Heart and vessels
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Observational Study
Warfarin use and incidence of stroke in Japanese hemodialysis patients with atrial fibrillation.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the major risk factor for ischemic stroke, and oral anticoagulation is generally indicated for prevention of stroke. However, the utility of oral anticoagulation for AF in dialysis patients remains controversial. In this single-center, retrospective, observational study, data from 1120 patients on maintenance hemodialysis were analyzed. ⋯ AF is common in Japanese dialysis patients. Despite a certain prevalence of oral anticoagulation, the present study demonstrated neither beneficial nor detrimental effects. A large randomized controlled trial should be considered.