Blood tests could identify people with AFib at risk for 'breakthrough' stroke

Medical Xpress / Am. Heart Assoc.’s Epidemiology, Prevention, Lifestyle Conference ^ | March 22, 2024 | Laura Williamson / Dr. Samuel Short et al

[ConservativeMind]

Looking at specific substances in the blood of people with atrial fibrillation, a type of irregular heartbeat, could help identify who's at risk for a stroke despite taking blood-thinning medication to prevent one, research suggests.

The researchers found biomarkers in the blood that reflect heart strain, inflammation and clotting raised stroke risk in people with AFib who are on blood thinners.

AFib is a common type of arrhythmia in which the heart's two upper chambers quiver instead of fully contracting, interfering with their ability to pump blood to the heart's lower chambers. Blood left behind may pool and clot, raising the risk for a stroke. To prevent clots, people with AFib are often prescribed blood thinners, including anticoagulant and antiplatelet medications.

But the treatment doesn't always work. Some people on blood thinners have what are called breakthrough strokes, said Dr. Samuel Short.

"We wanted to find out if, among people already taking blood thinners, blood tests could be used to predict who might have a stroke," Short said. If so, it could help researchers pinpoint which people with AFib might benefit from additional treatment.

Short and his team used blood tests to measure levels of nine biomarkers previously shown to be associated with risk of strokes caused by clots, known as ischemic strokes. Among 713 people with AFib who were taking blood-thinning medications, 9% (67 people) had their first ischemic stroke over 12 years of follow-up.

Elevated levels of four biomarkers involved in heart strain, inflammation and blood clotting were associated with higher stroke risk.

Because blood clots might form more easily in people with higher levels of these biomarkers, Short said being able to identify people at highest risk for a breakthrough stroke "is the first step in understanding what else might need to be done for that patient."

[ConservativeMind]

From the abstract, only two of the four found made it to statistical significance:

“The greatest associations were with higher N-terminal pro-B type natriuretic peptide, factor VIII, D-dimer, and growth differentiation factor 15; associations for D-dimer and growth differentiation factor 15 were not statistically significant.”

So higher N-terminal pro-B type natriuretic peptide, factor VIII, and a lower galectin-3 seemed to be statistically significant, from what I could tell.

These are all currently testable.

[ConservativeMind]

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[aquila48]

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[jimtorr]

I have an appt with my cardiologist Tuesday. I’ll try to remember ta ask.

[coalminersson]

thanx for posting this I have A Fib I have a watchman in my heart and a loop monitor in my chest.