Pulmonary Arterial Thrombosis in COVID-19 With Fatal Outcome: Results From a Prospective, Single-Center, Clinicopathologic Case Series

Annals of Internal Medicine
Study notes COVID-19 mainly involves lungs, causing diffuse alveolar damage and acute respiratory insufficiency. Autopsy findings (n=10) found death may be caused by thrombosis observed in segmental and subsegmental pulmonary arterial vessels despite prophylactic anticoagulation.

The Effect of Adding Ticagrelor to Standard Aspirin on Saphenous Vein Graft Patency in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (POPular CABG): A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Circulation
In RCT (n=499≥1 saphenous vein graft [SVGs]), addition of ticagrelor to standard aspirin did not reduce SVG occlusion at one year after CABG (occlusion rate, ticagrelor group 10.5% vs. 9.1% placebo group; OR 1.29; 95% CI: 0.73 -2.30; p=0.38).

Aspirin with or without Clopidogrel after Transcatheter Aortic-Valve Implantation

New England Journal of Medicine
RCT (n=665) found incidence of bleeding (15.1% vs. 26.6%; risk ratio, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.42-0.77; p=0.001) and composite of bleeding or thromboembolic events at 1 year were significantly less frequent with aspirin compared to aspirin plus clopidogrel administered for 3 months.

Low-Dose Edoxaban in Very Elderly Patients with Atrial Fibrillation

New England Journal of Medicine
RCT in 984 Japanese patients (aged ≥80 years) found once-daily 15mg dose of edoxaban superior to placebo in preventing stroke/systemic embolism (event rate 2.3% vs. 6.7%; HR 0.34; 95% CI 0.19 to 0.61;p<0.001), and did not result in significantly higher incidence of major bleeding.

Prasugrel-based de-escalation of dual antiplatelet therapy after percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with acute coronary syndrome (HOST-REDUCE-POLYTECH-ACS): an open-label, multicentre, non-inferiority randomised trial

The Lancet
RCT (n=2338; South Korea) found prasugrel-based dose de-escalation strategy from 1 month after PCI reduced risk of net adverse clinical outcomes (HR 0.70; 95% CI,0.52–0.92), up to 1 year, mainly driven by reduction in bleeding (0.48; 0.32–0.73), without increase in ischaemia.

2020 ESC Guidelines for the management of acute coronary syndromes in patients presenting without persistent ST-segment elevation

European Heart Journal
Guidance covers diagnosis, risk assessment and outcomes, pharmacological & invasive treatments, MI with non-obstructive coronary arteries and alternative diagnoses, special populations, long-term management, quality measures, management strategy, key messages and gaps in evidence.

Comparison Between Ticagrelor and Clopidogrel in Elderly Patients with an Acute Coronary Syndrome: Insights from the SWEDEHEART Registry

Circulation
Secondary analysis of a study (n=14,005) found that, in those ≥80 years, the incidence of the primary ischaemic outcome was similar for ticagrelor and clopidogrel, but ticagrelor was associated with a 17% and 48% higher risk of death & bleeding, respectively.

Edoxaban in atrial fibrillation patients with percutaneous coronary intervention by acute or chronic coronary syndrome presentation: a pre-specified analysis of the ENTRUST-AF PCI trial

European Heart Journal
Analysis of the ENTRUST-AF PCI trial (n=1,506) found the difference in primary bleeding endpoint between edoxaban with P2Y12 inhibitor vs vitamin K antagonist with aspirin and P2Y12 inhibitor was nonsignificant, and consistent between acute and chronic coronary syndrome cohorts.

The above records have been identified by UKMi and feature in the NICE Medicines Awareness Service. Further details on this service can be found at:

http://www.evidence.nhs.uk/about-evidence-services/content-and-sources/medicines-information/new-medicines-awareness-services