Long-term Event Reduction After Left Atrial Appendage Closure. Results of the Iberian Registry II

Many patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation are still left without protection due to a contraindication for anticoagulants. This study aimed to establish the occurrence of stroke and major bleeding events in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation and left atrial appendage closure with long-term follow-up and to explore the factors associated with higher long-term mortality.

Analysis of a multicenter single cohort prospectively recruited from 2009 to 2015. Thromboembolic and bleeding events were compared with those expected from CHA₂DS₂-VASc and HAS-BLED scores. Multivariate analysis examined variables associated with mortality during follow-up.

A total of 598 patients (1093 patient-years) with a contraindication for anticoagulants were recruited (median 75.4 years). The success rate of left atrial appendage closure device implantation was 95.8%. Thirty patients (5%) experienced periprocedural complications. The rate of events (per 100 patient-years) during follow-up (mean 22.9 months; median 16.1 months) was as follows: death 7.0%; ischemic stroke 1.6% (vs 8.5% expected according to CHA₂DS₂-VASc; P < .001); intracranial hemorrhage 0.8%; gastrointestinal bleeding 3.2%; severe bleeding 3.9% (vs 6.3% expected by HAS-BLED, P = .002). These results were improved in the subgroup of 176 patients with follow-up > 24 months (mean follow-up 46.6 months, 683 patient-years) for severe bleeding 2.6% (vs 6.3% expected by HAS-BLED, P < .033). The factors significantly associated with higher mortality were age (HR, 1.1), intracranial hemorrhage (HR, 6.8), and stroke during follow-up (HR, 2.7).

Left atrial appendage closure significantly reduced the incidence of stroke and bleeding events and the benefit was maintained. Intracranial hemorrhage, age and stroke were associated with higher mortality.