| 1. |
- Batra, Gorav, et al.
(author)
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Data standards for atrial fibrillation/flutter and catheter ablation : The European Unified Registries for Heart Care Evaluation and Randomized Trials (EuroHeart)
- 2023
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In: European Heart Journal - Quality of Care and Clinical Outcomes. - : Oxford University Press. - 2058-5225 .- 2058-1742. ; 9:6, s. 609-620
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- AIMS: Standardized data definitions are essential for monitoring and assessment of care and outcomes in observational studies and randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The European Unified Registries for Heart Care Evaluation and Randomized Trials (EuroHeart) project of the European Society of Cardiology aimed to develop contemporary data standards for atrial fibrillation/flutter (AF/AFL) and catheter ablation.METHODS AND RESULTS: We used the EuroHeart methodology for development of data standards and formed a Working Group comprising 23 experts in AF/AFL and catheter ablation registries, as well as representatives from the European Heart Rhythm Association and EuroHeart. We conducted a systematic literature review of AF/AFL and catheter ablation registries and data standard documents to generate candidate variables. We used a modified Delphi method to reach consensus on a final variable set. For each variable, the Working Group developed permissible values and definitions, and agreed as to whether the variable was mandatory (Level 1) or additional (Level 2). In total, 70 Level 1 and 92 Level 2 variables were selected and reviewed by a wider Reference Group of 42 experts from 24 countries. The Level 1 variables were implemented into the EuroHeart IT platform as the basis for continuous registration of individual patient data.CONCLUSION: By means of a structured process and working with international stakeholders, harmonized data standards for AF/AFL and catheter ablation for AF/AFL were developed. In context of the EuroHeart project, this will facilitate country-level quality of care improvement, international observational research, registry-based RCTs and post-marketing surveillance of devices and pharmacotherapies.
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| 2. |
- Eriksson, Niclas, et al.
(author)
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Genetic determinants of warfarin maintenance dose and time in therapeutic treatment range : a RE-LY genomics substudy
- 2016
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In: Pharmacogenomics (London). - : Future Medicine Ltd. - 1462-2416 .- 1744-8042. ; 17:13, s. 1425-1439
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aims: We investigated associations between genetic variation in candidate genes and on a genome-wide scale with warfarin maintenance dose, time in therapeutic range (TTR), and risk of major bleeding. Materials & methods: In total, 982 warfarin-treated patients from the RE-LY trial were studied. Results: After adjusting for SNPs in VKORC1 and CYP2C9, SNPs in DDHD1 (rs17126068) and NEDD4 (rs2288344) were associated with dose. Adding these SNPs and CYP4F2 (rs2108622) to a base model increased R-2 by 2.9%. An SNP in ASPH (rs4379440) was associated with TTR (-6.8% per minor allele). VKORC1 was associated with time less than INR 2.0. VKORC1 and CYP2C9 were associated with time more than INR 3.0, but not with major bleeding. Conclusions: We identified two novel genes associated with warfarin maintenance dose and one gene associated with TTR. These genes need to be replicated in an independent cohort.
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| 4. |
- Oldgren, Jonas, et al.
(author)
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Myocardial damage, coagulation activity and the response to thrombin inhibition in unstable coronary artery disease.
- 2004
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In: Thrombosis and haemostasis. - 0340-6245. ; 91:2, s. 381-7
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Unstable coronary artery disease is in most cases associated with plaque rupture, activation of the coagulation system and subsequent intracoronary thrombus formation which may cause myocardial cell damage. The aim of the present analysis was to assess the relation between troponin T, markers of coagulation activity, i.e. prothrombin fragment 1+2, thrombin-antithrombin complex, soluble fibrin and D-dimer, and ischemic events, i.e. death, myocardial (re-)infarction or refractory angina. 320 patients with unstable coronary artery disease were randomized to 72 hours infusion with inogatran, a low molecular weight direct thrombin inhibitor, or unfractionated heparin. Patients with elevated troponin levels had higher levels of prothrombin fragment 1+2, soluble fibrin and D-dimer before, during, and at 24 hours after cessation of anticoagulant treatment. These troponin-positive patients tended to have worse short-term clinical outcome, without relation to markers of coagulation activity. Troponin-negative patients with unchanged or early increased thrombin generation during treatment had a cluster of ischemic events within 24 hours after cessation of the study drug. The 30-day ischemic event rate was 19 % in troponin-negative patients with unchanged or early increased prothrombin fragment 1+2, and 5.7 % in patients with decreased prothrombin fragment 1+2, p=0.006, and similarly 15 % in troponin-negative patients with unchanged or early increased thrombin-antithrombin complex and 4.5 % in patients with decreased thrombin-antithrombin complex, p=0.02. In conclusion, in unstable coronary artery disease a troponin elevation indicates higher risk and higher coagulation activity. However, among the troponin negative patients, with a lower risk and lower coagulation activity, a part of the patients seem to be non-responders to treatment with a thrombin inhibitor expressed as unchanged or raised coagulation activity and a raised risk of ischemic events early after cessation of treatment.
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| 6. |
- Aulin, Julia, et al.
(author)
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Biomarkers and heart failure events in patients with atrial fibrillation in the ARISTOTLE trial evaluated by a multi-state model
- 2022
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In: American Heart Journal. - : Elsevier. - 0002-8703 .- 1097-6744. ; 251, s. 13-24
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BackgroundAtrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) often coexist. We investigated the prognostic impact of biomarkers on the development of HF and death in patients with AF and different left ventricular systolic function considering the influence of competing events.MethodsThe study included 11,818 patients with AF from the ARISTOTLE trial who at entry had information on history of HF, an estimate of left ventricular function and plasma samples for determination of biomarkers representing cardiorenal dysfunction (NT-proBNP, troponin T, cystatin C) and inflammation (GDF-15, IL-6, CRP). Patients were categorized into: (I) HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF, n = 2,048), (II) HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF, n = 2,520), and (III) No HF (n = 7,250). Biomarker associations with HF hospitalization and death were analyzed using a multi-state model accounting also for repeated events.ResultsBaseline levels of NT-proBNP, troponin T, cystatin C, GDF-15, IL-6, and CRP were highest in HFrEF and lowest in No HF. During median 1.9 years follow-up, 546 patients were hospitalized at least once for HF and 819 died. Higher levels of all investigated biomarkers were associated with both outcomes (all P < .0001), with highest event rates in HFrEF and lowest in No HF. The associations remained after adjustments and were more pronounced for first than for recurrent events.ConclusionsIn anticoagulated patients with AF, biomarkers indicating cardiorenal dysfunction and inflammation improve the identification of patients at risk of developing HF or worsening of already existing HF. These biomarkers might be useful for targeting novel HF therapies in patients with AF.
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| 7. |
- Aulin, Julia
(author)
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Biomarkers of inflammation in atrial fibrillation
- 2021
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common and associated with increased risk of stroke, heart failure (HF) and mortality. Inflammation is linked to AF.The overall aim of this thesis was to investigate inflammatory activity and cardiovascular outcomes and mortality in patients with AF on effective oral anticoagulation. Levels of the inflammatory biomarkers interleukin 6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP) and fibrinogen at study entry and serial changes of IL-6 over time were investigated and related to stroke or systemic embolism, mortality and other cardiovascular events, including major bleeding. Associations between IL-6, CRP and biomarkers of cardiorenal dysfunction (NT-proBNP, troponin, GDF-15 and cystatin C) and HF hospitalisation, recurrent HF hospitalisations and mortality, were also investigated in patients with AF stratified for HF symptoms and reduced or preserved ejection fraction.The study populations consisted of patients with AF included in the biomarker substudies of the large multicentre randomised controlled trials RE-LY (n=6,187) and ARISTOTLE (n=14,954) with a median follow-up of 2.0 and 1.9 years, respectively. Repeated IL-6 measurements were available at study entry and at any postbaseline time point at 3, 6 and 12 months in RE-LY (n=2,559), and at study entry and at 2 months in ARISTOTLE (n=4,830). For HF stratification, patients in ARISTOTLE with information on HF symptoms and left ventricular function at study entry and with IL-6, CRP, NT-proBNP, troponin T, GDF-15 and cystatin C available at randomisation (n=11,818) were included.Higher level of IL-6, but not of CRP, was significantly associated with higher risk of mortality in Cox models adjusted for established clinical risk factors and other cardiovascular biomarkers. The level of any of the studied inflammatory biomarkers was not independently associated with any other cardiovascular outcome, including stroke or systemic embolism or major bleeding, in presence of other strong cardiovascular biomarkers. Levels of IL-6 were stable over time and persistent inflammatory activity was associated with increased risk of mortality, independent of clinical risk factors and other prognostic biomarkers. All biomarkers (IL-6, CRP, NT-proBNP, troponin T, GDF-15 and cystatin C) were associated with higher risk of HF hospitalisation and mortality regardless of HF symptoms and reduced or preserved ejection fraction.In conclusion, in anticoagulated patients with AF, higher level of IL-6, but not of CRP, was associated with higher risk of mortality, independent of clinical risk factors and other cardiovascular biomarkers. IL-6 levels were stable over time and provided incremental information on the risk of mortality irrespective of when measured. IL-6 may therefore serve as a risk marker for fatal outcomes. Biomarkers improved the identification of patients with AF at risk of HF in addition to clinical and echocardiography data.
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| 9. |
- Aulin, Julia, et al.
(author)
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Interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein and risk for death and cardiovascular events in patients with atrial fibrillation
- 2015
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In: American Heart Journal. - : Elsevier BV. - 0002-8703 .- 1097-6744. ; 170:6, s. 1151-1160
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background Inflammation has been associated with cardiovascular disease and the burden of atrial fibrillation (AF). In this study we evaluate inflammatory biomarkers and future cardiovascular events in AF patients in the RE-LY study. Methods Interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP) (n = 6,187), and fibrinogen (n = 4,893) were analyzed at randomization; outcomes were evaluated by Cox models and C-statistics. Results Adjusted for clinical risk factors IL-6 was independently associated with stroke or systemic embolism (P =.0041), major bleedings (P =.0001), vascular death (P<.0001), and a composite thromboembolic outcome (ischemic stroke, systemic embolism, myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism and vascular death) (P<.0001). CRP was independently related to myocardial infarction (P =.0047), vascular death (P =.0004), and the composite thromboembolic outcome (P =.0001). When further adjusted for cardiac (troponin andN-terminal fragment B-type natriuretic peptide [NT-proBNP]) and renal (cystatin-C) biomarkers on top of clinical risk factors IL-6 remained significantly related to vascular death (P<.0001), major bleeding (P<.0170) and the composite thromboembolic outcome (P<.0001), and CRP to myocardial infarction (.0104). Fibrinogen was not associated with any outcome. C-index for stroke or systemic embolism increased from 0.615 to 0.642 (P =.0017) when adding IL-6 to the clinically used CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc risk score with net reclassification improvement of 28%. Conclusion In patients with AF, IL-6 is related to higher risk of stroke and major bleeding, and both markers are related to higher risk of vascular death and the composite of thromboembolic events independent of clinical risk factors. Adjustment for cardiovascular biomarkers attenuated the prognostic value, although IL-6 remained related to mortality, the composite of thromboembolic events, and major bleeding, and CRP to myocardial infarction.
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| 10. |
- Aulin, Julia, et al.
(author)
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Serial measurement of interleukin-6 and risk of mortality in anticoagulated patients with atrial fibrillation : Insights from ARISTOTLE and RE-LY trials.
- 2020
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In: Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis. - : Elsevier BV. - 1538-7933 .- 1538-7836. ; 18:9, s. 2287-2295
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The inflammatory biomarker interleukin-6 (IL-6) is associated with mortality in atrial fibrillation (AF).OBJECTIVE: To investigate if repeated IL-6 measurements improve the prognostication for stroke or systemic embolism, major bleeding, and mortality in anticoagulated patients with AF.METHODS: IL-6 levels by ELISA were measured at study entry and at 2 months in 4830 patients in the Apixaban for Reduction in Stroke and Other Thromboembolic Events in Atrial Fibrillation (ARISTOTLE) trial with 1.8 years median follow-up. In the Randomized Evaluation of Long-Term Anticoagulation Therapy (RE-LY) trial, IL-6 was measured at study entry, 3, 6, and 12 months in 2559 patients with 2.0 years median follow-up. Associations between a second IL-6 measurement and outcomes, adjusted for baseline IL-6, clinical variables, and other cardiovascular biomarkers, were analyzed by Cox regression.RESULTS: Median IL-6 levels were 2.0 ng/L (interquartile range [IQR] 1.30-3.20) and 2.10 ng/L (IQR 1.40-3.40) at the two time-points in ARISTOTLE, and, in RE-LY, 2.5 ng/L (IQR 1.6-4.3), 2.5 ng/L (IQR 1.6-4.2), 2.4 ng/L (IQR 1.6, 3.9), and 2.4 ng/L (IQR 1.5, 3.9), respectively. IL-6 was associated with mortality; hazard ratios per 50% higher IL-6 at 2 or 3 months, respectively, were 1.32 (95% confidence interval, 1.23-1.41; P < .0001) in ARISTOTLE, and 1.11 (1.01-1.22, P = .0290) in RE-LY; with improved C index from 0.74 to 0.76 in ARISTOTLE, but not in the smaller RE-LY cohort. There were no consistent associations with second IL-6 and stroke or systemic embolism, or major bleeding.CONCLUSIONS: Persistent systemic inflammatory activity, assessed by repeated IL-6 measurements, is associated with mortality independent of established clinical risk factors and other strong cardiovascular biomarkers in anticoagulated patients with AF.
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