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Reduced dose direct oral anticoagulants compared with warfarin with high time in therapeutic range in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation

Jansson, M. ; Själander, S. ; Sjögren, V. ; Björck, F. ; Renlund, H. ; Norrving, B. LU and Själander, A. (2023) In Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis 55(3). p.415-425
Abstract

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) used in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) are dose-reduced in elderly and patients with impaired renal function. Only reduced dose dabigatran is concluded as having similar stroke risk reduction and lower risk of major bleeding than warfarin in the pivotal studies. In clinical practice, reduced dose is prescribed more often than expected making this an important issue. The objective of this study was to compare effectiveness and safety between reduced dose DOACs and high TTR warfarin treatment (TTR ≥ 70%) in NVAF. A Swedish anticoagulation registry was used in identifying eligible patients from July 2011 to December 2017. The study cohort consisted of 40,564 patients with newly initiated DOAC... (More)

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) used in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) are dose-reduced in elderly and patients with impaired renal function. Only reduced dose dabigatran is concluded as having similar stroke risk reduction and lower risk of major bleeding than warfarin in the pivotal studies. In clinical practice, reduced dose is prescribed more often than expected making this an important issue. The objective of this study was to compare effectiveness and safety between reduced dose DOACs and high TTR warfarin treatment (TTR ≥ 70%) in NVAF. A Swedish anticoagulation registry was used in identifying eligible patients from July 2011 to December 2017. The study cohort consisted of 40,564 patients with newly initiated DOAC (apixaban, dabigatran, or rivaroxaban) (11,083 patients) or warfarin treatment (29,481 patients) after exclusion of 374,135 patients due to not being warfarin or DOAC naïve, not being prescribed reduced dose, having previous mechanical heart valve (MHV), or being under 18 years old. The median durations of follow up were 365, 419, 432 and 473 days for apixaban, dabigatran, rivaroxaban and warfarin, respectively. Warfarin TTR identified from Auricula was 70.0%. Endpoints (stroke and major bleeding) and baseline characteristics were collected from hospital administrative registers using ICD-10 codes. Cohorts were compared using weighted adjusted Cox regression after full optimal matching based on propensity scores. DOACs are associated with lower risk of major bleeding (HR with 95% CI) 0.85 (0.78–0.93), intracranial bleeding HR 0.64 (0.51–0.80), hemorrhagic stroke HR 0.68 (0.50–0.92), gastrointestinal bleeding HR 0.81 (0.69–0.96) and all-cause stroke HR 0.87 (0.76–0.99), than warfarin. Apixaban and dabigatran are associated with lower risk of major bleeding, HR 0.70 (0.63–0.78) and HR 0.80 (0.69–0.94), and rivaroxaban is associated with lower risk of ischemic stroke, HR 0.73 (0.59–0.96), with higher major bleeding risk, HR 1.31 (1.15–1.48), compared to warfarin. Apixaban is associated with higher all-cause mortality compared to warfarin, HR 1.12 (1.03–1.21). DOACs are associated with lower risk of major bleeding and all-cause stroke, than high quality warfarin treatment, with exception of rivaroxaban that carried higher risk of major bleeding and lower risk of stroke or systemic embolism. In this large observational registry-based NVAF cohort, DOACs are preferred treatment in patients with indication for DOAC dose reduction, even in a high TTR setting.

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organization
publishing date
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Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Anticoagulants, Apixaban, Atrial fibrillation, Dabigatran, Rivaroxaban, Treatment outcome, Warfarin
in
Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis
volume
55
issue
3
pages
11 pages
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • scopus:85145851437
  • pmid:36607464
ISSN
0929-5305
DOI
10.1007/s11239-022-02763-w
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Funding Information: Open access funding provided by Umea University. This work was supported by The Swedish Heart–Lung Foundation, Grant Number 20200766 (AS). Publisher Copyright: © 2023, The Author(s).
id
0be407a9-e338-42cd-9b2b-ea29a79759ae
date added to LUP
2024-01-12 13:30:01
date last changed
2024-04-27 08:52:11
@article{0be407a9-e338-42cd-9b2b-ea29a79759ae,
  abstract     = {{<p>Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) used in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) are dose-reduced in elderly and patients with impaired renal function. Only reduced dose dabigatran is concluded as having similar stroke risk reduction and lower risk of major bleeding than warfarin in the pivotal studies. In clinical practice, reduced dose is prescribed more often than expected making this an important issue. The objective of this study was to compare effectiveness and safety between reduced dose DOACs and high TTR warfarin treatment (TTR ≥ 70%) in NVAF. A Swedish anticoagulation registry was used in identifying eligible patients from July 2011 to December 2017. The study cohort consisted of 40,564 patients with newly initiated DOAC (apixaban, dabigatran, or rivaroxaban) (11,083 patients) or warfarin treatment (29,481 patients) after exclusion of 374,135 patients due to not being warfarin or DOAC naïve, not being prescribed reduced dose, having previous mechanical heart valve (MHV), or being under 18 years old. The median durations of follow up were 365, 419, 432 and 473 days for apixaban, dabigatran, rivaroxaban and warfarin, respectively. Warfarin TTR identified from Auricula was 70.0%. Endpoints (stroke and major bleeding) and baseline characteristics were collected from hospital administrative registers using ICD-10 codes. Cohorts were compared using weighted adjusted Cox regression after full optimal matching based on propensity scores. DOACs are associated with lower risk of major bleeding (HR with 95% CI) 0.85 (0.78–0.93), intracranial bleeding HR 0.64 (0.51–0.80), hemorrhagic stroke HR 0.68 (0.50–0.92), gastrointestinal bleeding HR 0.81 (0.69–0.96) and all-cause stroke HR 0.87 (0.76–0.99), than warfarin. Apixaban and dabigatran are associated with lower risk of major bleeding, HR 0.70 (0.63–0.78) and HR 0.80 (0.69–0.94), and rivaroxaban is associated with lower risk of ischemic stroke, HR 0.73 (0.59–0.96), with higher major bleeding risk, HR 1.31 (1.15–1.48), compared to warfarin. Apixaban is associated with higher all-cause mortality compared to warfarin, HR 1.12 (1.03–1.21). DOACs are associated with lower risk of major bleeding and all-cause stroke, than high quality warfarin treatment, with exception of rivaroxaban that carried higher risk of major bleeding and lower risk of stroke or systemic embolism. In this large observational registry-based NVAF cohort, DOACs are preferred treatment in patients with indication for DOAC dose reduction, even in a high TTR setting.</p>}},
  author       = {{Jansson, M. and Själander, S. and Sjögren, V. and Björck, F. and Renlund, H. and Norrving, B. and Själander, A.}},
  issn         = {{0929-5305}},
  keywords     = {{Anticoagulants; Apixaban; Atrial fibrillation; Dabigatran; Rivaroxaban; Treatment outcome; Warfarin}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{415--425}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis}},
  title        = {{Reduced dose direct oral anticoagulants compared with warfarin with high time in therapeutic range in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11239-022-02763-w}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s11239-022-02763-w}},
  volume       = {{55}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}