Table 1.
Baseline characteristics
| Variable | Recurrent pump thrombus (n = 17) | Non-recurrent pump thrombus (n = 16) | p value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age at LVAD implantation | 49 ± 13 | 51 ± 13 | 0.67 |
| Male | 15 | 13 | 0.66 |
| Body mass index | 26 ± 4.8 | 28 ± 8.2 | 0.41 |
| Outpatient clinic systolic blood pressure | 102 ± 15 | 100 ± 10 | 0.66 |
| Outpatient clinic diastolic blood pressure | 79 ± 13 | 78 ± 9.1 | 0.89 |
| Pathology | 0.53 | ||
| Dilated cardiomyopathy | 4 | 6 | |
| Myocarditis | 1 | 2 | |
| Ischemic etiology | 10 | 8 | |
| Myocardial infarction | 2 | 0 | |
| INTERMACS | 0.75 | ||
| class1 | 6 | 5 | |
| class2 | 6 | 8 | |
| class3 | 5 | 3 | |
| Hemodialysis dependent | 0 | 1 | 0.49 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 6 | 3 | 0.44 |
| Peripheral artery disease | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Surgical history | 1 | 3 | 0.34 |
| Prior ECLS use | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Temporary right ECLS use | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| International normalized ratio at first event | 2.47 ± 0.42 | 2.31 ± 0.69 | 0.45 |
| Thrombocytes at 1st event, *104 μl | 18.4 ± 7.1 | 15.1 ± 7.0 | 0.24 |
| Medication | |||
| Acetylsalicylic acid | 14 | 13 | 1 |
| Heparin | 4 | 2 | 0.66 |
| Clopidogrel | 2 | 0 | 0.49 |
| Vitamin K antagonist | 17 | 17 | 1 |
| Period LVAD implantation and first pump thrombosis | Median 10 months (IQR; 8–15 months) | Median 19 months (IQR; 11–21 months) | 0.047 |
| Period first pump thrombosis and second pump thrombosis | Median 4.5 months (IQR; 3–6.75 months) | ||
| Pump speed at discharge after HVAD implantation (rpm) | 2688 ± 184 | 2700 ± 125 | 0.85 |
| Pump power at discharge after HVAD implantation (Watt) | 4.18 ± 0.91 | 4.36 ± 0.71 | 0.58 |
| Pump speed at first pump thrombosis (rpm) | 2734 ± 214 | 2750 ± 71 | 0.82 |
| Pump power at first pump thrombosis (Watt) | 5.75 ± 1.68 | 7.12 ± 5.29 | 0.26 |
LVAD left-ventricular assist device, INTERMACS Interagency Registry for Mechanical Assisted Circulatory Support, ECLS extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, HVAD HeartWare device