Roles of Microembolus and Plasma D-dimer in Evaluating the Warfarin Anticoagulant Therapy Efficacies for Patients with Atrial Fibrillation

Abstract

Background: To investigate the roles of microembolus and plasma D-dimer in evaluating the warfarin anticoagulant therapy efficacies for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods: Fifty-six AF patients were treated with aspirin antiplatelet therapy (Group ASP) and forty AF patients were treated with warfarin anticoagulant therapy (Group WAR). The microemboli and plasma D-dimer in these two groups were monitored and compared before and after treatment.

Results: Group ASP had 21 and 17 cases with positive microemboli before and after treatment, respectively, and there was no significant difference in the detection rate of microemboli before and after treatment; Group WAR had 14 and 5 cases with positive microemboli before and after treatment, respectively, and the detection rate of microemboli was significantly reduced after treatment. The levels of plasma D-dimer in the two groups were significantly reduced after treatment (327±73 µg/L vs 235±61 µg/L and 313±81 µg/L vs 170±67 µg/L, respectively, P<0.05), among which the reduction level in Group WAR was more significant.

Conclusions: Microemboli and D-dimer can be used as the indicators for evaluating the embolism risk and therapeutic efficacies in AF patients.