Oral anti-coagulants use in Chinese hospitalized patients with atrial fibrillation / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#Oral anti-coagulants (OAC) are the intervention for the prevention of stroke, which consistently improve clinical outcomes and survival among patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The main purpose of this study is to identify problems in OAC utilization among hospitalized patients with AF in China.@*METHODS@#Using data from the Improving Care for Cardiovascular Disease in China-Atrial Fibrillation (CCC-AF) registry, guideline-recommended OAC use in eligible patients was assessed.@*RESULTS@#A total of 52,530 patients with non-valvular AF were enrolled from February 2015 to December 2019, of whom 38,203 were at a high risk of stroke, 9717 were at a moderate risk, and 4610 were at a low risk. On admission, only 20.0% (6075/30,420) of patients with a diagnosed AF and a high risk of stroke were taking OAC. The use of pre-hospital OAC on admission was associated with a lower risk of new-onset ischemic stroke/transient ischemic attack among the diagnosed AF population (adjusted odds ratio: 0.54, 95% confidence interval: 0.43-0.68; P  <0.001). At discharge, the prescription rate of OAC was 45.2% (16,757/37,087) in eligible patients with high stroke risk and 60.7% (2778/4578) in eligible patients with low stroke risk. OAC utilization in patients with high stroke risk on admission or at discharge both increased largely over time (all P  <0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that OAC utilization at discharge was positively associated with in-hospital rhythm control strategies, including catheter ablation (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 11.63, 95% confidence interval [CI] 10.04-13.47; P <0.001), electronic cardioversion (adjusted OR 2.41, 95% CI 1.65-3.51; P <0.001), and anti-arrhythmic drug use (adjusted OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.38-1.53; P <0.001).@*CONCLUSIONS@#In hospitals participated in the CCC-AF project, >70% of AF patients were at a high risk of stroke. Although poor performance on guideline-recommended OAC use was found in this study, over time the CCC-AF project has made progress in stroke prevention in the Chinese AF population.Registration:ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02309398.

Genetically predicted waist circumference and risk of atrial fibrillation / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

INTRODUCTION@#Observational studies have revealed an association between waist circumference (WC) and atrial fibrillation (AF). However, it is difficult to infer a causal relationship from observational studies because the observed associations could be confounded by unknown risk factors. Therefore, the causal role of WC in AF is unclear. This study was designed to investigate the causal association between WC and AF using a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.@*METHODS@#In our two-sample MR analysis, the genetic variation used as an instrumental variable for MR was acquired from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of WC (42 single nucleotide polymorphisms with a genetic significance of P <5 × 10 -8 ). The data of WC (from the Genetic Investigation of ANthropometric Traits consortium, containing 232,101 participants) and the data of AF (from the European Bioinformatics Institute database, containing 55,114 AF cases and 482,295 controls) were used to assess the causal role of WC on AF. Three different approaches (inverse variance weighted [IVW], MR-Egger, and weighted median regression) were used to ensure that our results more reliable.@*RESULTS@#All three MR analyses provided evidence of a positive causal association between high WC and AF. High WC was suggested to increase the risk of AF based on the IVW method (odds ratio [OR] = 1.43, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.30-1.58, P = 2.51 × 10 -13 ). The results of MR-Egger and weighted median regression exhibited similar trends (MR-Egger OR = 1.40 [95% CI, 1.08-1.81], P = 1.61 × 10 -2 ; weighted median OR = 1.39 [95% CI, 1.21-1.61], P = 1.62 × 10 -6 ). MR-Egger intercepts and funnel plots showed no directional pleiotropic effects between high WC and AF.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Our findings suggest that greater WC is associated with an increased risk of AF. Taking measures to reduce WC may help prevent the occurrence of AF.

Prognostic impact of Atrial Fibrillation Pattern and other Clinical Biomarkers in patients with stroke admitted in a Tertiary Hospital in Cebu City from 2015-2022

Background@#The effect of atrial fibrillation (AF) patterns and clinical biomarkers among patients with AF-related stroke is still controversial. @*Objectives@#The objective of this study is to determine the association of the pattern of AF and markers on routine blood tests with the outcome of patients after an AF-related stroke. @*Methods@#This is a retrospective cohort study of patients with stroke and AF admitted in a tertiary hospital in Cebu City from 2015-2022. Patients’ baseline characteristics, laboratory tests, ECG, and radiologic data were collected. Descriptive statistics such as mean and frequency were computed. The Kaplan–Meier method and the log-rank test were used to calculate the incidence time. The Cox regression analysis was used to determine factors associated with survival. A stepwise regression technique was used in model building. @*Results@#The mortality rate of patients with AF-related stroke was 0.02. A Kaplan Meier survival estimate shows that patients with paroxysmal AF have better survival. Upon model building of variables, age, red cell distribution width (RDW), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet count, low density lipid cholesterol (LDL-C), and pattern of AF were predictive of mortality in patients with AF-related stroke. @*Conclusions@#Among AF-related stroke patients admitted at a tertiary hospital in Cebu City, pattern of AF, age, RDW, NLR, platelet count, and LDL-C were associated with mortality. The parameters associated with increased mortality could be easily assessed using an ECG, CBC, and lipid profile. These are all readily available and cost-efficient.

Primera colocación del dispositivo AMPLATZER™, Amulet™ para cierre de orejuela en Costa Rica utilizando Heart Navigator / First placement of the AMPLATZER™ Amulet™ device for appendage closure in Costa Rica using Heart Navigator

RESUMEN El cierre de la orejuela izquierda mediante un dispositivo facilita la prevención de un accidente cerebrovascular en pacientes con antecedente de fibrilación auricular no valvular y contraindicación para el uso de medicamentos anticoagulantes. Este artículo presenta dos casos de pacientes con historia de fibrilación auricular en el Hospital Calderón Guardia, ambos con el antecedente de sangrado digestivo y contraindicación para la anticoagulación, en los que se logró el cierre de la orejuela izquierda mediante la colocación exitosa del dispositivo AmuletTM, utilizando TAC y Heart Navigator, técnicas de imagen que se están convirtiendo en el estándar de oro de muchos centros internacionales de referencia en cardiología intervencionista.

ABSTRACT Closure of the left atrial appendage with a device facilitates the prevention of stroke in patients with a history of nonvalvular atrial fibrillation and a contraindication to the use of anticoagulant medications. This article presents two cases of patients with a history of atrial fibrillation at the Calderón Guardia Hospital, both with a history of digestive bleeding and contraindication to anticoagulation, in whom closure of the left atrial appendage was achieved through successful placement of the AmuletTM device, using CT and Heart Navigator, imaging techniques that are becoming the gold standard in many international reference centers in interventional cardiology.

Tratamiento farmacológico para tromboembolismo pulmonar dirigido a pacientes con fibrilación auricular / Pharmacologic treatment for pulmonary thromboembolism in patients with atrial fibrillation / Tratamento farmacológico para tromboembolismo pulmonar em pacientes com fibrilação atrial

La fibrilación auricular es una de las arritmias cardiacas más frecuentes. Afecta a 1 de cada 200 personas de entre 40 y 50 años de edad, pero puede llegar a afectar a más de 1 de cada 10 personas de 80 años. Objetivo. Proponer una guía de tratamiento farmacológico para evitar el tromboembolismo pulmonar en pacientes con fibrilación auricular con respuesta ventricular. Materiales y métodos. Los métodos utilizados fueron de nivel teórico como histórico lógico, modelación, hipotético- deductivo, dialectico, holístico-holográfico y sistémico estructural- funcional. Como métodos empíricos. se aplicaron la revisión de documentos guías, historias clínicas, encuestas a médicos y farmacéuticas, también se realizó la observación científica, los resultados se reflejaron la revisión de las historias clínicas de los 38 pacientes con diagnóstico de fibrilación auricular crónica. Resultados. Se representa el tipo de tratamiento con un predominio de 24 pacientes que toman anticoagulantes (63,16%), los pacientes en su mayoría no estaban anti coagulados, pacientes anti coagulados (34,62%), además se elaboró la propuesta de una guía de tratamiento farmacológico para evitar el tromboembolismo pulmonar en pacientes con fibrilación auricular con respuesta ventricular rápida, de acuerdo a los estándares internacionales para para prevenir las complicaciones tromboembólicas de la fibrilación auricular. Conclusiones. Debido a su prevalencia creciente, al impacto en la supervivencia, la calidad de vida de los pacientes, los elevados costos sanitarios que conlleva su tratamiento y el incesante avance en nuevos tratamientos de la fibrilación auricular con respuesta ventricular rápida, hace que sea necesario actualizar de manera periódica las recomendaciones basadas en la evidencia.

Atrial fibrillation is one of the most common cardiac arrhythmias. It affects 1 in 200 people between 40 and 50 years of age, but may affect more than 1 in 10 people in their 80s. Objective. To propose a pharmacological treatment guideline to prevent pulmonary thromboembolism in patients with atrial fibrillation with ventricular response. Materials and methods. The methods used were of theoretical level as historical-logical, modeling, hypothetical- deductive, dialectical, holistic-holographic and systemic-structural-functional. As empirical methods, the review of guidelines documents, clinical histories, surveys to physicians and pharmacists were applied, as well as scientific observation, the results were reflected in the review of the clinical histories of the 38 patients with a diagnosis of chronic atrial fibrillation. Results. The type of treatment is represented with a predominance of 24 patients taking anticoagulants (63.16%), most of the patients were not anti coagulated, anti coagulated patients (34.62%), also the proposal of a pharmacological treatment guide to avoid pulmonary thromboembolism in patients with atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response was elaborated, according to international standards to prevent thromboembolic complications of atrial fibrillation. Conclusions. Due to its increasing prevalence, the impact on survival, the quality of life of patients, the high health care costs involved in its treatment, and the incessant advance in new treatments for atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response, it is necessary to periodically update the evidence-based recommendations.

A fibrilação atrial é uma das arritmias cardíacas mais comuns. Afeta 1 em cada 200 pessoas entre 40 e 50 anos de idade, mas pode afetar mais de 1 em cada 10 pessoas em seus 80 anos. Objetivo. Propor uma diretriz de tratamento farmacológico para prevenir o tromboembolismo pulmonar em pacientes com fibrilação atrial com resposta ventricular. Materiais e métodos. Os métodos utilizados foram de um nível teórico, como histórico-lógico, modelagem, hipotético-dedutivo, dialético, holístico-holográfico e sistêmico-estrutural-funcional. Como métodos empíricos, a revisão de documentos de orientação, históricos clínicos, pesquisas de médicos e farmacêuticos foram aplicados, assim como a observação científica, os resultados foram refletidos na revisão dos históricos clínicos dos 38 pacientes com um diagnóstico de fibrilação atrial crônica. Resultados. O tipo de tratamento é representado com uma predominância de 24 pacientes tomando anticoagulantes (63,16%), a maioria dos pacientes não era anticoagulante, anticoagulante (34,62%), e uma proposta de um guia de tratamento farmacológico para prevenir o tromboembolismo pulmonar em pacientes com fibrilação atrial com resposta ventricular rápida foi elaborada, de acordo com as normas internacionais para prevenir complicações tromboembólicas da fibrilação atrial. Conclusões. Devido a sua crescente prevalência, o impacto na sobrevivência, a qualidade de vida dos pacientes, os altos custos de saúde envolvidos em seu tratamento e o incessante avanço em novos tratamentos para fibrilação atrial com resposta ventricular rápida, é necessário atualizar periodicamente as recomendações baseadas em evidências.

Fibrilación auricular una arritmia y un sindrome / Atrial fibrillation, an arrhythmia and a syndrome

Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia and is highly prevalent in elderly patients. It confers a higher risk for ischemic stroke, heart failure and death. The diagnosis and treatment of AF has been extensively studied and remain under constant revision. This article reviews the recent European guidelines and the advances observed with the introduction of direct oral anticoagulants in the last ten years. This new family of drugs has clear benefits in terms of efficacy and safety compared with traditional vitamin K antagonists. Treatment of most common comorbidities in patients with AF such as advanced age, heart failure, diabetes, renal failure, and others are also analyzed. New therapies for AF will be shortly available.

Metabolic mechanism and intervention strategy of atrial fibrillation in the elderly / 生理学报

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a cardiovascular epidemic that occurs primarily in the elderly with primary cardiovascular diseases, leading to severe consequences such as stroke and heart failure. The heart is an energy-consuming organ, which requires a high degree of metabolic flexibility to ensure a quick switch of metabolic substrates to meet its energy needs in response to physiological and pathological stimulation. Metabolism is closely related to the occurrence of AF, and AF patients manifest metabolic inflexibility, such as insulin resistance and the metabolic shift from aerobic metabolism to anaerobic glycolysis. Moreover, our research group and the others have shown that metabolic inflexibility is a crucial pathologic mechanism for AF. Energy metabolism is closely linked to the aging process and aging-related diseases, and impaired metabolic flexibility is considered as an essential driver of aging. Therefore, this review focuses on the alteration of metabolic flexibility in the elderly and reveals that impaired metabolic flexibility may be an important driver for the high prevalence of AF in the elderly, hoping to provide intervention strategies for the prevention and treatment of AF in the elderly.

Summary of the 2022 Report on Cardiovascular Health and Diseases in China / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

Recent decades have seen the remarkable development of China in medical accessibility and quality index, and the application of a number of new advanced cardiovascular technologies benefits more patients. However, according to the Annual Report on Cardiovascular Health and Diseases in China published in this article, which was organized and summarized by National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, there is still a huge population living with risk factors of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), and the morbidity and mortality of CVD are increasing. It is estimated that there are around 330 million patients suffering from CVD currently, including 245 million of hypertension, 13 million of stroke, 45.3 million of peripheral artery disease, 11.39 million of coronary heart disease (CHD), 8.9 million of heart failure, 5 million of pulmonary heart disease, 4.87 million of atrial fibrillation, 2.5 million of rheumatic heart disease, and 2 million of congenital heart disease. Tobacco use, diet and nutrition factors, physical activity, overweight and obesity, and psychological factors are what affect cardiovascular health, while hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, metabolic syndrome, and air pollution are the risk factors for CVD. In this article, in addition to risk factors for CVD, we also report the epidemiological trends of CVD, including CHD, cerebrovascular disease, arrhythmias, valvular heart disease, congenital heart disease, cardiomyopathy, heart failure, pulmonary vascular disease and venous thromboembolism, and aortic and peripheral artery diseases, as well as the basic research and medical device development in CVD. In a word, China has entered a new stage of transforming from high-speed development focusing on scale growth to high-quality development emphasizing on strategic and key technological development to curb the trend of increasing incidence and mortality of CVD.

Atrial fibrillation: mechanism and clinical management / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common sustained arrhythmia, is associated with a range of symptoms, including palpitations, cognitive impairment, systemic embolism, and increased mortality. It places a significant burden on healthcare systems worldwide. Despite decades of research, the precise mechanisms underlying AF remain elusive. Current understanding suggests that factors like stretch-induced fibrosis, epicardial adipose tissue (EAT), chronic inflammation, autonomic nervous system (ANS) imbalances, and genetic mutations all play significant roles in its development. In recent years, the advent of wearable devices has revolutionized AF diagnosis, enabling timely detection and monitoring. However, balancing early diagnosis with efficient resource utilization presents new challenges for healthcare providers. AF management primarily focuses on stroke prevention and symptom alleviation. Patients at high risk of thromboembolism require anticoagulation therapy, and emerging pipeline drugs, particularly factor XI inhibitors, hold promise for achieving effective anticoagulation with reduced bleeding risks. The scope of indications for catheter ablation in AF has expanded significantly. Pulsed field ablation, as a novel energy source, shows potential for improving success rates while ensuring safety. This review integrates existing knowledge and ongoing research on AF pathophysiology and clinical management, with emphasis on diagnostic devices, next-generation anticoagulants, drugs targeting underlying mechanisms, and interventional therapies. It offers a comprehensive mosaic of AF, providing insights into its complexities.

ABC-AF-Stroke score predicts thromboembolism in non-anticoagulated patients following successful atrial fibrillation ablation: a report from the Chinese Atrial Fibrillation Registry / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#The age, biomarkers, and clinical history (ABC)-atrial fibrillation (AF)-Stroke score have been proposed to refine stroke risk stratification, beyond what clinical risk scores such as the CHA2DS2-VASc score can offer. This study aimed to identify risk factors associated with thromboembolism and evaluate the performance of the ABC-AF-Stroke score in predicting thromboembolism in non-anticoagulated AF patients following successful ablations.@*METHODS@#A total of 2692 patients who underwent successful ablations with discontinued anticoagulation after a 3-month blanking period in the Chinese Atrial Fibrillation Registry (CAFR) between 2013 and 2019 were included. Cox regression analysis was conducted to present the association of risk factors with thromboembolism risk. The ABC-AF-Stroke score was evaluated in terms of discrimination, including concordance index (C-index), net reclassification improvement (NRI) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI), clinical utilization by decision curve analysis (DCA), and calibration by comparing the predicted risk with the observed annualized event rate.@*RESULTS@#After a median follow-up of 3.5 years, 64 patients experienced thromboembolism events. Age, prior history of stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA), high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (cTnT-hs), and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) were independently associated with thromboembolism risk. The ABC-AF-Stroke score performed statistically significantly better than the CHA2DS2-VASc score in terms of C-index (0.67, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.59-0.74 vs. 0.60, 95% CI: 0.52-0.67, P = 0.030) and reclassification capacity. The DCA implied that the ABC-AF-Stroke score could identify more thromboembolism events without increasing the false positive rate compared to the CHA2DS2-VASc score. The calibration curve showed that the ABC-AF-Stroke score was well calibrated in this population.@*CONCLUSIONS@#In this real-world study enrolling non-anticoagulated AF patients following successful ablations, age, prior history of stroke/TIA, level of NT-proBNP, and cTnT-hs were independently associated with an increased risk of thromboembolism. The ABC-AF-Stroke score was well-calibrated and statistically significantly outperformed the CHA2DS2-VASc score in predicting thromboembolism risk.

Validation of MyDiagnostick tool to identify atrial fibrillation in a multi-ethnic Asian population

INTRODUCTION@#MyDiagnostick is an atrial fibrillation (AF) screening tool that has been validated in the Caucasian population in the primary care setting.@*METHODS@#In our study, we compared MyDiagnostick with manual pulse check for AF screening in the community setting.@*RESULTS@#In our cohort of 671 candidates from a multi-ethnic Asian population, AF prevalence was found to be 1.78%. Of 12 candidates, 6 (50.0%) had a previous history of AF and another 6 (50.0%) were newly diagnosed with AF. Candidates found to have AF during the screening were older (72.0 ± 11.7 years vs. 56.0 ± 13.0 years, P < 0.0001) and had a higher CHADSVASC risk score (2.9 ± 1.5 vs. 1.5 ± 1.1, P = 0.0001). MyDiagnostick had a sensitivity of 100.0% and a specificity of 96.2%. In comparison, manual pulse check had a sensitivity of 83.3% and a specificity of 98.9%.@*CONCLUSION@#MyDiagnostick is a simple AF screening device that can be reliably used by non-specialist professionals in the community setting. Its sensitivity and specificity are comparable and validated across various studies performed in different population cohorts.

The timing of pericardial drainage catheter removal and restart of the anticoagulation in patients suffered from perioperative pericardial tamponade during atrial fibrillation catheter ablation and uninterrupted dabigatran: Experiences from 20 cases / 中华心血管病杂志

Objective: To investigate the timing of pericardial drainage catheter removal and restart of the anticoagulation in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) suffered from perioperative pericardial tamponade during atrial fibrillation catheter ablation and uninterrupted dabigatran. Methods: A total of 20 patients with pericardial tamponade, who underwent AF catheter ablation with uninterrupted dabigatran in Beijing Anzhen Hospital from January 2019 to August 2021, were included in this retrospective analysis. The clinical characteristics of enrolled patients, information of catheter ablation procedures, pericardial tamponade management, perioperative complications, the timing of pericardial drainage catheter removal and restart of anticoagulation were analyzed. Results: All patients underwent pericardiocentesis and pericardial effusion drainage was successful in all patients. The average drainage volume was (427.8±527.4) ml. Seven cases were treated with idarucizumab, of which 1 patient received surgical repair. The average timing of pericardial drainage catheter removal and restart of anticoagulation in 19 patients without surgical repair was (1.4±0.7) and (0.8±0.4) days, respectively. No new bleeding, embolism and death were reported during hospitalization and within 30 days following hospital discharge. Time of removal of pericardial drainage catheter, restart of anticoagulation and hospital stay were similar between patients treated with idarucizumab or not. Conclusion: It is safe and reasonable to remove pericardial drainage catheter and restart anticoagulation as soon as possible during catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation with uninterrupted dabigatran independent of the idarucizumab use or not in case of confirmed hemostasis.

Impact of non-valvular atrial fibrillation on global cognitive function and executive function / 中华心血管病杂志

Objective: To explore the impact of non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) on the global cognitive function and executive function of patients without dementia, and to observe the differences between different types of AF. Methods: This research is a prospective and cross-sectional study. Non-dementia patients admitted to the department of neurology in the third people's hospital of Chengdu from July 2018 to July 2019 were included. Patients with non-valvular AF were included in the AF group and those with sinus rhythm were included in the control group. General clinical data and compared global cognitive function (mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and montreal cognitive assessment (MOCA)) and executive function (shape trails test (STT) and stroop color and word test (SCWT)) data were obtained and compared between 2 groups, and between different AF type groups. Results: A total of 386 participants were included, including 203 in AF group (52.6%), age was 68 (63, 71) years old, 119 were male (58.6%) and 183 in control group, age was 68 (63, 71) years old, 101 were male (55.2%). MMSE(28 (27, 29)) and MOCA (25 (22, 26)) scores were lower in AF group than those in control group (P<0.05), while STT-A time (84 (64, 140) s), STT-B time (248 (184, 351) s), STT time difference((159 (106, 245) s), SCWT-A time (50 (50, 50) s), SCWT-B time (55 (46, 63) s), SCWT-C time (100 (86, 120) s) and SCWT time interference (46 (34, 65) s) were higher than those in control group (P<0.05). Moreover, there was no difference in above indexes between paroxysmal AF and non-paroxysmal AF. Conclusion: The global cognitive function and executive function of patients with non-valvular AF are both decreased, while there is no obvious difference of the global cognitive function and executive function between paroxysmal AF and non-paroxysmal AF patients.

Application of photoplethysmography for atrial fibrillation in early warning, diagnosis and integrated management / 生物医学工程学杂志

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia. Early diagnosis and effective management are important to reduce atrial fibrillation-related adverse events. Photoplethysmography (PPG) is often used to assist wearables for continuous electrocardiograph monitoring, which shows its unique value. The development of PPG has provided an innovative solution to AF management. Serial studies of mobile health technology for improving screening and optimized integrated care in atrial fibrillation have explored the application of PPG in screening, diagnosing, early warning, and integrated management in patients with AF. This review summarizes the latest progress of PPG analysis based on artificial intelligence technology and mobile health in AF field in recent years, as well as the limitations of current research and the focus of future research.

Advances in anticoagulant therapy for cirrhosis combined with atrial fibrillation / 中华肝脏病杂志

Relevant research in recent years has demonstrated that the atrial fibrillation occurrence rate is significantly higher in patients with cirrhosis. The most common indication for long-term anticoagulant therapy is chronic atrial fibrillation. The use of anticoagulant therapy greatly reduces the incidence rate of ischemic stroke. Patients with cirrhosis combined with atrial fibrillation have an elevated risk of bleeding and embolism during anticoagulant therapy due to cirrhotic coagulopathy. At the same time, the liver of such patients will go through varying levels of metabolism and elimination while consuming currently approved anticoagulant drugs, thereby increasing the complexity of anticoagulant therapy. This article summarizes the clinical studies on the risks and benefits of anticoagulant therapy in order to provide a reference for patients with cirrhosis combined with atrial fibrillation.

Chinese consensus on the use of antiarrhythmic drugs for rhythm control in atrial fibrillation / 中华内科杂志

Rhythm control is crucial part of comprehensive management of atrial fibrillation (AF). Rhythm control can reduce the burden of AF effectively, reduce symptoms, and improve the prognosis in early AF. Antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) are the first-line treatment for rhythm-control strategies. This consensus focuses on the principle of rhythm control in AF, the characteristics of AADs, and the medication recommendations for patients in different populations suffering from AF. Hence, this consensus aims to support clinical decision-making for AF therapy.

Clinicopathological features of fibrin-associated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: a report of six cases / 中华病理学杂志

Objective: To investigate the clinical, pathological and immunophenotypic features, molecular biology and prognosis of fibrin-associated large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL-FA) in various sites. Methods: Six cases of LBCL-FA diagnosed from April 2016 to November 2021 at the Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China and the First Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China were collected. The cases were divided into atrial myxoma and cyst-related groups. Clinical characteristics, pathological morphology, immunophenotype, Epstein Barr virus infection status, B-cell gene rearrangement and fluorescence in situ hybridization of MYC, bcl-2, bcl-6 were summarized. Results: The patients' mean age was 60 years. All of them were male. Three cases occurred in atrial myxoma background, while the others were in cyst-related background, including adrenal gland, abdominal cavity and subdura. All cases showed tumor cells located in pink fibrin clot. However, three cyst-related cases showed the cyst wall with obviously fibrosis and inflammatory cells. All cases tested were non germinal center B cell origin, positive for PD-L1, EBER and EBNA2, and were negative for MYC, bcl-2 and bcl-6 rearrangements, except one case with MYC, bcl-2 and bcl-6 amplification. All of the 5 cases showed monoclonal rearrangement of the Ig gene using PCR based analysis. The patients had detailed follow-ups of 9-120 months, were treated surgically without radiotherapy or chemotherapy, and had long-term disease-free survivals. Conclusions: LBCL-FA is a group of rare diseases occurring in various sites, with predilection in the context of atrial myxoma and cyst-related lesions. Cyst-related lesions with obvious chronic inflammatory background show more scarcity of lymphoid cells and obvious degeneration, which are easy to be missed or misdiagnosed. LBCL-FA overall has a good prognosis with the potential for cure by surgery alone and postoperative chemotherapy may not be necessary.