| 1. |
- Bergström, Göran, 1964, et al.
(författare)
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Prevalence of Subclinical Coronary Artery Atherosclerosis in the General Population
- 2021
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Ingår i: Circulation. - Philadelphia : American Heart Association. - 0009-7322 .- 1524-4539. ; 144:12, s. 916-929
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Early detection of coronary atherosclerosis using coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA), in addition to coronary artery calcification (CAC) scoring, may help inform prevention strategies. We used CCTA to determine the prevalence, severity, and characteristics of coronary atherosclerosis and its association with CAC scores in a general population.Methods: We recruited 30 154 randomly invited individuals age 50 to 64 years to SCAPIS (the Swedish Cardiopulmonary Bioimage Study). The study includes individuals without known coronary heart disease (ie, no previous myocardial infarctions or cardiac procedures) and with high-quality results from CCTA and CAC imaging performed using dedicated dual-source CT scanners. Noncontrast images were scored for CAC. CCTA images were visually read and scored for coronary atherosclerosis per segment (defined as no atherosclerosis, 1% to 49% stenosis, or ≥50% stenosis). External validity of prevalence estimates was evaluated using inverse probability for participation weighting and Swedish register data.Results: In total, 25 182 individuals without known coronary heart disease were included (50.6% women). Any CCTA-detected atherosclerosis was found in 42.1%; any significant stenosis (≥50%) in 5.2%; left main, proximal left anterior descending artery, or 3-vessel disease in 1.9%; and any noncalcified plaques in 8.3% of this population. Onset of atherosclerosis was delayed on average by 10 years in women. Atherosclerosis was more prevalent in older individuals and predominantly found in the proximal left anterior descending artery. Prevalence of CCTA-detected atherosclerosis increased with increasing CAC scores. Among those with a CAC score >400, all had atherosclerosis and 45.7% had significant stenosis. In those with 0 CAC, 5.5% had atherosclerosis and 0.4% had significant stenosis. In participants with 0 CAC and intermediate 10-year risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease according to the pooled cohort equation, 9.2% had CCTA-verified atherosclerosis. Prevalence estimates had excellent external validity and changed marginally when adjusted to the age-matched Swedish background population.Conclusions: Using CCTA in a large, random sample of the general population without established disease, we showed that silent coronary atherosclerosis is common in this population. High CAC scores convey a significant probability of substantial stenosis, and 0 CAC does not exclude atherosclerosis, particularly in those at higher baseline risk.
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| 2. |
- Bergström, Göran, et al.
(författare)
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Prevalence of Subclinical Coronary Artery Atherosclerosis in the General Population
- 2021
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Ingår i: Circulation. - : Wolters Kluwer. - 0009-7322 .- 1524-4539. ; 144:12, s. 916-929
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Early detection of coronary atherosclerosis using coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA), in addition to coronary artery calcification (CAC) scoring, may help inform prevention strategies. We used CCTA to determine the prevalence, severity, and characteristics of coronary atherosclerosis and its association with CAC scores in a general population.Methods: We recruited 30 154 randomly invited individuals age 50 to 64 years to SCAPIS (the Swedish Cardiopulmonary Bioimage Study). The study includes individuals without known coronary heart disease (ie, no previous myocardial infarctions or cardiac procedures) and with high-quality results from CCTA and CAC imaging performed using dedicated dual-source CT scanners. Noncontrast images were scored for CAC. CCTA images were visually read and scored for coronary atherosclerosis per segment (defined as no atherosclerosis, 1% to 49% stenosis, or ≥50% stenosis). External validity of prevalence estimates was evaluated using inverse probability for participation weighting and Swedish register data.Results: In total, 25 182 individuals without known coronary heart disease were included (50.6% women). Any CCTA-detected atherosclerosis was found in 42.1%; any significant stenosis (≥50%) in 5.2%; left main, proximal left anterior descending artery, or 3-vessel disease in 1.9%; and any noncalcified plaques in 8.3% of this population. Onset of atherosclerosis was delayed on average by 10 years in women. Atherosclerosis was more prevalent in older individuals and predominantly found in the proximal left anterior descending artery. Prevalence of CCTA-detected atherosclerosis increased with increasing CAC scores. Among those with a CAC score >400, all had atherosclerosis and 45.7% had significant stenosis. In those with 0 CAC, 5.5% had atherosclerosis and 0.4% had significant stenosis. In participants with 0 CAC and intermediate 10-year risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease according to the pooled cohort equation, 9.2% had CCTA-verified atherosclerosis. Prevalence estimates had excellent external validity and changed marginally when adjusted to the age-matched Swedish background population.Conclusions: Using CCTA in a large, random sample of the general population without established disease, we showed that silent coronary atherosclerosis is common in this population. High CAC scores convey a significant probability of substantial stenosis, and 0 CAC does not exclude atherosclerosis, particularly in those at higher baseline risk.
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| 3. |
- Simonsson, Bengt, et al.
(författare)
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Combination of pegylated IFN-alpha 2b with imatinib increases molecular response rates in patients with low- or intermediate-risk chronic myeloid leukemia
- 2011
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Ingår i: Blood. - Washington D.C. : American Society of Hematology. - 0006-4971 .- 1528-0020. ; 118:12, s. 3228-3235
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Biologic and clinical observations suggest that combining imatinib with IFN-alpha may improve treatment outcome in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). We randomized newly diagnosed chronic-phase CML patients with a low or intermediate Sokal risk score and in imatinib-induced complete hematologic remission either to receive a combination of pegylated IFN-alpha 2b (Peg-IFN-alpha 2b) 50 mu g weekly and imatinib 400 mg daily (n = 56) or to receive imatinib 400 mg daily monotherapy (n = 56). The primary endpoint was the major molecular response (MMR) rate at 12 months after randomization. In both arms, 4 patients (7%) discontinued imatinib treatment (1 because of blastic transformation in imatinib arm). In addition, in the combination arm, 34 patients (61%) discontinued Peg-IFN-alpha 2b, most because of toxicity. The MMR rate at 12 months was significantly higher in the imatinib plus Peg-IFN-alpha 2b arm (82%) compared with the imatinib monotherapy arm (54%; intention-to-treat, P = .002). The MMR rate increased with the duration of Peg-IFN-alpha 2b treatment (andlt; 12-week MMR rate 67%, andgt; 12-week MMR rate 91%). Thus, the addition of even relatively short periods of Peg-IFN-alpha 2b to imatinib markedly increased the MMR rate at 12 months of therapy. Lower doses of Peg-IFN-alpha 2b may enhance tolerability while retaining efficacy and could be considered in future protocols with curative intent.
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| 4. |
- Själander, Sara, et al.
(författare)
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Assessment of Use vs Discontinuation of Oral Anticoagulation After Pulmonary Vein Isolation in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation
- 2017
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Ingår i: JAMA cardiology. - : American Medical Association. - 2380-6583 .- 2380-6591. ; 2:2, s. 146-152
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- IMPORTANCE: Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is a recommended treatment for patients with atrial fibrillation, but it is unclear whether it results in a lower risk of stroke.OBJECTIVES: To investigate the proportion of patients discontinuing anticoagulation treatment after PVI in association with the CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc (congestive heart failure, hypertension, age >= 75 years [doubled], diabetes, stroke [doubled], vascular disease, age 65-74 years, sex category [female]) score, identify factors predicting stroke after PVI, and explore the risk of cardiovascular events after PVI in patients with and without guideline-recommended anticoagulation treatment.DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A retrospective cohort studywas conducted using Swedish national health registries from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2012, with a mean-follow up of 2.6 years. A total of 1585 patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing PVI from the Swedish Catheter Ablation Register were included, with information about exposure to warfarin in the national quality register Auricula. Data analysis was performed from January 1, 2015, to April 30, 2016.EXPOSURES: Warfarin treatment.MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Ischemic stroke, intracranial hemorrhage, and death.RESULTS: In this cohort of 1585 patients, 73.0% were male, the mean (SD) age was 59.0 (9.4) years, and the mean (SD) CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc score was 1.5 (1.4). Of the 1585 patients, 1175 were followed up for more than 1 year after PVI. Of these, 360 (30.6%) discontinued warfarin treatment during the first year. In patients with a CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc score of 2 or more, patients discontinuing warfarin treatment had a higher rate of ischemic stroke (5 events in 312 years at risk [1.6% per year]) compared with those continuing warfarin treatment (4 events in 1192 years at risk [0.3% per year]) (P = .046). Patients with a CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc score of 2 or more or those who had previously experienced an ischemic stroke displayed a higher risk of stroke if warfarin treatment was discontinued (hazard ratio, 4.6; 95% CI, 1.2-17.2; P = .02 and hazard ratio, 13.7; 95% CI, 2.0-91.9; P = .007, respectively).CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: These findings indicate that discontinuation ofwarfarin treatment after PVI is not safe in high-risk patients, especially those who have previously experienced an ischemic stroke.
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| 5. |
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| 6. |
- Grzymala-Lubanski, Bartosz, et al.
(författare)
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Computer aided warfarin dosing in the Swedish national quality registry AuriculA : algorithmic suggestions are performing better than manually changed doses
- 2013
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Ingår i: Thrombosis Research. - : Elsevier BV. - 0049-3848 .- 1879-2472. ; 131:2, s. 130-134
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- INTRODUCTION: Warfarin treatment with a high time in therapeutic range (TTR) is correlated to fewer complications. The TTR in Sweden is generally high but varies partly depending on local expertise and traditions. A dosing algorithm could minimize variations and increase treatment quality. Here we evaluate the performance of a computerized dosing algorithm.MATERIALS AND METHODS: 53.779 warfarin treated patients from 125 centers using the Swedish national quality registry AuriculA. If certain criteria are met, the algorithm gives one of seven possible dose suggestions, which can be unchanged, decreased or increased weekly dose by 5, 10 or 15%. The outcome evaluated by the resulting INR value was compared between dose suggestions arising from the algorithm that were accepted and those that were manually changed. There were no randomization, and outcomes were retrospectively analyzed.RESULTS: Both the algorithm-based and the manually changed doses had worse outcome if only two instead of three previous INR values were available. The algorithm suggestions were superior to manual dosing regarding percent samples within the target range 2-3 (hit-rate) or deviation from INR 2.5 (mean error). Of the seven possible outcomes from the algorithm, six were significantly superior and one equal to the manually changed doses when three previous INR:s were present.CONCLUSIONS: The algorithm-based dosing suggestions show better outcome in most cases. This can make dosing of warfarin easier and more efficient. There are however cases where manual dosing fares better. Here the algorithm will be improved to further enhance its dosing performance in the future.
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| 7. |
- Grzymala-Lubanski, Bartosz, et al.
(författare)
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Warfarin treatment quality and prognosis in patients with mechanical heart valve prosthesis.
- 2017
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Ingår i: Heart (British Cardiac Society). - : BMJ. - 1468-201X .- 1355-6037. ; 103:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- To study the impact of time in therapeutic range (TTR) and international normalised ratio (INR) variability on the risk of thromboembolic events, major bleeding complications and death after mechanical heart valve (MHV) implantation. Additionally, the importance of different target INR levels was elucidated.
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| 8. |
- Jansson, Martin, et al.
(författare)
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Direct comparisons of effectiveness and safety of treatment with Apixaban, Dabigatran and rivaroxaban in atrial fibrillation
- 2020
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Ingår i: Thrombosis Research. - : Elsevier BV. - 0049-3848 .- 1879-2472. ; 185, s. 135-141
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction: Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have been proven non-inferior or superior to warfarin in preventing stroke and systemic embolism, with a lower risk of major hemorrhage, in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). We sought to investigate whether effectiveness and safety differs among apixaban, rivaroxaban and dabigatran. Materials and methods: Patients with newly initiated DOAC treatment were identified from the Swedish anticoagulation quality registry, ranging from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2015. Patients were assigned to apixaban, dabigatran or rivaroxaban cohorts based on initiated DOAC and dose (standard or reduced). Baseline characteristics and endpoints were retrieved from validated Swedish quality registers and the National Patient Registry. Cohorts were matched using full optimal matching and directly compared. Results: A total of 25,843 NVAF patients were included. Patients treated with standard dose apixaban or dabigatran had lower risk of major bleeding than patients treated with rivaroxaban, HR 0.69 (95% CI 0.54–0.88) and HR 0.64 (95% CI 0.48–0.87). Regarding reduced dose, patients treated with apixaban had lower risk of major bleeding than those treated with dabigatran or rivaroxaban, HR 0.62 (95% CI 0.44–0.88) and HR 0.45 (95% CI 0.33–0.61). In reduced dose, patients treated with dabigatran had the lowest all-cause mortality. No differences in effectiveness were found. Conclusions: In this large real-world NVAF cohort, direct comparisons show a favorable bleeding risk profile for dabigatran and apixaban in standard dose, and for apixaban in reduced dose. No differences in effectiveness were found. This study confirms previous indirect DOAC comparisons. Further studies are needed.
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| 9. |
- Jansson, Martin, et al.
(författare)
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Reduced dose direct oral anticoagulants compared with warfarin with high time in therapeutic range in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation
- 2023
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Ingår i: Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis. - : Springer Nature. - 0929-5305 .- 1573-742X. ; 55:3, s. 415-425
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) used in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) are dose-reduced in elderly and patients with impaired renal function. Only reduced dose dabigatran is concluded as having similar stroke risk reduction and lower risk of major bleeding than warfarin in the pivotal studies. In clinical practice, reduced dose is prescribed more often than expected making this an important issue. The objective of this study was to compare effectiveness and safety between reduced dose DOACs and high TTR warfarin treatment (TTR ≥ 70%) in NVAF. A Swedish anticoagulation registry was used in identifying eligible patients from July 2011 to December 2017. The study cohort consisted of 40,564 patients with newly initiated DOAC (apixaban, dabigatran, or rivaroxaban) (11,083 patients) or warfarin treatment (29,481 patients) after exclusion of 374,135 patients due to not being warfarin or DOAC naïve, not being prescribed reduced dose, having previous mechanical heart valve (MHV), or being under 18 years old. The median durations of follow up were 365, 419, 432 and 473 days for apixaban, dabigatran, rivaroxaban and warfarin, respectively. Warfarin TTR identified from Auricula was 70.0%. Endpoints (stroke and major bleeding) and baseline characteristics were collected from hospital administrative registers using ICD-10 codes. Cohorts were compared using weighted adjusted Cox regression after full optimal matching based on propensity scores. DOACs are associated with lower risk of major bleeding (HR with 95% CI) 0.85 (0.78–0.93), intracranial bleeding HR 0.64 (0.51–0.80), hemorrhagic stroke HR 0.68 (0.50–0.92), gastrointestinal bleeding HR 0.81 (0.69–0.96) and all-cause stroke HR 0.87 (0.76–0.99), than warfarin. Apixaban and dabigatran are associated with lower risk of major bleeding, HR 0.70 (0.63–0.78) and HR 0.80 (0.69–0.94), and rivaroxaban is associated with lower risk of ischemic stroke, HR 0.73 (0.59–0.96), with higher major bleeding risk, HR 1.31 (1.15–1.48), compared to warfarin. Apixaban is associated with higher all-cause mortality compared to warfarin, HR 1.12 (1.03–1.21). DOACs are associated with lower risk of major bleeding and all-cause stroke, than high quality warfarin treatment, with exception of rivaroxaban that carried higher risk of major bleeding and lower risk of stroke or systemic embolism. In this large observational registry-based NVAF cohort, DOACs are preferred treatment in patients with indication for DOAC dose reduction, even in a high TTR setting.
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| 10. |
- Labaf, Ashkan, et al.
(författare)
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Incidence and risk factors for thromboembolism and major bleeding in patients with mechanical valve prosthesis: A nationwide population-based study
- 2016
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Ingår i: American Heart Journal. - : Elsevier BV. - 0002-8703 .- 1097-6744. ; 181, s. 1-9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Risk factors of stroke/thromboembolism (TE) and major bleeding, and incidence of these events in specific age categories in warfarin-treated patients with mechanical heart valves (MHV) are uncertain. Our objective was to calculate event rates in specific age categories and identify risk factors for adverse events. Methods and results We identified 4,810 treatment periods with MHV between January 2006 and December 2011 in the Auricula and Swedish Web system for Enhancement and Development of Evidence-based care in Heart disease Evaluated According to Recommended Therapies registries. There were 3,751 treatment periods with aortic valve replacements (AVR) and 866 with mitral valve replacements (MVR). Median follow-up time was 4.5 years (IQR, 1.5-6.0). Time in therapeutic range with warfarin for patients with AVR was 74.2% for international normalized ratio of 2.0 to 3.0, with 72% of the patients having this target range. Rate of stroke/TE for AVR and MVR was 1.3 and 1.6 per 100 patient years, respectively (P=.20). The rate of first major bleeding was 2.6 and 3.9 per 100 patient years with AVR and MVR, respectively (P<.001). By multivariate analysis for AVR, age (hazard ratio [HR], 1.02; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-1.03 per year) and previous stroke (HR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.7-3.5) emerged as independent risk factors for stroke/TE. Heart failure (HR, 0.9; 95% CI, 0.6-1.4) and atrial fibrillation (HR, 1.0; 95% CI, 0.7-1.4) were not associated to stroke/TE. For major bleeding events, age (HR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.01-1.03 per year) and previous major bleeding (HR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.9-3.3) emerged as independent risk factors for AVR. Conclusions In a nationwide cohort study with MHV and high time in therapeutic range, heart failure and atrial fibrillation did not appear as risk factors of stroke/TE. © 2016
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| 11. |
- Lilja, Johan, et al.
(författare)
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Prevalence of atrial fibrillation and reasons for undertreatment with oral anticoagulants
- 2024
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Ingår i: Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis. - : Springer Nature. - 0929-5305 .- 1573-742X. ; 57, s. 101-106
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF), the proportion of AF patients not receiving oral anticoagulation (OAC) and reasons for abstaining from OAC treatment.Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study of patients aged 18 years or older with an AF diagnosis on June 1st 2020 in Västernorrland County, Sweden. AF diagnosis was retrieved using the ICD10 code I.48, and medical records were reviewed for comorbidities and documented reasons to abstain OAC treatment.Results: Of 197 274 residents in Västernorrland County, 4.7% (9 304/197 274) had a documented AF diagnosis. Of these, 19% (1 768/9 304) had no OAC treatment, including 4.2% (393/9 304) with no indication, 2.5% (233/9 304) with a questionable and 2.5% (231/9 304) with a documented clear contraindication for OAC. In total 9.8% (911/9 304) were not treated with OAC despite indication and no reasonable documented contraindication, thus 90.8% (8 447/9 304) of all AF-patients were eligible for OAC treatment. Common reasons for abstaining treatment without reasonable contraindication were present sinus rhythm in 13.7% (125/911), perceived not an OAC candidate in 10.6% (97/911) and anemia in the past in 4.3% (39/911).Conclusions: In the population of Västernorrland County, a very high AF prevalence of 4.7% was found, of which just over 90% would theoretically benefit from OAC treatment. This is higher than previously reported and stresses the importance of stroke prevention in this large patient group.
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| 12. |
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| 13. |
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| 14. |
- Själander, Sara, et al.
(författare)
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Atrial fibrillation patients do not benefit from acetylsalicylic acid
- 2014
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Ingår i: Europace. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1532-2092 .- 1099-5129. ; 16:5, s. 631-638
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Oral anticoagulation is the recommended treatment for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation. Notwithstanding, many patients are treated with acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) as monotherapy. Our objective was to investigate if atrial fibrillation patients benefit from ASA as monotherapy for stroke prevention. Retrospective study of patients with a clinical diagnosis of atrial fibrillation between 1 July 2005 and 1 January 2009 in the National Swedish Patient register, matched with data from the National Prescribed Drugs register. Endpoints were ischaemic stroke, thrombo-embolic event, intracranial haemorrhage, and major bleeding. The study population consisted of 115 185 patients with atrial fibrillation, of whom 58 671 were treated with ASA as monotherapy and 56 514 were without any antithrombotic treatment at baseline. Mean follow-up was 1.5 years. Treatment with ASA was associated with higher risk of ischaemic stroke and thrombo-embolic events compared with no antithrombotic treatment. Acetylsalicylic acid as monotherapy in stroke prevention of atrial fibrillation has no discernable protective effect against stroke, and may even increase the risk of ischaemic stroke in elderly patients. Thus, our data support the new European guidelines recommendation that ASA as monotherapy should not be used as stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation.
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| 15. |
- Själander, Sara, et al.
(författare)
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Dabigatran, rivaroxaban and apixaban vs. high TTR warfarin in atrial fibrillation
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Objective: New oral anticoagulants are non-inferior compared with warfarin regarding stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation, with similar or decreased risk of bleeding. However, it is unclear whether high TTR warfarin is as effective and safe as NOACs. Our objective was to investigate efficacy and safety of apixaban, dabigatran or rivaroxaban compared with warfarin in clinical practice.Methods: Nationwide retrospective cohort study based on Swedish quality registries. Atrial fibrillation patients initiated on apixaban, dabigatran, rivaroxaban or warfarin between 2013-01-01 and 2015-12-31 were included. Main outcomes measures were all-cause stroke and systemic embolism, all-cause stroke, ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke; major bleeding, intracranial bleeding, gastrointestinal bleeding, other bleeding (fatal or requiring hospital care); all-cause mortality; myocardial infarction.Results: The study included 64382 patients corresponding to 81176 treatment years. Of these, 37174 patients were instituted on warfarin, 6574 on dabigatran, 8323 on rivaroxaban and 12311 on apixaban. In warfarin treated patients, the time in therapeutic range was 71.4 %. After propensity score matching, there was no significant difference in risk of stroke or systemic embolism between NOAC and warfarin treated patients. Hazard ratios for major bleeding events were 0.63(95%CI 0.52-0.75) for apixaban, 0.74(0.62-0.87) for dabigatran and 1.06(0.92-1.23) for rivaroxaban, compared with warfarin.Conclusions: This study showed no difference between apixaban, dabigatran, or rivaroxaban compared to high TTR warfarin treatment regarding stroke prevention. However, fewer bleeding events were seen for apixaban and dabigatran, but not for rivaroxaban. Further studies are needed on the comparability of individual NOACs with respect to bleeding risks.
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| 16. |
- Själander, Sara, 1981-, et al.
(författare)
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Dabigatran, rivaroxaban and apixaban vs. high TTR warfarin in atrial fibrillation
- 2018
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Ingår i: Thrombosis Research. - : Elsevier. - 0049-3848 .- 1879-2472. ; 167, s. 113-118
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction: New oral anticoagulants are non-inferior compared with warfarin regarding stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation, with similar or decreased risk of bleeding. However, it is unclear whether high TTR warfarin is as effective and safe as NOACs. Our objective was to investigate efficacy and safety of apixaban, dabigatran or rivaroxaban compared with warfarin in clinical practice.Materials and methods: Nationwide retrospective cohort study based on Swedish quality registries. Atrial fibrillation patients initiated on apixaban, dabigatran, rivaroxaban or warfarin between 2013-01-01 and 2015-1231 were included. Main outcome measures were all-cause stroke and systemic embolism, all-cause stroke, ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke; major bleeding, intracranial bleeding, gastrointestinal bleeding, other bleeding (fatal or requiring hospital care); all-cause mortality; myocardial infarction.Results: The study included 64,382 patients corresponding to 81,176 treatment years. Of these, 37,174 patients were instituted on warfarin, 6574 on dabigatran, 8323 on rivaroxaban and 12,311 on apixaban. In warfarin treated patients, the time in therapeutic range was 71.4%. After propensity score matching, there was no significant difference in risk of stroke or systemic embolism between NOAC and warfarin treated patients. Hazard ratios for major bleeding events were 0.63(95% CI 0.52-0.75) for apixaban, 0.74(0.62-0.87) for dabigatran and 1.06(0.92-1.23) for rivaroxaban, compared with warfarin.Conclusions: This study showed no difference between apixaban, dabigatran, or rivaroxaban compared to high TTR warfarin treatment regarding stroke prevention. However, fewer bleeding events were seen for apixaban and dabigatran, but not for rivaroxaban. Further studies are needed on the comparability of individual NOACs with respect to bleeding risks.
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| 17. |
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| 18. |
- Björck, Fredrik, et al.
(författare)
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Outcomes in a Warfarin-Treated Population With Atrial Fibrillation
- 2016
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Ingår i: JAMA cardiology. - : American Medical Association (AMA). - 2380-6583 .- 2380-6591. ; 1:2, s. 172-180
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- IMPORTANCE Vitamin K antagonist (eg, warfarin) use is nowadays challenged by the non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (AF). NOAC studies were based on comparisons with warfarin arms with times in therapeutic range (TTRs) of 55.2% to 64.9%, making the results less credible in health care systems with higher TTRs. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the efficacy and safety of well-managed warfarin therapy in patients with nonvalvular AF, the risk of complications, especially intracranial bleeding, in patients with concomitant use of aspirin, and the impact of international normalized ratio (INR) control. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A retrospective, multicenter cohort study based on Swedish registries, especially AuriculA, a quality register for AF and oral anticoagulation, was conducted. The register contains nationwide data, including that from specialized anticoagulation clinics and primary health care centers. A total of 40 449 patients starting warfarin therapy owing to nonvalvular AF during the study period were monitored until treatment cessation, death, or the end of the study. The study was conducted from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2011, and data were analyzed between February 1 and November 15, 2015. Associating complications with risk factors and individual INR control, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of warfarin treatment in patients with concomitant aspirin therapy and those with no additional antiplatelet medications. EXPOSURES Use of warfarin with and without concomitant therapy with aspirin. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Annual incidence of complications in association with individual TTR (iTTR), INR variability, and aspirin use and identification of factors indicating the probability of intracranial bleeding. RESULTS Of the 40 449 patients included in the study, 16 201 (40.0%) were women; mean (SD) age of the cohort was 72.5 (10.1) years, and the mean CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc (cardiac failure or dysfunction, hypertension, age >= 75 years [doubled], diabetes mellitus, stroke [doubled]-vascular disease, age 65-74 years, and sex category [female]) score was 3.3 at baseline. The annual incidence, reported as percentage (95% CI) of all-cause mortality was 2.19% (2.07-2.31) and, for intracranial bleeding, 0.44%(0.39-0.49). Patients receiving concomitant aspirin had annual rates of any major bleeding of 3.07%(2.70-3.44) and thromboembolism of 4.90% (4.43-5.37), and those with renal failure were at higher risk of intracranial bleeding (hazard ratio, 2.25; 95% CI, 1.32-3.82). Annual rates of any major bleeding and any thromboembolism in iTTR less than 70% were 3.81% (3.51-4.11) and 4.41% (4.09-4.73), respectively, and, in high INR variability, were 3.04%(2.85-3.24) and 3.48% (3.27-3.69), respectively. For patients with iTTR 70% or greater, the level of INR variability did not alter event rates. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Well-managed warfarin therapy is associated with a low risk of complications and is still a valid alternative for prophylaxis of AF-associated stroke. Therapy should be closely monitored for patients with renal failure, concomitant aspirin use, and poor INR control.
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| 19. |
- Björck, Fredrik, 1974-, et al.
(författare)
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Predictors for INR-control in a well-managed warfarin treatment setting
- 2019
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Ingår i: Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis. - : Springer. - 0929-5305 .- 1573-742X. ; 47:2, s. 227-232
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Warfarin is well studied in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF). It has low complication rates for patients achieving individual Time in Therapeutic Range (iTTR)>70%. The risk scores SAMe-TT2R2 and PROSPER are designed to predict future TTR, but are derived from a heterogeneous population with generally low iTTR. The aim of this study was to evaluate predictors for high and low iTTR in an AF population in Sweden, where there is a generally good anticoagulation control. A retrospective register study based on Swedish warfarin dosing system AuriculA, including 28,011 AF patients starting treatment during 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2011. Complications and risk factors were analysed and related to iTTR. Mean age was 73.7 (SD +/- 9.5) years, with 42.0% women. Mean CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc score (SD) was 3.6 (+/- 1.7). For patients with iTTR<60% there were over three times higher prevalence of excessive alcohol consumption than for patients with iTTR>70% (3.7% vs. 1.1%). Previous stroke were more prevalent for patients with high than low iTTR (17.1% vs. 20.3%). Concomitant comorbidities were associated with increased risk of poor iTTR. In Swedish AF patients, excessive alcohol use is clearly associated with iTTR below 60%. Patients with previous stroke are more likely to get iTTR above 70%, unlike those with concomitant disorders who more often have poor anticoagulation control. The SAMe-TT2R2-score cannot be applied in Sweden.
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| 20. |
- Björck, Fredrik, et al.
(författare)
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Warfarin persistence among atrial fibrillation patients – why is treatment ended?
- 2016
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Ingår i: Cardiovascular Therapeutics. - : Wiley. - 1755-5914. ; 34:6, s. 468-474
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background and AimWarfarin treatment discontinuation is significant among patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Studies mainly focused on whether the proportion of warfarin persistence and discontinuationare clinically appropriate are absent. This study evaluates warfarin persistence with focus on predictors for, and reasons to, warfarin discontinuation in AF patients.MethodsFrom the national quality register AuriculA, all AF patients in Sundsvall, Sweden, on warfarin treatment on January first, 2010 were included. These 478 patients were followed until discontinuation or study-stop December 31, 2013. By going through each patient’s medical record risk factors for thromboembolism, bleeding and causes of discontinuation were obtained.ResultsProportion of warfarin persistence was 0.91 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.89 to 0.93) after one year and 0.73 (95% CI 0.69 to 0.77) after four years. Previous intracranial bleeding, excessive alcohol use, anemia and pulmonary or peripheral emboli were each associated with over two times higher risk of discontinuation (hazard ratio (HR) 5.66, CI 2.23-14.36, HR 2.54, CI 1.48-4.37, HR 2.40, CI 1.38-4.17, and HR 2.13, CI 1.02-4.46). Among patients discontinuing, 50.5% were due to questionable causes, such as sinus rhythm (33.9%), patients demand (10.1%) and falls (8.2%). The majority (43.1%) of treatment discontinuers were changed to aspirin, while 40.4% of them were left without medical stroke prophylaxis.ConclusionsAlthough persistence to warfarin among AF patients proves higher than previously reported, there is room for improvement since half of the discontinuers have questionable reasons for treatment stop and the majority of them receive no other efficient stroke prophylaxis.
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| 21. |
- Björck, Fredrik, et al.
(författare)
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Warfarin persistence among stroke patients with atrial fibrillation
- 2015
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Ingår i: Thrombosis Research. - : Elsevier BV. - 0049-3848 .- 1879-2472. ; 136:4, s. 744-748
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction: Warfarin treatment discontinuation is significant among patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). For AF patients with stroke a warfarin persistence rate of 0.45 after 2 years has previously been reported. No consistent predictors for discontinuation have been established. Aims: Evaluation of warfarin persistence and variables associated with discontinuation, in a large Swedish cohort with unselected stroke/TIA patients with AF treated with warfarin. Materials and methods: 4 583 patients with stroke/TIA and AF in the Swedish National Patient Register (NPR), from 1. Jan 2006 to 31. Dec 2011, were matched with the Swedish national quality register AuriculA. They were followed until treatment cessation, death or end of study. Baseline characteristics and CHA(2)DS(2)VASc score were retrieved from NPR. Treatment-time was retrieved from AuriculA. Results: Overall proportion of warfarin persistence was 0.78 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.76 to 0.80) after one year, 0.69 (95% CI 0.67 to 0.71) after 2 years and 0.47 (95% CI 0.43 to 0.51) after 5 years. Variables clearly associated with higher discontinuation were dementia (hazard ratio (HR) 2.22, CI 1.51-3.27) and alcohol abuse (HR 1.66, CI 1.19-2.33). Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cancer and chronic heart failure (CHF) were each associated with over 20% increased risk of treatment discontinuation. Higher CHA(2)DS(2)VASc score and start-age lead to lower persistence (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Persistence to warfarin in unselected stroke/TIA patients with AF is in Sweden greater than previously reported. Lower persistence is found among patients with high treatment start-age, incidence of dementia, alcohol abuse, cancer, CHF, COPD and/or high CHA(2)DS(2)VASc score.
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| 22. |
- Björck, Fredrik, 1974-
(författare)
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Warfarin treatment quality in stroke prevention
- 2016
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- BackgroundIschemic stroke is a serious condition often associated to presence of atrial fibrillation (AF). Use of anticoagulants for AF patients greatly reduces the risk of stroke. Warfarin is the most commonly used anticoagulant in Sweden. The aim of this thesis was to study the impact of warfarin treatment quality in Swedish stroke prevention.MethodsStudy I, II and IV were relatively large multicentre, retrospective, cohort studies based on Swedish registries, especially AuriculA, a quality register for AF and anticoagulation. Background data as well as bleeding and thromboembolic complications were retrieved from the National Patient Register. The Cause of Death Register was used in study II and IV. The Swedish Prescribed Drug Register was used in study IV, for data on concomitant acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) use. Study period was January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2011. Study III enrolled all warfarin treated AF patients in Sundsvall, registered in AuriculA on January 1, 2010. This smaller cohort was followed until discontinuation or study-stop December 31, 2013. All used data were collected from each patient’s medical record.ResultsThe annual risk of major bleedings and thromboembolic events for warfarin treated patients, including all different indications for warfarin, was relatively low (2.24% and 2.66%), with incidence of intracranial bleeding of 0.37% per treatment year. The overall mean time in therapeutic range (TTR) was 76.5%. Patients started on warfarin due to AF had a mean TTR of 68.6%, with an annual risk of major bleeding and thromboembolic events of 2.23% and 2.95%, and with 0.44% annual risk of intracranial bleeding. No significant differences in overall complications were found when comparing treatment monitored in anticoagulation clinics (ACC) with treatment monitored in primary health care centers (PHCC). There were significantly increased risk of both overall major bleedings and thromboembolic events for those warfarin treated AF patients receiving additional ASA treatment, having individual TTR (iTTR) below 70%, or having high international normalized ratio (INR) variability. AF patients with low INR variability had generally lower complication rates, compared with patients with high INR variability. There were however no alteration on cumulative incidence of complications due to INR variability, for AF patients with iTTR ≥70%. The overall proportion of persistence to warfarin treatment for stroke patients with AF was found to be 0.69 after 2 years treatment and 0.47 after 5 years. Stroke patients with diagnosed dementia at baseline were more than two-times likely of discontinuing warfarin than others. Excessive alcohol use, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cancer and chronic heart failure were baseline diagnoses each associated with over 20% increased risk of treatment discontinuation. Lower persistence to treatment was linked to increasing start-age and CHA2DS2-VASc scores. As documented reasons for warfarin treatment discontinuation in AF patients, we found regained sinus rhythm as the most common addressed cause (31.2%), followed by problematic monitoring and bleedings. We estimated that only half (49.5%) of the treatment discontinuations were clinically well motivated.ConclusionsQuality of Swedish warfarin treatment in initiated stroke prevention is high, with generally low rates of complications and high TTRs, no matter treatment in ACC or PHCC, including high long time persistence to warfarin in secondary stroke prevention. For better outcome in future warfarin stroke prophylactic treatment clinicians should aim for iTTRs above 70%, avoid additional ASA therapy, support fragile patients like those with excessive alcohol use and dementia, and base decisions on treatment discontinuations on solid medical arguments.
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| 23. |
- Björck, Fredrik, et al.
(författare)
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Warfarin treatment quality is consistently high in both anticoagulation clinics and primary care setting in Sweden
- 2015
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Ingår i: Thrombosis Research. - : Elsevier BV. - 0049-3848 .- 1879-2472. ; 136:2, s. 216-220
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Warfarin treatment in Sweden holds a high standard with time in therapeutic range (TTR) over 75%. Internationally, specialized anticoagulation clinics (ACC) have shown higher TTR compared to primary health care centres (PHCC). Objectives: To compare warfarin treatment quality in Sweden for ACC versus PHCC, thereby clarifying whether centralization is for the better. Patients/methods: In total 77.058 patients corresponding to 217.058 treatment years with warfarin in the Swedish national quality register AuriculA from 1. Jan 2006 to 31. Dec 2011. Information regarding TTR was calculated from AuriculA, while patient characteristics and complications were retrieved from the Swedish National Patient Register. Results: Of the 100.554 treatment periods examined, 78.7% were monitored at ACC. Mean TTR for INR 2-3 for all patients irrespective of intended target range was 76.5% with an annual risk of bleeding or thrombotic events of 2.24% and 2.66%, respectively. TTR was significantly higher in PHCC compared to ACC (79.6% vs. 75.7%, p < 0.001), with no significant difference in overall risk of complications. Treatment periods for atrial fibrillation, except intended direct current conversion, showed similar results between ACC and PHCC without significant difference in annual risk of bleeding (2.50% vs. 2.51%) or thrombosis (3.09% vs. 3.16%). After propensity score matching there was still no significant difference in complication risk found. Conclusions: Warfarin treatment quality is consistently high in both ACC and PHCC when monitored through AuriculA in Sweden, both measured as TTR and as risk of complications. In this setting, centralized warfarin monitoring is not likely to improve the results.
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| 24. |
- Dahlén, Torsten, et al.
(författare)
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Adverse outcomes in chronic myeloid leukemia patients treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors : Follow-up of patients diagnosed 2002-2017 in a complete coverage and nationwide agnostic register study
- 2022
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Ingår i: American Journal of Hematology. - : Wiley. - 0361-8609 .- 1096-8652. ; 97:4, s. 421-430
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have profoundly improved the clinical outcome for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), but their overall survival is still subnormal and the treatment is associated with adverse events. In a large cohort-study, we assessed the morbidity in 1328 Swedish CML chronic phase patients diagnosed 2002-2017 and treated with TKIs, as compared to that in carefully matched control individuals. Several Swedish patient registers with near-complete nationwide coverage were utilized for data acquisition. Median follow-up was 6 (IQR, 3-10) years with a total follow-up of 8510 person-years for the full cohort. Among 670 analyzed disease categories, the patient cohort showed a significantly increased risk in 142 while, strikingly, no category was more common in controls. Increased incidence rate ratios/IRR (95% CI) for more severe events among patients included acute myocardial infarction (AMI) 2.0 (1.5-2.6), heart failure 2.6 (2.2-3.2), pneumonia 2.8 (2.3-3.5), and unspecified sepsis 3.5 (2.6-4.7). When comparing patients on 2nd generation TKIs vs. imatinib in a within-cohort analysis, nilotinib generated elevated IRRs for AMI (2.9; 1.5-5.6) and chronic ischemic heart disease (2.2; 1.2-3.9), dasatinib for pleural effusion (11.6; 7.6-17.7) and infectious complications, for example, acute upper respiratory infections (3.0; 1.4-6.0). Our extensive real-world data reveal significant risk increases of severe morbidity in TKI-treated CML patients, as compared to matched controls, particularly for 2nd generation TKIs. Whether this increased morbidity may also translate into increased mortality, thus preventing CML patients to achieve a normalized overall survival, needs to be further explored.
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| 25. |
- Dahlen, Torsten, et al.
(författare)
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Cardiovascular Events Associated With Use of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia : A Population-Based Cohort Study
- 2016
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Ingår i: Annals of Internal Medicine. - Karolinska Univ Hosp, Stockholm, Sweden. Karolinska Inst, Stockholm, Sweden. Reg Canc Ctr, Uppsala, Sweden. Univ Uppsala Hosp, Uppsala, Sweden. Umea Univ, Umea, Sweden. Skane Univ Hosp, Lund, Sweden. [Dahlen, Torsten; Bjorkholm, Magnus; Ohm, Lotta; Stenke, Leif] Karolinska Univ Hosp Solna, Div matol, Dept Med, SE-17176 Stockholm, Sweden. [Edgren, Gustaf; Lambe, Mats] Karolinska Inst, Dept Med Epidemiol & Biostat, SE-17177 Stockholm, eden. [Hoglund, Martin; Olsson-Stromberg, Ulla] Univ Hosp, Dept Med Sci, SE-75185 Uppsala, Sweden. [Hoglund, Martin; Olsson-Stromberg, Ulla] Univ Hosp, Div Hematol, SE-75185 Uppsala, Sweden. [Sandin, Fredrik] Uppsala Univ Hosp, Reg Canc Ctr, SE-75185 Uppsala, Sweden. [Sjalander, Anders] Umea Univ, Dept Publ Hlth & Clin Med, SE-90185 Umea, Sweden. [Richter, Johan] Skane Univ Hosp, Dept Hematol & Vasc Disorders, SE-22241 Lund, Sweden. [Back, Magnus] Karolinska Univ Hosp, Dept Cardiol, SE-17176 Stockholm, Sweden.. - 0003-4819 .- 1539-3704. ; 165:3, s. 161-166
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have increased survival dramatically for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), but continuous administration of these drugs may elicit long-term toxicity.Objective: To investigate the incidence of vascular events in patients with CML treated with first-and second-generation TKIs.Design: Retrospective cohort study using nationwide population-based registries.Setting: Sweden.Patients: All patients diagnosed with chronic-phase CML in Sweden from 2002 to 2012 and treated with a TKI, and 5 age- and sex-matched control individuals per patient.Measurements: Relative risks, expressed as incidence rate ratios comparing patients with control individuals, were calculated. Events per 1000 person-years were assessed in interdrug comparisons.Results: 896 patients, 94.4% with documented TKI treatment, were followed for a median of 4.2 years. There were 54 arterial and 20 venous events in the CML cohort, corresponding to relative risks of 1.5 (95% CI, 1.1 to 2.1) and 2.0 (CI, 1.2 to 3.3), respectively. The event rate for myocardial infarction was higher in patients treated with nilotinib or dasatinib (29 and 19 per 1000 person-years, respectively) than in those receiving imatinib (8 per 1000 person-years), although data are limited and the CIs were wide and overlapped. Among 31 patients treated with a TKI who had myocardial infarction, 26 (84%) had at least 1 major cardiac risk factor diagnosed before the event occurred.Limitations: Patients may have been exposed to multiple TKIs. Data on second-and third-generation TKIs were limited.Conclusion: An increased risk for arterial and venous vascular events was seen in patients with CML treated with a TKI. Further study is needed to determine whether the risk for myocardial infarction increases with second-generation drugs.
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