Response to letter regarding article, "Dabigatran and thrombin modulate electrophysiological characteristics of pulmonary vein and left atrium" by Chang et al.

We appreciate the concise comment from Dr Lin et al1 regarding our recently published article entitled “Dabigatran and thrombin modulate electrophysiological characteristics of pulmonary vein and left atrium.”2 Thrombin has been shown to induce expression of multiple cytokines and proinflammatory and profibrotic responses in addition to its procoagulation effects.3 However, warfarin blocks several coagulation factors, which can activate various protease-activated receptors with different signal transduction pathways and …

[1]  Gen-Min Lin,et al.  Warfarin may reduce risk of ischemic stroke by preventing atrial fibrillation for patients with heart failure and sinus rhythm. , 2013, International journal of cardiology.

[2]  Gen-Min Lin,et al.  Letter by Lin et al regarding article, "Dabigatran and thrombin modulate electrophysiological characteristics of pulmonary vein and left atrium" by Chang et al. , 2013, Circulation. Arrhythmia and electrophysiology.

[3]  Chien‐Jung Chang,et al.  Dabigatran and Thrombin Modulate Electrophysiological Characteristics of Pulmonary Vein and Left Atrium , 2012, Circulation. Arrhythmia and electrophysiology.

[4]  Shunichi Homma,et al.  Warfarin and aspirin in patients with heart failure and sinus rhythm. , 2012, The New England journal of medicine.

[5]  Hannah Lee,et al.  Physiology, pharmacology, and therapeutic potential of protease-activated receptors in vascular disease. , 2012, Pharmacology & therapeutics.

[6]  R. Silver,et al.  Antiinflammatory and antifibrotic effects of the oral direct thrombin inhibitor dabigatran etexilate in a murine model of interstitial lung disease. , 2011, Arthritis and rheumatism.

[7]  R. Thapa,et al.  Emerging antiplatelet agents, differential pharmacology, and clinical utility , 2010, Journal of blood medicine.

[8]  Gen-Min Lin,et al.  Circulation Editors' Picks: Most Read Articles in Heart Failure, Part I , 2011 .

[9]  C. O'connor,et al.  Randomized Trial of Warfarin, Aspirin, and Clopidogrel in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure: The Warfarin and Antiplatelet Therapy in Chronic Heart Failure (WATCH) Trial , 2009, Circulation.