IMPORTANCE Uninterrupted dabigatran therapy reduces stroke risk in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) undergoing ablation and is associated with a lower bleeding risk than uninterrupted warfarin therapy. Minimally interrupted direct oral anticoagulant therapy is widely used, but data from controlled studies are insufficient. OBJECTIVE To compare the safety and efficacy of minimally interrupted dabigatran vs uninterrupted warfarin therapy in patients undergoing catheter ablation for NVAF. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS The ABRIDGE-J (ABlation peRIoperative DabiGatran in use Envisioning in Japan) trial is a open-label, randomized clinical trial performed in 28 Japanese treatment centers. A total of 504 patients scheduled for NVAF ablation were enrolled; 500 were randomized to the study treatments; 499 received at least 1 dose of dabigatran etexilate (n = 248) or warfarin potassium (n = 251); and 442 underwent ablation (220 in the dabigatran group and 222 in the warfarin group).

Intraday temperature differences offer a powerful predictor of F-days. Onset of AMI can be predicted based on weather conditions over the preceding 1-2 days.

Plasma VEGF levels were increased in patients with AMI, and peak levels were associated with left ventricular volume indices in the subacute phase, suggesting an important role of endogenous VEGF in the left ventricular dimension in patients with AMI.