The abstract is read at the publisher; the summary is JClub's.
In ASAP-TOO, left atrial appendage closure with a Watchman device achieved 97.8% implantation success and a 1.0% primary safety event rate through 5 years in OAC-unsuitable atrial fibrillation patients.
- Why it matters: Oral anticoagulation is often avoided in atrial fibrillation due to bleeding concerns, leaving a need to understand whether LAAC can provide durable thromboembolism protection with acceptable safety in patients deemed unsuitable for OAC.
- What they did: In a multinational randomized trial (481 patients; 320 LAAC, 161 control), patients received LAAC plus dual antiplatelet therapy for 3 months and aspirin through 12 months versus single antiplatelet therapy or no therapy, with follow-up up to 5 years.
- The result: Ischemic stroke or systemic embolism occurred in 7.8% with LAAC versus 11.4% with control (HR 0.73; P=0.39), while major bleeding was higher with LAAC (22.1% vs 15.7%; HR 1.64; P=0.067), especially in the first 3 months.
The findingWhy it mattersWhat they didThe result
AI summary of the abstract · may contain errors · not medical advice · read the paper.