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Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with a risk for cognitive impairment and dementia, which is more pronounced in patients with a history of clinical stroke. Anticoagulation use and efficacy impact long‐term risk of dementia in AF patients in observational trials. Methods: The cognitive decline and dementia in patients with non‐valvular atrial fibrillation (CAF) Trial was a randomized, prospective, open‐label vanguard clinical study with blinded endpoint assessment involving patients with moderate‐ to high‐risk (CHADS2 or CHA2DS2‐Vasc scores of ≥2) non‐valvular AF assigned to dabigatran etexilate or warfarin. The primary endpoint was incident dementia or moderate cognitive decline at 24 months. Results: A total of 101 patients were enrolled [mean age:73.7 ± 6.0 years, male: 54(53.5%)]. Prior stroke and stroke risk factors were similar between groups. Average INR over the study was 2.41 ± 0.68 in the warfarin group. No patient experienced a stroke or developed dementia. Mini‐Mental Status Evaluation, Hachinski Ischemic scale, cognitive subscale of the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale, Disability Assessment for Dementia, Quality of Life Improvement as assessed by Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Scale and the Anti‐Clot Treatment Scale Quality of Life Survey scores did not vary at baseline or change over 2 years. Biomarker analysis indicated a similar efficacy of anticoagulation strategies. Conclusion: Use of dabigatran and well‐managed warfarin therapy were associated with similar risks of stroke, cognitive decline, and dementia at 2 years, suggestive that either strategy is acceptable. The results of this Vanguard study did not support the pursuit of a larger formally powered study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antiplatelet and Warfarin Use and Risk of Dementia in Atrial Fibrillation Patients Background Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) are at higher risk of developing dementia. AF patients treated with warfarin with poor time in therapeutic ranges are significantly more likely to develop dementia. AF patients are also frequently treated with antiplatelet agents due to coexistent vascular disease. We hypothesize that AF patients with anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapies will be at higher risk of dementia, particularly with chronic exposure to over-anticoagulation. Methods Chronically anticoagulated patients receiving warfarin (target INR 2-3) for AF and managed by the Intermountain Healthcare Clinical Pharmacist Anticoagulation Service (CPAS) on concurrent antiplatelet agents with no history of dementia or stroke/TIA were included. The primary outcome was the presence of dementia defined by neurologist determined ICD-9 codes. Percent time with an INR>3.0 was determined and then compared by 3 strata <10% (n = 340), 10-24% (n = 417), ≥25% (n = 235). Multivariable Cox hazard regression was utilized to determine dementia incidence by percent time. Results A total of 992 patients were studied. Patients with an INR>3 more than 25% of the time were 2.40 times more likely to develop dementia (P = 0.04). A comparison between < 10% group and 10-24.9% group with INR>3 indicated no difference in risk for the development of dementia (P = 0.74). The risk was significantly increased in patients using triple antithrombotic therapy, although the number of patients within this group was small. Conclusion In AF patients receiving antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapies, the percent of time exposed to over-anticoagulation increased dementia risk. These data support the possibility of chronic cerebral injury from microbleeds as a mechanism underlying the association of AF and dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suspected deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is difficult to refute without complex diagnostic algorithms and expensive testing. We analysed five d-dimer assays’ utility for exclusion of suspected DVT during a prospective clinical cohort trial, choosing a highly sensitive cut-off value at which to compare the assays. Assays were performed on 436 consecutive patients who were referred with symptoms that suggested a first episode of DVT. Venous thromboembolism (VTE) was defined as positive findings on comprehensive duplex ultrasonography or any episode, or complication of VTE detected during 3 months of clinical follow-up. All five assays were performed in 377 patients. At a highly sensitive cut-off value, all five assays reliably excluded DVT in the study population. While the choice of a highly sensitive cut-off value reduced the specificity of all the assays, the change in specificity differed between tests. Our findings suggest that a second-generation d-dimer assay could be used as a stand-alone test to rule out suspected DVT when a highly sensitive cut-off value is chosen. These findings should be subjected to a prospective management study, as a small reduction in sensitivity from our findings could result in a clinically relevant decrease in negative predictive value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]