Relationship Between Anticoagulation Intensity and Thrombotic or Bleeding Outcomes Among Outpatients With Continuous-Flow Left Ventricular Assist Devices.

ABSTRACT: We evaluated thrombotic and bleeding outcomes in patients with continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices (CF-LVADs), stratified by anticoagulation intensity. Previous studies of outpatients with CF-LVADs have suggested that target international normalized ratio (INR) values <2.5 (range, 2-3) may be used. However, recent studies reported an increase in pump thrombosis among CF-LVADs, especially within the first 6 months of implant. We retrospectively reviewed 249 outpatients at our center who received a CF-LVAD between January 2005 and August 2013. Using Poisson models, we analyzed their 10 927 INRs to determine INR-specific rates of thrombotic (ischemic stroke and suspected pump thrombosis) and hemorrhagic (gastrointestinal bleeding and hemorrhagic stroke) events occurring outside of

SUBMITTER: Nassif ME 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4860612 | biostudies-literature | 2016 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature