HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Permission Requests Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Moggio, R. A. Articles by Glenn, W. W. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Moggio, R. A. Articles by Glenn, W. W.

The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Vol 75, 296-299, Copyright © 1978 by The American Association for Thoracic Surgery and The Western Thoracic Surgical Association

ARTICLES

Incidence of emboli with cloth-covered Starr-Edwards valve without anticoagulation and with varying forms of anticoagulation. Analysis of 183 patients followed for 3 1/2 years

RA Moggio, GL Hammond, HC Stansel Jr and WW Glenn

One hundred eighty-three patients with cloth-covered valves were studied from 1 1/2 to 8 years after operation, with an average follow- up time of 3 1/2 years. Over the total period, patients taking Coumadin sustained a 4 percent embolic incidence (1.2 per 100 patient-years); those taking aspirin had a 7 percent incidence (2.6 per 100 patient- years); and those taking Persantine had a 43 percent incidence (10 per 100 patient-years). Patients on no regimen of anticoagulation had a 16 percent embolic rate (four per 100 patient-years), whereas another group of patients who stopped anticoagulants after a year incurred a 13 percent embolic incidence in the subsequent 2 years (6.4 per 100 patient-years). These data showed a significantly lowered embolic rate with anticoagulation and suggest that all patients with cloth-covered valves should be taking anticoagulants. That these valves become epithelialized and do not form thrombus after a year was not borne out by this study. Persantine alone is not a satisfactory anticoagulant. Coumadin appears to be the superior anticoagulant, but if careful monitoring of its use is in question or if serious bleeding complications ensue, aspirin may provide satisfactory protection.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. H. Eckman, H. J. Levine, and S. G. Pauker Effect of Laboratory Variation in the Prothrombin-Time Ratio on the Results of Oral Anticoagulant Therapy N. Engl. J. Med., September 2, 1993; 329(10): 696 - 702. [Abstract] [Full Text]