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BACKGROUND: In the RE-DUAL PCI trial of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), dabigatran dual therapy (110 or 150 mg bid, plus clopidogrel or ticagrelor) reduced International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis bleeding events compared with warfarin triple therapy, with noninferiority in overall thromboembolic events. This analysis assessed outcomes in relation to patient bleeding and stroke risk profiles, based on the modified HAS-BLED and CHA2DS2-VASc scores.METHODS: The primary endpoint, major bleeding event (MBE) or clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding event (CRNMBE), was compared across study arms in patients categorized by modified HAS-BLED score 0-2 or ≥3. The composite endpoint of death, thromboembolic event, and unplanned revascularization rates was compared in patients categorized by CHA2DS2-VASc score 0-1, 2, or ≥3.RESULTS: Risk of MBE or CRNMBE was lower with dabigatran dual therapy (both doses) versus warfarin triple therapy, irrespective of modified HAS-BLED category (treatment-by-subgroup interaction P-value 0.584 and 0.273 for dabigatran 110 and 150 mg dual therapy, respectively, vs warfarin). Risk of the composite thromboembolic endpoint was similar across CHA2DS2-VASc categories and consistent with overall study results (interaction P-value 0.739 and 0.075 for dabigatran 110 and 150 mg dual therapy, respectively, vs warfarin). Higher HAS-BLED scores were associated with higher risks of bleeding in AF patients after PCI in a treatment-independent analysis.CONCLUSION: Dabigatran dual therapy reduced bleeding events irrespective of bleeding risk category and demonstrated similar efficacy regardless of stroke risk category when compared with warfarin triple therapy.

SummaryDabigatran was non-inferior to warfarin for prevention of recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE), and dabigatran had a lower rate of bleeding compared with warfarin in two large-scale randomised trials, RE-COVER and RE-COVER II. In this study, we investigate the efficacy and safety of dabigatran versus warfarin according to the index event that qualified the patient for enrollment, either symptomatic pulmonary embolism (PE) with or without deep-vein thrombosis (DVT), or DVT alone. We then analyse the anticoagulant effect of dabigatran vs warfarin on patients enrolled with PE. The pooled dataset for the efficacy analysis consisted of 2553 and 2554 patients who were randomised to dabigatran and warfarin, respectively. Recurrent VTE/VTE-related death during the study period and additional 30-day follow-up occurred in 2.7 % of all patients on dabigatran and in 2.4 % on warfarin (hazard ratio [HR] 1.09 [95 % confidence interval 0.77, 1.54]). In patients with PE as their index event, recurrent VTE/VTE-related death occurred in 2.9 % vs 3.1 % of patients (HR 0.93 [0.53, 1.64]). There were significantly fewer major bleeding events in patients treated with dabigatran than with warfarin (HR 0.60 [0.36, 0.99]). The pattern was similar both in patients with PE and in those with DVT alone as the index event. These analyses of the pooled dataset from the RECOVER and RE-COVER II trials indicate that dabigatran is as effective as warfarin in preventing recurrent VTE, regardless of whether patients present with symptomatic PE (with or without DVT) or with symptomatic DVT alone. Dabigatran was also associated with a lower risk of bleeding than warfarin, regardless of the index event.

Background Automatic atrioventricular search hysteresis (AVSH) is designed to reduce the cumulative percentage of potentially deleterious right ventricular apical pacing (VP%) in dual-chamber pacemakers. We investigated whether minimizing VP% by AVSH can, in turn, reduce ventricular wall stretching/stress, as assessed by plasma concentrations of the amino-terminal fragment of the pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). Methods After dual-chamber pacemaker implantation in 81 patients (age: 69 ± 11 years; males: 55.6%), the fixed atrioventricular delay of 225 ms was programmed and AVSH was turned off for 1 month. The patients were thereafter randomly assigned to standard AVSH for 1 month, followed by an enhanced AVSH for another month, or vice versa. At the 1-, 2-, and 3-month follow-ups, VP% values were retrieved from the pacemaker memory, and venous blood samples were taken for NT-proBNP measurements. Results Both standard and enhanced AVSH reduced the median VP% value from 38.5% (for the fixed atrioventricular delay) to 2.1% (P < 0.001). However, plasma NT-proBNP concentrations for the fixed atrioventricular delay (median, 253 pg/mL), standard AVSH (225 pg/mL), and enhanced AVSH (276 pg/mL) did not differ significantly on the intrapatient basis (paired Wilcoxon tests) between any pair of these modalities. Conclusion Minimizing ventricular pacing by AVSH during 1 month had no influence on plasma NT-proBNP levels (i.e., ventricular wall stretching/stress) compared with a constant, moderately prolonged atrioventricular delay.

It is unclear whether thrombophilia causes resistance to anticoagulant therapy. Post hoc analyses of data from RE-COVER®, RE-COVER™ II, and RE-MEDY™ were performed to compare dabigatran etexilate with warfarin for the treatment and prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with thrombophilia or antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS). There were no significant differences in symptomatic VTE/VTE-related deaths between dabigatran etexilate and warfarin in patients with or without thrombophilia. All bleeding event categories were less frequent with dabigatran etexilate than with warfarin, regardless of whether patients had thrombophilia, no thrombophilia, or were not tested. However, these differences did not reach significance in every group. In patients with APS, there was no significant difference in VTE/VTE-related deaths between the two treatment arms. Rates of bleeding events tended to be lower with dabigatran etexilate than with warfarin, reaching statistical significance for any bleeding event. In conclusion, the efficacy and safety of dabigatran etexilate were not significantly affected by the presence of thrombophilia or APS. ClinicalTrials.gov RECOVER Identifier: NCT00291330; RECOVER II Identifier: NCT00680186; RE-MEDY Identifier: NCT00329238

Inflammatory mechanisms are involved in initiation and progression of atherosclerotic lesions. Previous studies demonstrated antiinflammatory and consecutive antiatherosclerotic effects of the adenosine analogue 3-Deazaadenosine (c(3) Ado) on early lesion development. The present study evaluated the effect of long-term administration of c(3) Ado in a mouse model of advanced atherosclerosis. Apolipoprotein E-deficient mice (age, 35 weeks; n = 31) with already established advanced atherosclerotic lesions were fed either a diet supplemented with c Ado or a regular chow diet for 21 weeks. Treatment resulted in a significant reduction of serum homocysteine levels. Lesion size and lesion morphology, such as frequency of intraplaque hemorrhage, size of necrotic cores, thickness of fibrous caps, and macrophage content within the plaque, were not different between the groups. Lesion calcification, expression of alpha-actin, and intercellular adhesion molecule-1, but not vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, were inhibited by treatment with c(3) Ado. We could not detect any effect on serum concentrations of interleukin-10 (IL-10) and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) or on soluble adhesion molecules intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1). Electromobility shift assays of protein extracts isolated from aortas did not demonstrate different binding activities of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and activator protein-1 (AP-1) after treatment with c Ado. Long-term treatment with the adenosine analogue 3-Deazaadenosine did not show significant effects on progression and stability of advanced atherosclerotic lesions in older apolipoprotein E-deficient mice. A potential antiatherosclerotic effect of c(3)Ado (eg, mediated through inhibition of adhesion molecules) might therefore be limited to prevention of early lesion formation and does not seem to play a relevant role in modifying advanced atherosclerotic disease.

Background: Patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (HD) with atrial fibrillation (AF) are at increased risk of ischemic stroke and bleeds. At present, vitamin K antagonists, e.g. warfarin, are predominantly used for anticoagulation in this patient population. In such patients, limited data are available on the use of non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants. Dabigatran etexilate (DE) is mainly (85%) renally eliminated, thus its half-life is prolonged in renal impairment. It has been established that 4-hour HD can remove up to 60% of dabigatran from the plasma. The aim of the presented study is to evaluate the dose-exposure relationship for DE in HD patients considering different dosages and HD modalities by pharmacokinetic modeling. The resulting data could inform DE dose selection in future clinical trials. Method: We compared modeled DE exposure at once- and twice-daily doses of 75 mg, 110 mg, 150 mg in HD patients from pre- and post-dialysis dosing, with values simulated from AF patients in the RE-LY ® trial, based on a previously characterized pharmacometric model. Furthermore, variations in non-renal clearance, and several dialysis settings were simulated. Exposure (area under the curve, AUC) was compared to those from typical clinical HD settings. Results: Twice-daily DE doses showed a 1.5- to 3.3-fold increase in AUC of dabigatran compared with a typical RE-LY ® patient. A once-daily dose of 75 mg given after dialysis or 110 mg given before dialysis achieved an AUC comparable (-13.3 and +4.4%, respectively) to typical RE-LY ® patients. Of the patient and dialysis variables, non-renal clearance had the highest impact on exposure (≤ 31% change). Duration of dialysis, dialysate and blood flow rate changed exposure by ≤14%. Conclusion: Twice-daily dosing of all DE doses tested in this simulation resulted in exposures clearly above what can be seen in typical RE-LY ® patients and thus might not be recommendable, although this is based on modeling only and the clinical impact is unknown. In patients undergoing maintenance HD, DE 75 mg once daily (given after dialysis) or 110 mg once daily (given before dialysis), resulted in exposure comparable to that simulated in typical RE-LY ® patients.

SummaryPatients with atrial fibrillation requiring maintenance haemodialysis are at increased risk of ischaemic stroke and bleeds. Currently, vitamin K antagonists such as warfarin are predominantly used in these patients as limited data are available on the use of non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants, including dabigatran etexilate (dabigatran). Dabigatran is approximately 85 % renally eliminated, thus, its half-life is prolonged in renal impairment. This study simulated the dose-exposure relationship of dabigatran in patients undergoing haemodialysis. Dabigatran exposure was modelled at once- and twice-daily doses of 75 mg, 110 mg and 150 mg and at variations in non-renal clearance and dialysis settings. Resultant dose exposure (area under the curve [AUC]) was compared with values simulated from typical patients in the RE-LY® trial (based on a previously characterised pharmacometric model). In this simulation, all twice-daily dosages resulted in exposures above those simulated from typical RE-LY patients (1.5- to 3.3-fold increase in AUC) and thus may not be optimal for use in haemodialysis patients. However, dabigatran doses of 75 mg or 110 mg once daily produced exposures comparable to those simulated in typical RE-LY patients (-13.3 and +4.4 %, respectively). Of patient and dialysis variables, non-renal clearance had the highest impact on exposure (≤30.8 % change). These data could potentially inform dose selection in patients undergoing maintenance haemodialysis and the findings warrant investigation in future clinical trials.

Aims Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of mortality and morbidity in the world, but the pharmaceutical industry's willingness to invest in this field has declined because of the many challenges involved with bringing new cardiovascular drugs to market, including late-stage failures, escalating regulatory requirements, bureaucracy of the clinical trial business enterprise, and limited patient access after approval. This contrasts with the remaining burden of cardiovascular disease in Europe and in the world. Thus, clinical cardiovascular research needs to adapt to address the impact of these challenges in order to ensure development of new cardiovascular medicines.Methods and results The present paper is the outcome of a two-day workshop held by the Cardiovascular Round Table of the European Society of Cardiology. We propose strategies to improve development of effective new cardiovascular therapies. These can include (i) the use of biomarkers to describe patients who will benefit from new therapies more precisely, achieving better human target validation; (ii) targeted, mechanism-based approaches to drug development for defined populations; (iii) the use of information technology to simplify data collection and follow-up in clinical trials; (iv) streamlining adverse event collection and reducing monitoring; (v) extended patent protection or limited rapid approval of new agents to motivate investment in early phase development; and (vi) collecting data needed for health technology assessment continuously throughout the drug development process (before and after approval) to minimize delays in patient access. Collaboration across industry, academia, regulators, and payers will be necessary to enact change and to unlock the existing potential for cardiovascular clinical drug development.Conclusions A coordinated effort involving academia, regulators, industry, and payors will help to foster better and more effective conduct of clinical cardiovascular trials, supporting earlier availability of innovative therapies and better management of cardiovascular diseases.

SummaryIdarucizumab, a Fab fragment directed against dabigatran, produced rapid and complete reversal of the anticoagulation effect of dabigatran in animals and in healthy volunteers. The Study of the REVERS al E ffects of Idarucizumab in Patients on A ctive D abigatran (RE-VERSE AD™) is a global phase 3 prospective cohort study aimed at investigating idarucizumab in dabigatran-treated patients who present with uncontrollable or life-threatening bleeding, and in those requiring urgent surgery or intervention. We describe the rationale for, and design of the trial (clinicaltrials.gov NCT02104947).

Objective— Inflammatory mechanisms are involved in atherosclerotic plaque rupture and subsequent thrombin formation. Thrombin not only plays a central role in thrombus formation and platelet activation, but also in the induction of inflammatory processes. We assessed the hypothesis that melagatran, a direct thrombin inhibitor, attenuates plaque progression and promotes stability of advanced atherosclerotic lesions. Methods and Results— Melagatran (500 μmol/kg/d) or control diet was administered to apolipoprotein E–deficient mice (n=54) with advanced atherosclerotic lesions. Treatment reduced lesion progression in brachiocephalic arteries ( P P P 2 versus 126 819±51730 μm 2 ; P P P P Conclusions— The direct thrombin inhibitor melagatran reduces lesion size and may promote plaque stability in apolipoprotein E–deficient mice, possibly through reduced activation of proinflammatory transcription factors and reduced synthesis of MMP-9.

OBJECTIVE—Adiponectin is a plasma protein expressed in adipose tissue. Hypoadiponectinemia is associated with low HDL cholesterol and high plasma triglycerides, which also characterize lipoprotein lipase (LPL) deficiency syndromes. Recently, dramatically increased LPL activity was reported in mice overexpressing adiponectin. We therefore speculated that adiponectin may directly affect LPL in humans. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—We measured plasma adiponectin and postheparin LPL in 206 nondiabetic men and in a second group of 110 patients with type 2 diabetes. Parameters were correlated with markers of systemic inflammation (C-reactive protein [CRP]) and insulin resistance (homeostatis model assessment of insulin resistance [HOMA-IR]). RESULTS—Nondiabetic subjects with decreased plasma adiponectin had lower LPL activity (r = 0.42, P < 0.0001). This association of plasma adiponectin with LPL activity was confirmed in the second group of patients with type 2 diabetes (r = 0.37, P < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis revealed that adiponectin was the strongest factor influencing LPL activity, accounting for 23% of the variation in LPL activity in nondiabetic subjects and for 26% of the variation in LPL activity in type 2 diabetic patients. These associations were independent of plasma CRP and HOMA-IR. CONCLUSIONS—These results demonstrate an association of decreased postheparin LPL activity with low plasma adiponectin that is independent of systemic inflammation and insulin resistance. Therefore, LPL may represent a link between low adiponectin levels and dyslipidemia in both nondiabetic individuals and patients with type 2 diabetes.

Angiotensin (Ang) II promotes renal infiltration by immunocompetent cells in double-transgenic rats (dTGRs) harboring both human renin and angiotensinogen genes. To elucidate disease mechanisms, we investigated whether or not dexamethasone (DEXA) immunosuppression ameliorates renal damage. Untreated dTGRs developed hypertension, renal damage, and 50% mortality at 7 weeks. DEXA reduced albuminuria, renal fibrosis, vascular reactive oxygen stress, and prevented mortality, independent of blood pressure. In dTGR kidneys, p22phox immunostaining co-localized with macrophages and partially with T cells. dTGR dendritic cells expressed major histocompatibility complex II and CD86, indicating maturation. DEXA suppressed major histocompatibility complex II+, CD86+, dendritic, and T-cell infiltration. In additional experiments, we treated dTGRs with mycophenolate mofetil to inhibit T- and B-cell proliferation. Reno-protective actions of mycophenolate mofetil and its effect on dendritic and T cells were similar to those obtained with DEXA. We next investigated whether or not Ang II directly promotes dendritic cell maturation in vitro. Ang II did not alter CD80, CD83, and MHC II expression, but increased CCR7 expression and cell migration. To explore the role of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha on dendritic cell maturation in vivo, we treated dTGRs with the soluble TNF-alpha receptor etanercept. This treatment had no effect on blood pressure, but decreased albuminuria, nuclear factor-kappaB activation, and infiltration of all immunocompetent cells. These data suggest that immunosuppression prevents dendritic cell maturation and T-cell infiltration in a nonimmune model of Ang II-induced renal damage. Ang II induces dendritic migration directly, whereas in vivo TNF-alpha is involved in dendritic cell infiltration and maturation. Thus, Ang II may initiate events leading to innate and acquired immune response.

Numerous studies have found polymorphisms in the lipoprotein lipase (LPL) gene to be associated with the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD), implicating LPL in the development of atherothrombotic disease. It remains controversial, however, whether LPL acts in a pro- or anti-atherogenic fashion. We quantitated activity and concentration of LPL in post-heparin plasma from 194 male patients undergoing coronary angiography. HDL cholesterol was significantly associated with LPL activity quartiles (1.09+/-0.26 the highest vs. 0.96+/-0.25 mmol/l the lowest quartile, P0.01). There was also a trend towards higher total (5.61+/-1.33 vs. 5.16+/-1.44 mmol/l, P=0.059) and LDL cholesterol (3.92+/-1.39 vs. 3.46+/-1.06 mmol/l, P=0.09) with higher LPL activity. In contrast, measures of CAD extent showed no differences between LPL quartiles (P0.30 for prior myocardial infarction, number of diseased vessels, Gensini and extent scores). Additionally, there was no difference in LPL activity (CAD: n=158, 168+/-70 nmol/ml/min, no CAD: n=36, 180+/-89 nmol/ml/min, P=0.47) or concentration (280+/-121 ng/ml and 288+/-111 ng/ml, P=0.72) between patients with and without CAD. Our data show that, in spite of an association with lipoprotein parameters, LPL in post-heparin plasma is unrelated to the presence or the extent of CAD. Therefore, lipoprotein lipase determination in plasma does not appear to be a useful marker in the assessment of CAD risk.

To the Editor: Several risk factors for the development of coronary artery disease (CAD) have been identified, correlating with the incidence and progression of atherosclerotic disease. Low adiponectin, an adipocytokine, appears to be a clinically important mediator of atherosclerosis. Thus

Automatic atrioventricular search hysteresis (AVSH) is designed to reduce the cumulative percentage of potentially deleterious right ventricular apical pacing (VP%) in dual-chamber pacemakers. We investigated whether minimizing VP% by AVSH can, in turn, reduce ventricular wall stretching/stress, as assessed by plasma concentrations of the amino-terminal fragment of the pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP).After dual-chamber pacemaker implantation in 81 patients (age: 69 ± 11 years; males: 55.6%), the fixed atrioventricular delay of 225 ms was programmed and AVSH was turned off for 1 month. The patients were thereafter randomly assigned to standard AVSH for 1 month, followed by an enhanced AVSH for another month, or vice versa. At the 1-, 2-, and 3-month follow-ups, VP% values were retrieved from the pacemaker memory, and venous blood samples were taken for NT-proBNP measurements.Both standard and enhanced AVSH reduced the median VP% value from 38.5% (for the fixed atrioventricular delay) to 2.1% (P0.001). However, plasma NT-proBNP concentrations for the fixed atrioventricular delay (median, 253 pg/mL), standard AVSH (225 pg/mL), and enhanced AVSH (276 pg/mL) did not differ significantly on the intrapatient basis (paired Wilcoxon tests) between any pair of these modalities.Minimizing ventricular pacing by AVSH during 1 month had no influence on plasma NT-proBNP levels (i.e., ventricular wall stretching/stress) compared with a constant, moderately prolonged atrioventricular delay.

In recent years, transcatheter aortic valve implantation has become an emerging alternative for high-risk patients with severe aortic stenosis. Midterm outcomes compare favorably with conventional open heart surgery in selected patients. A promising new indication in this technology could be the interventional treatment of degenerated bioprostheses. Here, we report about a “valve in valve” implantation of the CoreValve prosthesis (Medtronic, Inc; Minneapolis, Minn) in a degenerative, Epic stented biological prosthesis (St Jude Medical; St Paul, Minn) in a patient with acute aortic regurgitation. A male patient aged 79 years with previous surgical valve replacement 5 years ago was admitted to the hospital with acute dyspnea (New York Heart Association class III to IV). At physical examination, a diastolic murmur (grade 4) and a blood pressure of 130/50 mm Hg were noted. Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography showed degeneration of the 23-mm Epic stented bioprosthesis with severe central aortic regurgitation …

We have recently shown that 3-deazaadenosine (c3Ado) inhibits atherogenesis in mice. We studied whether its anti-inflammatory capacity would also affect neointima-formation after balloon injury. Sprague Dawley rats underwent balloon angioplasty. C3Ado was administered orally, starting 5 days prior to the balloon injury and continued for 2 weeks. Fourteen days after balloon injury the intima/media ratio in the c3Ado-treated group was reduced by 67% (p

Adiponectin is a plasma protein expressed in adipose tissue. Hypoadiponectinemia is associated with low HDL cholesterol and high plasma triglycerides, which also characterize lipoprotein lipase (LPL) deficiency syndromes. Recently, dramatically increased LPL activity was reported in mice overexpressing adiponectin. We therefore speculated that adiponectin may directly affect LPL in humans.We measured plasma adiponectin and postheparin LPL in 206 nondiabetic men and in a second group of 110 patients with type 2 diabetes. Parameters were correlated with markers of systemic inflammation (C-reactive protein [CRP]) and insulin resistance (homeostatis model assessment of insulin resistance [HOMA-IR]).Nondiabetic subjects with decreased plasma adiponectin had lower LPL activity (r=0.42, P0.0001). This association of plasma adiponectin with LPL activity was confirmed in the second group of patients with type 2 diabetes (r=0.37, P0.0001). Multivariate analysis revealed that adiponectin was the strongest factor influencing LPL activity, accounting for 23% of the variation in LPL activity in nondiabetic subjects and for 26% of the variation in LPL activity in type 2 diabetic patients. These associations were independent of plasma CRP and HOMA-IR.These results demonstrate an association of decreased postheparin LPL activity with low plasma adiponectin that is independent of systemic inflammation and insulin resistance. Therefore, LPL may represent a link between low adiponectin levels and dyslipidemia in both nondiabetic individuals and patients with type 2 diabetes.

Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) plays a key role in lipid metabolism by hydrolyzing triglycerides in circulating lipoproteins. Low LPL activity has been linked to coronary artery disease (CAD), but the factors influencing LPL expression are not completely understood. Peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor (PPAR)-γ is a nuclear receptor regulating lipid and glucose metabolism, and a PPAR-responsive element is present in the LPL promoter. We determined the Pro12Ala polymorphism in the PPAR-γ2 gene in 194 male CAD patients because this allele is associated with decreased PPAR activity and reduced LPL promoter activity in vitro. Presence of 12Ala was associated with 20% lower LPL activity in postheparin plasma (141 ± 58 vs. 177 ± 77 nmol · ml−1 · min−1, P < 0.005). Remarkably, the influence of 12Ala on LPL was greater than that of the frequent polymorphisms (HindIII +9%, PvuII ±0%, 447stop +12%) in the LPL gene itself. To confirm these results in a different group of patients, we analyzed 100 diabetic patients in whom the 12Ala allele was also associated with lower LPL activity (12Ala: 132 ± 88 vs. 190 ± 129 nmol · ml−1 · min−1, P < 0.05). Our data demonstrate that the Pro12Ala substitution in PPAR-γ2 is associated with lower LPL activity in vivo and provides a new target for the analysis of genetic influences on LPL activity and CAD risk.

[Graphic][1] Background: The double-blind, parallel-group, noninferiorityRE-MEDY™ study comparing the direct oral thrombin inhibitor dabigatran etexilate to warfarin in the prevention of secondary venous thromboembolism (VTE) showed non-inferiority of dabigatran to warfarin in both hazard ratio (HR) and risk difference for recurrent symptomatic VTE and related deaths. The benefit-risk balance of dabigatran compared to warfarin in secondary VTE prevention can be further explored by evaluating the net clinical benefit (NCB). Methods: Patients with a diagnosis of VTE received dabigatran 150 mg twice daily (n = 1430), or warfarin adjusted to maintain an international normalized ratio (INR) of 2.0–3.0 (n = 1426), for an additional period of 6–36 months after 3–12 months of anticoagulant therapy. NCB in the RE-MEDY™ study was evaluated narrowly by (1) analyzing nonfatal recurrent VTE, nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI), nonfatal stroke, nonfatal systemic embolism, all-cause death, and major bleeding events (MBEs), and broadly by (2) including clinically relevant bleeding events (CRBEs). The latter is considered more applicable to real-world clinical practice. NCB was also assessed by center time in therapeutic range (cTTR – the mean TTR of all warfarin patients in each center). Results: The narrow NCB (1) was similar between dabigatran and warfarin (HR 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.75–1.46). For the broader NCB (2), a statistically significant difference was evident favoring dabigatran over warfarin (HR 0.73, 95% CI: 0.59–0.91). Stratification of the NCB by cTTR quintiles demonstrated that the positive benefit of dabigatran over warfarin was preserved when comparing to warfarin patients with a good INR control. Conclusion: In the assessment of real-world net clinical benefit in the prevention of secondary VTE, dabigatran was superior to warfarin, irrespective of INR control in the warfarin patients. | | Dabigatran (N=1430) n (%) | Warfarin (N=1426) n (%) | HR (95% CI) | p value for superiority | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | ------------------------------- | ----------------- | ----------------------- | | Narrow: Composite cardiovascular endpoint* and MBEs (NCB 1) | 72 (5.0) | 69 (4.8) | 1.05 (0.75–1.46) | 0.7818 | | Broad: Composite cardiovascular endpoint*, MBEs and CRBEs (NCB 2) | 136 (9.5) | 183 (12.8) | 0.73 (0.59, 0.91) | 0.0058 | Table. Net clinical benefit for dabigatran versus warfarin in pooled analyses of RE-MEDY™ * Nonfatal recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE), nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI), nonfatal stroke, nonfatal systemic embolism, all-cause death. Disclosures Schulman: Boehringer Ingelheim: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Bayer HealthCare: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Eriksson: Boehringer Ingelheim: Consultancy; BMS: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy. Kakkar: Boehringer Ingelheim: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Daiichi: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Bayer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Sanofi: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Eisai: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Kearon: Bayer Healthcare: Consultancy; Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada): Consultancy. Schellong: Boehringer Ingelheim: advisory boards Other, Consultancy, Honoraria; Bayer Healthcare: advisory boards, advisory boards Other, Consultancy, Honoraria; Daiichi Sankyo: advisory boards, advisory boards Other, Honoraria; BMS/Pfizer: Honoraria. Feuring: Boehringer Ingelheim: Employment. Hantel: Boehringer Ingelheim: Employment. Kreuzer: Boehringer Ingelheim: Employment. Goldhaber: Boehringer Ingelheim: Consultancy; Daiichi: Consultancy, Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy; Merck: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy; Portola: Consultancy; Sanofi-Aventis: Consultancy. [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-2.gif

Background: In the RE-COVER™ and RE-COVER™ II trials, dabigatran etexilate (DE) was as effective as warfarin (W) for prevention of recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with acute VTE, and was associated with a lower risk of bleeding. Objectives: Older patients and patients with renal impairment may be at greater risk of bleeding and/or VTE. In this post-hoc analysis of the pooled dataset from RE-COVER™ and RE-COVER™ II, we assessed rates of VTE recurrence and bleeding with DE and W in patients below and above 75 years according to renal function (normal, or mildly or moderately impaired). Methods: Patients with acute VTE, initially on parenteral anticoagulation, were randomized to either W (started in parallel; international normalized ratio range 2.0‒3.0) or DE 150 mg twice daily for 6 months. Primary efficacy outcome was recurrent, symptomatic VTE/VTE-related death from randomization to the end of the prespecified post-treatment follow-up. Safety outcomes included centrally adjudicated major bleeding events (MBEs), the composite of MBEs or clinically relevant non-major bleeding events (MBEs/CRBEs), and any bleeds from the start of the double-dummy period (treatment with oral DE or W alone) to the end of the 6-month period. Patients with creatinine clearance (CrCL) ≤ 30 mL/min (hence not meeting inclusion criteria) were excluded from this analysis. Results: In all patients aged < 75 years, recurrent VTE/VTE-related death occurred in 65/2241 (2.9%) and 52/2218 (2.3%) patients with DE and W, respectively. In the analysis by renal function, event rates for DE vs W in subgroups with CrCL ≥ 80 (normal), 50–< 80 (mild renal dysfunction), and 30–< 50 mL/min (moderate renal dysfunction), respectively, were 3.1% (57/1828) vs 2.5% (45/1780), 2.1% (8/381) vs 1.5% (6/403), and 0% (0/32) vs 2.9% (1/35). In all patients aged ≥ 75 years, recurrent VTE/VTE-related death occurred in 3/272 (1.1%) and 10/304 (3.3%) patients with DE and W, respectively. Event rates for DE vs W in the normal, mild and moderate renal dysfunction subgroups, respectively, were 3.1% (1/32) vs 5.2% (3/58), 1.3% (2/158) vs 1.9% (3/158), and 0% (0/82) vs 4.5% (4/88). For the safety endpoints, in all patients aged < 75 years, MBEs occurred in (DE vs W, respectively) 16/2169 (0.7%) vs 29/2146 (1.4%) patients, MBEs/CRBEs in 87/2169 (4.0%) vs 153/2146 (7.1%) patients, and any bleeding in 303/2169 (14.0%) vs 430/2146 (20.0%) patients. The table shows event rates by renal function; bleeding rates in this age group were numerically lower for DE than W across all categories of renal function, except for rates of MBEs in patients with moderate dysfunction (6.7% vs 6.5%). Among the older patient group, bleeding event rates for DE vs W were 8/252 (3.2%) vs 11/287 (3.8%) for MBEs, 21/252 (7.9%) vs 35/287 (12.2%) for MBEs/CRBEs, and 48/252 (18.3%) vs 68/287 (23.0%) for any bleeding. The table shows event rates by renal function; the incidences of bleeding were numerically lower for DE vs W across all categories of renal function in older patients, except for MBEs (5.3% vs 3.6%) and MBEs/CRBEs (11.8% vs 9.6%) in the subgroup with moderate renal dysfunction. TablePatientsMBEsPatients, n/N (%)MBEs/CRBEsPatients, n/N (%)Any bleedsPatients, n/N (%)Age(year)CrCL (mL/min)DEWDEWDEW< 7530‒< 502/30 (6.7)2/31 (6.5)3/30 (10.0)4/31 (12.9)6/30 (20.0)8/31 (25.8)50‒< 805/359 (1.4)10/387 (2.6)26/359 (7.2)43/387 (11.1)70/359 (19.5)90/387 (23.3)≥ 809/1780 (0.5)17/1728 (1.0)58/1780 (3.3)106/1728 (6.1)227/1780 (12.8)332/1728 (19.2)≥ 7530‒< 504/76 (5.3)3/83 (3.6)9/76 (11.8)8/83 (9.6)15/76 (19.7)21/83 (25.3)50‒< 804/145 (2.8)6/149 (4.0)10/145 (6.9)23/149 (15.4)27/145 (18.6)35/149 (23.5)≥ 800/31 (0.0)2/55 (3.6)1/31 (3.2)4/55 (7.3)4/31 (12.9 )10/55 (18.2) Conclusions: In DE-treated patients, no increase in VTE recurrence was apparent for older (≥ 75 years) vs younger (< 75 years) patients. Recurrent VTE rates decreased with declining renal function. Bleeding events increased with declining renal function in both age groups irrespective of treatment, but in most subgroups were numerically less frequent with DE than with W. Disclosures Schulman: Boehringer Ingelheim: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Bayer HealthCare: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Eriksson:Boehringer Ingelheim: Consultancy; BMS: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy. Kakkar:Boehringer Ingelheim: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Daiichi: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Bayer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Sanofi: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Eisai: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Kearon:Bayer Healthcare: Consultancy; Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada): Consultancy. Schellong:Daiichi Sankyo: advisory boards, advisory boards Other, Honoraria; Bayer Healthcare: advisory boards, advisory boards Other, Consultancy, Honoraria; BMS/Pfizer: Honoraria; Boehringer Ingelheim: advisory boards Other, Consultancy, Honoraria. Feuring:Boehringer Ingelheim: Employment. Hantel:Boehringer Ingelheim: Employment. Kreuzer:Boehringer Ingelheim: Employment. Goldhaber:Boehringer Ingelheim: Consultancy; Daiichi: Consultancy, Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy; Merck: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy; Portola: Consultancy; Sanofi-Aventis: Consultancy.

[Graphic][1] Background: Dabigatran etexilate (DE) was noninferior to warfarin for the prevention of recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE), with a lower risk of bleeding, when administered as extended treatment for VTE in the RE-MEDY™ study (in which we evaluated long-term extension of treatment with dabigatran compared with warfarin). Objectives: Thrombophilia is a major risk factor for VTE recurrence. Therefore, we performed a post-hoc subgroup analysis on data from RE-MEDY™ to investigate the efficacy of DE versus warfarin in patients with and without thrombophilia (congenital or acquired) at baseline. Methods: Patients were aged ≥ 18 years and had objectively-confirmed, symptomatic, proximal deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism (PE) that had been treated with an approved anticoagulant for 3–12 months, or with DE in one of two clinical trials of treatment for acute VTE (RE-COVER™ or RE-COVER™ II). Eligible patients were those at increased risk for recurrent VTE. Patients were randomly allocated to receive DE 150 mg twice daily or warfarin (international normalized ratio range 2.0–3.0) for 6–36 months. The primary efficacy outcome was recurrent, symptomatic, objectively-confirmed VTE or VTE-related death from randomization up to the end of the planned treatment period (6–36 months). No thrombophilia workup was required for enrollment in the trial. Results: Overall, 262/1430 (18.3%) patients randomized to DE and 263/1426 (18.4%) randomized to warfarin had thrombophilia identified at baseline. Factor V Leiden thrombophilia was the most common type (Table). The frequencies of VTE/VTE-related deaths, and of PE, in patients with and without thrombophilia are shown in the Table. Treatment efficacy (DE versus warfarin) was not significantly affected by the presence of thrombophilia. | | DE (n = 1430) | Warfarin (n = 1426) | || | Thrombophilia, n (%) | | | | No | 433 (30.3) | 407 (28.5) | | Yes | 262 (18.3) | 263 (18.4) | | Factor V Leiden | 131 (9.2) | 137 (9.6) | | Prothrombin mutation | 35 (2.4) | 28 (2.0) | | Antithrombin deficiency | 11 (0.8) | 11 (0.8) | | Protein C/S deficiencies | 25 (1.7) | 29 (2.0) | | Antiphospholipid antibodies and/or lupus anticoagulants | 38 (2.7) | 54 (3.8) | | Not tested | 735 (51.4) | 756 (53.0) | | | VTE/VTE-related deaths, n/N (%) | Pulmonary embolism, n/N (%) | | | DE | Warfarin | DE | Warfarin | | Thrombophilia | | | | | | No | 10/433 (2.3) | 3/407 (0.7) | 3/433 (0.7) | 1/407 (0.2) | | Yes | 4/262 (1.5) | 6/263 (2.3) | 3/262 (1.1) | 2/263 (0.8) | | Not tested | 12/735 (1.6) | 9/756 (1.2) | 4/735 (0.5) | 2/756 (0.3) | | Total study population: Hazard ratio (DE vs warfarin) (95% confidence interval) | 1.43 (0.78, 2.61) | 1.97 (0.67, 5.76) | | Treatment (DE vs warfarin) by thrombophilia interaction | p = 0.2277 | p = 0.9003 | | p-value from Chi-square test for overall factor effect. Full analysis set. | Table Conclusions: The frequencies of VTE/VTE-related death, and of PE, were similar for DE and warfarin in patients with thrombophilia who were receiving extended treatment for VTE. Treatment efficacy was not affected by the presence of thrombophilia. Disclosures Schulman: Boehringer Ingelheim: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Bayer HealthCare: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Eriksson: Boehringer Ingelheim: Consultancy; BMS: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy. Goldhaber: Boehringer Ingelheim: Consultancy; Daiichi: Consultancy, Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy; Merck: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy; Portola: Consultancy; Sanofi-Aventis: Consultancy. Kakkar: Boehringer Ingelheim: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Daiichi: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Bayer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Sanofi: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Eisai: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Kearon: Bayer Healthcare: Consultancy; Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada): Consultancy. Schellong: Boehringer Ingelheim: advisory boards Other, Consultancy, Honoraria; Bayer Healthcare: advisory boards, advisory boards Other, Consultancy, Honoraria; Daiichi Sankyo: advisory boards, advisory boards Other, Honoraria; BMS/Pfizer: Honoraria. Feuring: Boehringer Ingelheim: Employment. Friedman: Boehringer Ingelheim: Consultancy. Kreuzer: Boehringer Ingelheim: Employment. [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-2.gif

Background — The crucial function of hepatic lipase (HL) in lipid metabolism has been well established, but the relationship between HL activity and coronary artery disease (CAD) is disputed. Methods and Results — We measured HL activity in the postheparin plasma of 200 consecutive men undergoing elective coronary angiography and determined the degree of CAD with the extent score, which has been shown to be better correlated with known risk factors than other measures of CAD extent. We found a significant inverse correlation between HL activity and the extent of CAD ( r =−0.19, P 0.96 mmol/L (n=94, r =−0.30, P −1 · min −1 , P r =0.30, P P P =0.01). Conclusions — Our data show that low HL activity is associated with CAD. Therefore, HL might be useful for CAD risk estimation and might be a target for pharmacological intervention.

Background In the RE-COVER and RE-COVER II trials, a fixed dose of dabigatran etexilate was as effective as warfarin for prevention of recurrent VTE and was associated with a lower risk of bleeding. It is not known whether this efficacy and difference in bleeding rates is maintained in older patients. Objectives Older patients may be at greater risk of bleeding and/or VTE. Therefore, we performed a subgroup analysis on the pooled RE-COVER and RE-COVER II trial results to investigate the efficacy and safety of dabigatran versus warfarin for the treatment of acute VTE according to age. Methods Patients with acute VTE received parenteral anticoagulation and were randomized to the addition of warfarin or warfarin-placebo for at least 5 days until the international normalized ratio (INR) was ≥ 2 at two consecutive measurements. This was followed (on discontinuation of parenteral therapy) by continued warfarin (target INR range 2.0–3.0) or dabigatran 150 mg twice daily (double dummy; “oral only” treatment period) for 6 months. Outcomes were centrally adjudicated. The primary efficacy outcome was recurrent, symptomatic, objectively confirmed VTE or VTE-related death from randomization (i.e., start of parenteral therapy plus either warfarin or warfarin-placebo) up to the end of the prespecified post-treatment follow-up. Major bleeding events (MBEs), the composite of MBEs or clinically relevant non-major bleeding events (CRBEs), and any bleeds were counted from the start of the double-dummy period (treatment with oral dabigatran or warfarin alone) up to the end of the 6-month study period. Thus, the safety analysis excludes events associated with parenteral therapy either in combination with warfarin or with warfarin-placebo prior to commencing dabigatran treatment; it therefore compares dabigatran with warfarin at its full pharmacological potential. Results Of 2553 patients randomized to dabigatran, 68 (2.7%) had recurrent VTE or VTE-related death compared with 62 (2.4%) of 2554 patients randomized to warfarin; hazard ratio (HR) 1.09 (95% CI 0.77, 1.54). The incidences of the primary efficacy outcome (dabigatran vs warfarin) by age group were 3.0% (53/1769) versus 2.4% (42/1748) for patients < 65, 2.3% (12/531) versus 2.5% (13/530) for patients 65–75, and 1.2% (3/253) versus 2.5% (7/276) for patients > 75 years; and in a second age-group comparison were 2.8% (67/2418) vs 2.3% (57/2429) for patients < 80 and 0.7% (1/135) versus 4.0% (5/125) for patients ≥ 80 years. Cox regression analysis showed no statistically significant interaction, indicating that there are similar treatment effects across age groups. MBEs were significantly less frequent with dabigatran than with warfarin overall (HR 0.60; 95% CI 0.36, 0.99). Incidences by age group are shown in the Table. MBE/CRBE incidence was also significantly lower with dabigatran versus warfarin overall (HR 0.56; 95% CI 0.45, 0.71). The Table shows event rates for each age group. Similarly, any bleeding events were significantly less frequent with dabigatran than with warfarin overall. There was no significant treatment-by-age interaction for MBEs or MBEs/CRBEs or any bleeds in either analysis. Conclusions No differences in recurrent VTE or efficacy were apparent across the age groups. Bleeding events increased with increasing age but numerically were similar or lower with dabigatran than with warfarin regardless of age. The results suggest there is no need for dose adjustment of dabigatran according to age for the treatment of VTE. Disclosures: Schulman: Bayer Healthcare: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Boehringer Ingelheim: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Off Label Use: Dabigatran etexilate is an oral direct thrombin inhibitor approved for the prevention of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation and (outside the US) for prevention of venous thromboembolism in patients undergoing total hip or knee replacement. This presentation includes discussion of the following off-label use of dabigatran: treatment of venous thromboembolism. Eriksson:Boehringer Ingelheim: Consultancy; BMS: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy. Goldhaber:Boehringer Ingelheim: Consultancy; Daiichi: Consultancy, Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy; Merck: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy; Portola: Consultancy; Sanofi-Aventis: Consultancy. Kakkar:Boehringer Ingelheim: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Daiichi: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Bayer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Sanofi: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Eisai Inc: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Kearon:Bayer Healthcare Inc. : Consultancy; Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd./Ltée : Consultancy. Schellong:Boehringer Ingelheim: Advisory Boards Other, Consultancy, Honoraria; Bayer Healthcare: Advisory Boards, Advisory Boards Other, Consultancy, Honoraria; BMS/Pfizer: Honoraria; Daiichi Sankyo: Advisory Boards, Advisory Boards Other, Honoraria. Kreuzer:Boehringer Ingelheim: Employment. Peter:Boehringer Ingelheim: Employment. Friedman:Boehringer Ingelheim: Employment.