major indication for anticoagulants was atrial fibrillation (76/80, 95.0%). The adjusted risks of the primary endpoint (OR=0.23, 95%CI 0.06-0.94, P=0.040) of NOAC were lower than that of warfarin, mainly driven by a lower risk of major bleeding (OR=0.19, 95%CI 0.04-0.92, P=0.039). Conclusions: The short-term outcome of NOAC is better than that of warfarin in patients with indications for anticoagulation after TAVR. Randomized controlled trials of large sample size with long-term follow-up are needed to further testify this finding.
Humans ; Male ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Anticoagulants/therapeutic use* ; Warfarin/therapeutic use* ; Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement ; Retrospective Studies ; Hemorrhage ; Stroke/epidemiology* ; Atrial Fibrillation/drug therapy* ; Treatment Outcome ; Administration, Oral