Table 1.
Baseline characteristics
| Dabigatran (n = 15) | Warfarin (n = 12) | |
|---|---|---|
| Male, no. (%) | 5 (33.3) | 5 (41.7) |
| Age (years) | ||
| Mean | 48.8 ± 10.4 | 45.7 ± 6 |
| Median | 45 | 44.5 |
| Range | 37–67 | 37–54 |
| Hypertension, no. (%) | 7 (46.7) | 6 (50) |
| Diabetes, no. (%) | 1 (7.1) | 0 |
| Smoking, no. (%)a | 2 (13.3) | 3 (25) |
| Previous stroke | 4 (26.7) | 4 (33.3) |
| Isolated mitral replacement | 11 (73.3) | 9 (75) |
| LVEF, mean (%) | 40 ± 12 | 50 ± 10 |
| NYHA (III–IV), no. (%) | 5 (33.3) | 3 (27.3) |
| Logistic euroSCORE II, mean (%)b | 1.6 ± 0.4 | 1.9 ± 1.5 |
| Left atrium, mean (mm) | 58 ± 10 | 53 ± 13 |
| HAS-BLEDc, median | 0 (0–1) | 0 (0–1) |
Plus–minus values are means ± SD. No significant differences were noted between the groups
HAS-BLED hypertension, abnormal renal/liver function, stroke, bleeding history or predisposition, labile international normalized ratio, elderly, drugs/alcohol, LVEF left ventricular ejection fraction, NYHA New York Heart Association SD standard deviation
aPrevious or actual
bThe logistic European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (euroSCORE), which measures risk at the time of cardiovascular surgery, is calculated with the use of a logistic-regression equation. A score of >20 indicates a very high surgical risk
cA score of ≥3 suggests increased bleeding risk and warrants some caution and/or regular review