Evaluating Real-World Clinical Outcomes in Atrial Fibrillation Patients Receiving the WATCHMAN Left Atrial Appendage Closure Technology
Why the study?
Randomized controlled trials established WATCHMAN left atrial appendage occlusion as an alternative to vitamin K antagonists, but prospective multicenter outcomes in routine daily practice needed evaluation.
Does WATCHMAN left atrial appendage occlusion prevent thromboembolic events and bleeding in real-world atrial fibrillation patients?
Design
Prospective multicenter registry
Follow-up
Median of 2 years
Authors
Discussion
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Member takes
Implication
May guide anticoagulation-ineligible AF decisions; extends observational data but leaves open randomized confirmation.
Structured PICO
Does WATCHMAN left atrial appendage occlusion prevent thromboembolic events and bleeding in real-world atrial fibrillation patients?
P
Population
1,020 patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing WATCHMAN left atrial appendage closure in routine daily practice. 49% had CHA2DS2-VASc score ≥5, 40% had HAS-BLED ≥3, and 72% had an oral anticoagulation contraindication.
I
Intervention
WATCHMAN left atrial appendage occlusion device implantation
O
Outcome
Thromboembolic events, bleeding, and mortality at median 2 years follow-uphard clinical
In real-world practice, WATCHMAN implantation in AF patients, most of whom were contraindicated to oral anticoagulation, resulted in consistently low rates of stroke and nonprocedural bleeding over 2 years.
Cite This Study
Boersma et al. (2019) studied this question.