Left atrial appendage occlusion for ischemic stroke prevention in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation: clinical expert opinion and consensus statement for the Asian-Pacific region

To develop a consensus statement for left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) in Asian-Pacific patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) at risk of ischemic stroke. The need for such a region-specific consensus was indicated by the relative paucity of clinical evidence for LAAO and oral anticoagulation therapy obtained in Asian-Pacific populations and the specific stroke and bleeding characteristics of this population. Consensus was developed by discussion and evaluation of available evidence and expert opinions during a 2-day meeting attended by clinical experts from the Asian-Pacific regions. The consensus statement arrived at provides recommendations based on available evidence and expert opinions regarding LAAO in Asian-Pacific patients. Gaps in the evidence and other areas requiring further research were identified. LAAO is an alternative device-based therapy in carefully selected patients with NVAF at risk of ischemic stroke. However, evidence for LAAO is primarily obtained from Caucasian populations, and data on LAAO in Asian-Pacific patients are scarce. While the present consensus statement addresses several therapy-related aspects based on careful interpretation of available evidence and expert opinions, other areas require additional evidence derived from Asian-Pacific populations.