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Relationship between initial international normalized ratio and prognosis in patients with cardiogenic cerebral
Yigang Liu1, Dudu Jiang2, Lingjing Jin1
1Department of Neurology, Shanghai Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Insights
Oral anticoagulant (OAC) therapy is crucial for preventing cardioembolic stroke in atrial fibrillation patients. Achieving an international normalized ratio (INR) of 1.7 or higher significantly improves outcomes and reduces mortality.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Cardiology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Cardiogenic cerebral embolism is a leading cause of ischemic stroke, often resulting in severe neurological deficits and increased mortality.
- Oral anticoagulant (OAC) therapy is effective in reducing stroke risk but is underutilized, leading to treatment failures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy and outcomes of OAC therapy in atrial fibrillation patients with cardioembolic stroke.
- To assess the impact of the international normalized ratio (INR) value during the acute phase on patient prognosis.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of clinical data from 306 patients with atrial fibrillation and cardioembolic stroke.
- Evaluation of demographics, risk factors, stroke classifications, OAC use, INR values, and functional outcomes (modified Rankin Scale).
Main Results:
- Only 10.8% of patients had a therapeutic INR at stroke onset.
- Patients with an INR ≥1.7 at 3-month follow-up demonstrated significantly better functional independence (78.9% vs. 41.2%) and lower mortality (7.0% vs. 25.0%) compared to those with INR <1.7.
Conclusions:
- Subtherapeutic INR values contribute to OAC therapy failure in cardioembolic stroke patients.
- Maintaining an INR of 1.7 or higher is associated with improved prognosis, even in patients experiencing stroke while on OAC therapy.
Background:
Cardiogenic cerebral embolism is one of the most common causes of ischemic stroke. In general, cardioembolic stroke is associated with more severe neurological deficits and higher early mortality, as well as a worse functional outcome. Oral anticoagulant (OAC) therapy could reduce the risk of stroke significantly. However, several limitations have led to it being underused, which raises the failure of anticoagulant therapy. This study aimed to investigate the patients with atrial fibrillation presented cardioembolic stroke who underwent OAC therapy, and to assess treatment efficacy, and outcomes, especially the international normalized ratio (INR) value in the acute phase.
Methods:
Clinical data of 306 patients with cardioembolic stroke and etiology of atrial fibrillation were retrospectively analyzed, and demographics, cardiovascular risk factors, embolic cardiopathy, CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc score, HAS-BLED score, INR value, TOAST subtypes, OCSP classification, modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores and prognosis were evaluated.
Results:
The median score on the CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc scales was 3 and 4, respectively; The median score on the HAS-BLED scale was 2. Only 33 patients (10.8%) were in therapeutic INR range at the onset of stroke. In the acute phase, 233 patients (76.1%) continued to use OAC therapy, and 73 patients were suspended. Eighteen patients (24.7%) resumed treatment after an average of 32 days. Thirty-nine of 251 survivors with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation were modified to novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs). At 3 months follow-up, patients with INR ≥1.7 had significantly better prognosis than those with INR <1.7, both in the percentage of patients with functional independence (78.9% vs. 41.2%) and in mortality (7.0% vs. 25.0%) (P<0.001).
Conclusions:
Patients presented cardioembolic stroke despite being treated with OAC, especially those with a subtherapeutic INR value, raises the failure of anticoagulant therapy. Despite the ineffectiveness of the OAC, the prognosis is better when the INR ≥1.7 at the initiation of the stroke.
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