Background: and Purpose Although gastrointestinal (GI) surgery can affect drug efficacy, its impact on oral anticoagulants (OACs) remains unclear. This study investigated the impact of GI surgery on the comparative effectiveness and safety of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) versus warfarin in atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods: Using a nationwide South Korean claims database, AF patients prescribed OACs between 2015 and 2021 were analyzed. The primary outcome was ischemic stroke, and secondary outcomes were major bleeding, all-cause death, and composite outcome (ischemic stroke, major bleeding, all-cause death). Outcomes were compared by OAC type (DOAC vs. warfarin) and GI surgery status using inverse probability of treatment weighting and a Fine–Gray subdistribution hazard model with time-varying covariates. Results: Among 388,214 AF patients (mean age, 71.9 yr; 42.7% male), 6,907 (1.8%) underwent GI surgery. The effect of GI surgery differed between warfarin and DOACs for ischemic stroke (Pint= 0.018), with increased risk for warfarin (adjusted HR [aHR]: 2.32; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.17–4.62), but not for DOACs (aHR: 0.97 [95% CI 0.77–1.22]) after surgery. Effects of surgery on major bleeding, all-cause death, and composite outcome did not differ. In post–GI surgery setting, DOACs demonstrated lower ischemic stroke risk (aHR: 0.35 [95% CI 0.17–0.72]) and comparable risks for other outcomes. Exploratory analyses by surgery location suggested a more favorable profile of DOACs after upper GI surgery. Conclusions In AF patients, GI surgery significantly increased ischemic stroke risk among warfarin users, but not among DOAC users. DOACs showed generally favorable profiles after GI surgery and may remain a reasonable anticoagulant, with potentially more favorable profile after upper GI surgery.

BACKGROUND: AND PURPOSE: Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) is reported to be associated with stroke independently of the conventional risk factors. However, the underlying mechanism remains to be identified. This study focused on atrial fibrillation (AF), which also reportedly has a close association with GGT. METHODS: Acute ischemic stroke patients who were admitted to the Seoul National University Hospital within 7 days of stroke onset were analyzed. Multinomial logistic regression was performed to assess the relationship between GGT and cardioembolic stroke. Mediation analysis based on binary logistic regression was used to determine whether AF mediates the relationship between GGT and cardioembolic stroke. RESULTS: AF was found in 132 (15.0%) of 880 eligible patients with acute ischemic stroke, and 270 (30.7%) patients were categorized as cardioembolic stroke. High GGT levels in acute ischemic stroke patients was associated with cardioembolic stroke [odds ratio (OR)=3.42, 95% CI=1.59–7.37], but not with large-artery atherosclerosis stroke (OR=1.10, 95% CI=0.54–2.23). Approximately half (53.9%) of the total effect of GGT levels on cardioembolic stroke was mediated by AF. CONCLUSIONS The GGT level was significantly associated with cardioembolic stroke via AF. The results obtained in the present study may explain why GGT is associated with stroke.

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is an autoimmune skin disease, which manifests as subepidermal blisters with severe itching. BP has been reported to be associated with a higher prevalence of cerebrovascular diseases in population-based studies. However, the mechanism of cerebral infarction from BP has not been elucidated yet. We hereby suggest that the missing link between BP and cerebral infarction may be eosinophil, through a case of a woman with multifocal embolic infarction.
Blister ; Cerebral Infarction* ; Cerebrovascular Disorders ; Eosinophils ; Female ; Humans ; Infarction ; Pemphigoid, Bullous* ; Prevalence ; Pruritus ; Skin Diseases ; Stroke

No abstract available.
Female ; Humans ; Obesity ; Ovary* ; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome ; Pseudotumor Cerebri*