Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common sustained arrhythmia, is associated with a range of symptoms, including palpitations, cognitive impairment, systemic embolism, and increased mortality. It places a significant burden on healthcare systems worldwide. Despite decades of research, the precise mechanisms underlying AF remain elusive. Current understanding suggests that factors like stretch-induced fibrosis, epicardial adipose tissue (EAT), chronic inflammation, autonomic nervous system (ANS) imbalances, and genetic mutations all play significant roles in its development. In recent years, the advent of wearable devices has revolutionized AF diagnosis, enabling timely detection and monitoring. However, balancing early diagnosis with efficient resource utilization presents new challenges for healthcare providers. AF management primarily focuses on stroke prevention and symptom alleviation. Patients at high risk of thromboembolism require anticoagulation therapy, and emerging pipeline drugs, particularly factor XI inhibitors, hold promise for achieving effective anticoagulation with reduced bleeding risks. The scope of indications for catheter ablation in AF has expanded significantly. Pulsed field ablation, as a novel energy source, shows potential for improving success rates while ensuring safety. This review integrates existing knowledge and ongoing research on AF pathophysiology and clinical management, with emphasis on diagnostic devices, next-generation anticoagulants, drugs targeting underlying mechanisms, and interventional therapies. It offers a comprehensive mosaic of AF, providing insights into its complexities.
Humans ; Atrial Fibrillation/drug therapy* ; Stroke ; Risk Factors ; Anticoagulants/therapeutic use* ; Blood Coagulation ; Catheter Ablation ; Treatment Outcome

Humans ; Blood Coagulation Factors/therapeutic use*

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics, laboratory examination, diagnosis, treatment, and outcome of hereditary factor Ⅹ (FⅩ) deficiency. Methods: Clinical data of 11 patients with congenital FⅩ deficiency were retrospectively analyzed from July 2009 to February 2021. Results: There were 3 males and 8 females. Median age was 39 (5-55) years. The media duration of follow-up was 81.67 (1.87-142.73) months. Of the 11 patients, 10 had bleeding symptoms, 7 had ecchymosis or hemorrhage after skin bump, 7 had nosebleed, 6 had gingival hemorrhage, and 1 had muscle hematoma. Among the female patients, 6 had menorrhagia and 1 experienced bleeding after vaginal delivery. Family history of FⅩ deficiency was found in one case. Eight patients had a history of surgery, and four had postoperative bleeding. Laboratory findings were characterized by significantly prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, and decreased FⅩ activity (FⅩ∶C) . Four cases underwent gene mutation analysis and five new mutations were found. Four cases were treated with prothrombin complex concentrates (PCC) and seven cases with fresh frozen plasma (FFP) . One female patient had significantly reduced menstrual volume after PCC prophylactic therapy. One patient received FFP for prophylactic infusion with no bleeding during and after the operation. Conclusion: Most patients with congenital FⅩ deficiency had bleeding symptoms and there was no significant correlation between severity of bleeding symptoms and FⅩ∶C. Prophylaxis should be applied in patients with severe bleeding tendencies. Gene mutation test is significant for screening, diagnosis, and prognosis prediction of congenital FX deficiency.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Blood Coagulation Factors/therapeutic use* ; Blood Coagulation Tests ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Factor X Deficiency/genetics* ; Female ; Hemorrhage/drug therapy* ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Plasma ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVESTo observe the regulation of Chinese herbal medicine, Modifified Qing'e Pill (, MQEP), on the expression of adiponectin, bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2), osteoprotegerin (OPG) and other potentially relevant risk factors in patients with nontraumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH).

METHODSA total of 96 patients with nontraumatic ONFH were unequal randomly divided into treatment group (60 cases) and control group (36 cases). The treatment group were treated with MQEP while the control group were treated with simulated pills. Both groups were given caltrate D. Six months were taken as a treatment course. Patients were followed up every 2 months. The levels of plasma adiponectin, BMP2, OPG, von Willebrand factor (vWF), von Willebrand factor cleaving protease (vWF-cp), plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1), tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), C-reactive protein (CRP), blood rheology, bone mineral density (BMD) of the femoral head and Harris Hip Score were measured before and after treatment.

RESULTSAfter 6 months of treatment, compared with the control group, patients in the treatment group had signifificantly higher adiponectin and BMP2 levels (P<0.01 and P=0.013, respectively), lower vWF, PAI-1 and CRP levels (P=0.019, P<0.01 and P<0.01, respectively), and lower blood rheology parameters. BMD of the femoral neck, triangle area and Harris Hip Score in the treatment group were signifificantly higher than those in the control group. Moreover, plasma adiponectin showed a positive association with BMP2 (r=0.231, P=0.003) and a negative association with PAI-1 (r=-0.159, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONMQEP may play a protective role against nontraumatic ONFH by increasing the expression of adiponectin, regulating bone metabolism and improving the hypercoagulation state, which may provide an experimental base for its clinical effects.

Adiponectin ; metabolism ; Adult ; Blood Coagulation Factors ; metabolism ; Bone Density ; drug effects ; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Femur Head Necrosis ; blood ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male

OBJECTIVETo analyze the coagulation function and relevant factors of adults patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated with pegasparase (PEG-ASP) or L-asaraginase (L-ASP).

METHODSThe clinical features of 153 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) received L-ASP or PEG-ASP in our hospital from January 2010 to January 2015 year were analyzed retrospectively. Among 153 patients, 108 patients received L-ASP treatment and 45 patients received PEG-ASP treatment. The change of coagulation function and the incidence of complications of 2 treated groups were compared, and the influence of differenent using time of L-ASP on above mentioned factors were analyzed.

RESULTSThe age, sex, white blood cell count (WBC) at diagnosis, subtype and risk factors of disease, total effective rate and complication rates showed no significant difference in the 2 groups (P > 0.05). The total infusion of fresh frozen plasma (FFP), cryoprecipitate and fibrinogen (FIB) also showed no significant difference (P = 0.12, 0.65, 0.09). FIB levels decreased slower after treatment of PEG-ASP (9.49 vs 6.90) (P = 0.000) than that after treatment of L-ASP. When L-ASP used at interval, FIB level decreased slower than that of continuous use. However, the risk of bleeding is higher when used at interval early (P = 0.01, 0.013).

CONCLUSIONUsing PEG-ASP can better monitor the coagulation function than L-ASP. L-ASP used at interval can monitor the coagulation function easily, but its early use may cause an increased incidence of complications.

Adult ; Antineoplastic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Asparaginase ; therapeutic use ; Blood Coagulation ; drug effects ; Fibrinogen ; analysis ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Leukocyte Count ; Polyethylene Glycols ; therapeutic use ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; drug therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

Hemophilia is a serious rare disease that requires continuous management and treatment for which the medicine is costly at the annual average of 100 million KRW for an individual. The aim of this study was to investigate trends in the utilization of coagulation factor (CF) used for hemophilia treatment using the National Health Insurance database from 2010 to 2013 in Korea and compare the utilization of CF with other countries. The consumption of CF per capita (IU) in Korea was not more than other countries with similar income to Korea. However, CF usage per patient IU was higher because the prevalence rate of hemophilia in Korea was lower than in other countries while the number of serious patients was much more. Therefore, it is difficult to say that the consumption of hemophilia medicine in Korea is higher than that in other countries. The consumption and cost of hemophilia medicine in Korea is likely to increase due to the increased utilization of expensive bypassing agents and the widespread use of prophylaxis for severe hemophilia. Even during the research period, it increased slightly and other countries show a similar trend. Thus, hemophilia patient management should accompany active monitoring on the health and cost outcomes of pharmaceutical treatment in the future. This study is expected to contribute to further insight into drug policies for other countries that face similar challenges with high price pharmaceuticals.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Blood Coagulation Disorders, Inherited/*drug therapy/*economics/pathology ; Blood Coagulation Factors/*therapeutic use ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Databases, Factual ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Middle Aged ; National Health Programs/statistics & numerical data ; Republic of Korea ; Severity of Illness Index ; Young Adult

Blood Coagulation Factor Inhibitors ; antagonists & inhibitors ; blood ; Factor VIII ; administration & dosage ; antagonists & inhibitors ; immunology ; Hemophilia A ; drug therapy ; genetics ; immunology ; Humans ; Immune Tolerance ; Isoantibodies ; blood ; immunology ; Recombinant Proteins ; adverse effects ; immunology ; therapeutic use ; Risk Factors ; Time Factors

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to find an optimal range of activated clotting time (ACT) during off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery (OPCAB) yielding ischemic protection without the risk of hemorrhagic complications in patients with recent exposure to dual antiplatelet therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three hundred and five patients who received aspirin and clopidogrel within 7 days of isolated multi-vessel OPCAB were retrospectively studied. Combined hemorrhagic and ischemic outcome was defined as the occurrence of 1 of the following: significant perioperative bleeding (>30% of estimated blood volume), transfusion of packed red blood cell (pRBC) > or =2 U, or myocardial infarction (MI). This was compared in relation to the tertile distribution of the time-weighted average ACT-212-291 sec (first tertile), 292-334 sec (second tertile), 335-485 sec (third tertile). RESULTS: The amount of perioperative blood loss was 937+/-313 mL, 1014+/-340 mL, and 1076+/-383 mL, respectively (p=0.022). Significantly more patients in the third tertile developed MI (4%, 4%, and 12%, respectively, p=0.034). The incidence of significant perioperative blood loss and transfusion of pRBC > or =2 U were lower in the first tertile than those of other tertiles without statistical significance. In the multivariate analysis, the first tertile was associated with a 52% risk reduction of combined hemorrhagic and ischemic outcomes (95% confidence interval: 0.25-0.92, p=0.027). CONCLUSION: A lower degree of anticoagulation with a reduced initial heparin loading dose should be carefully considered for patients undergoing OPCAB who have recently been exposed to clopidogrel.
Age Factors ; Aged ; Anastomosis, Surgical ; Blood Loss, Surgical/prevention & control ; Blood Transfusion ; *Coronary Artery Bypass, Off-Pump ; Female ; Heparin/administration & dosage/therapeutic use ; Humans ; Intraoperative Complications ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Myocardial Infarction/etiology/prevention & control ; Perioperative Period ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors/administration & dosage/*therapeutic use ; Premedication ; Reference Values ; Retrospective Studies ; Sex Factors ; Ticlopidine/administration & dosage/*analogs & derivatives/therapeutic use ; Whole Blood Coagulation Time

Age Distribution ; Blood Coagulation Factors ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Developed Countries ; Developing Countries ; Factor VIII ; therapeutic use ; Hemarthrosis ; epidemiology ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Hemophilia A ; complications ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Intracranial Hemorrhages ; epidemiology ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Joint Diseases ; prevention & control ; Quality of Life ; Severity of Illness Index

Acquired hemophilia A (AHA) is a rare coagulopathy caused by autoantibodies to coagulation factor VIII (FVIII). Most patients with AHA have been previously healthy; however, a variety of morbidities have been associated with the condition including pregnancy. A 40-yr-old woman visited our institution with extensive hematoma on the right hip area. Her medical history revealed no personal or familial history of bleeding diathesis. Her coagulation tests showed markedly prolonged aPTT (117 sec), markedly decreased level of FVIII activity (0.4%) and high-titer FVIII inhibitor (77 BU). Collectively, she was diagnosed as having postpartum AHA and was treated with bypassing agents and corticosteroids. Her aPTT was normalized on the 174th postpartum day and FVIII inhibitor showed negative conversion on the 224th postpartum day. This is the first case of postpartum AHA with high-titer FVIII inhibitor in Korea. Timely diagnosis and management can reduce morbidity and mortality of this potentially life-threatening condition.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones/therapeutic use ; Adult ; Autoantibodies/blood ; Blood Coagulation Factors/therapeutic use ; Factor VIII/immunology ; Factor VIIa/therapeutic use ; Female ; Hematoma/diagnosis ; Hemophilia A/*diagnosis/therapy ; Humans ; Partial Thromboplastin Time ; Postpartum Period ; Pregnancy ; Recombinant Proteins/therapeutic use ; Republic of Korea