Stroke prevention in patients from Latin American countries with non-valvular atrial fibrillation: Insights from the GARFIELD-AF registry

The First Brazilian Cardiovascular Registry of Atrial Fibrillation: Primary Results of the RECALL Study

BACKGROUND

It is estimated that atrial fibrillation (AF) affects approximately 1.5 million people in Brazil; however, epidemiological data are limited. We sought to evaluate the characteristics, treatment patterns, and clinical outcomes in patients with AF in Brazil by creating the first nationwide prospective registry.

METHODS

RECALL was a multicenter, prospective registry that included and followed for 1 year 4,585 patients with AF at 89 sites across Brazil from April 2012 to August 2019. Patient characteristics, concomitant medication use, and clinical outcomes were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariable models.

RESULTS

Of 4,585 patients enrolled, the median age was 70 (61, 78) years, 46% were women, and 53.8% had permanent AF. Only 4.4% of patients had a history of previous AF ablation and 25.2% had a previous cardioversion. The mean (SD) CHA2DS2-VASc score was 3.2 (1.6); median HAS-BLED score was 2 (2, 3). At baseline, 22% were not on anticoagulants. Of those taking anticoagulants, 62.6% were taking vitamin K antagonists and 37.4% were taking direct oral anticoagulants. The primary reasons for not using an oral anticoagulant were physician judgment (24.6%) and difficulty in controlling (14.7%) or performing (9.9%) INR. Mean (SD) TTR for the study period was 49.5% (27.5). During follow-up, the use of anticoagulants and INR in the therapeutic range increased to 87.1% and 59.1%, respectively. The rates/100 patient-years of death, hospitalization due to AF, AF ablation, cardioversion, stroke, systemic embolism, and major bleeding were 5.76 (5.12-6.47), 15.8 (14.6-17.0), 5.0 (4.4-5.7), 1.8 (1.4-2.2), 2.77 (2.32-3.32), 1.01 (0.75-1.36), and 2.21 (1.81-2.70). Older age, permanent AF, New York Heart Association class III/IV, chronic kidney disease, peripheral arterial disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and dementia were independently associated with increased mortality while the use of anticoagulant was associated with lower risk of death.

CONCLUSIONS

RECALL represents the largest prospective registry of patients with AF in Latin America. Our findings highlight important gaps in treatment, which can inform clinical practice and guide future interventions to improve the care of these patients.

Healthcare Resource Utilization in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Atrial Fibrillation: A Global Analysis from the GARFIELD-AF Registry

The management of atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common sustained arrhythmia, impacts healthcare resource utilization (HCRU). This study aims to estimate global resource use in AF patients, using the GARFIELD-AF registry. A prospective cohort study was conducted to characterize HCRU in AF patients enrolled in sequential cohorts from 2012 to 2016 in 35 countries. Components of HCRU studied were hospital admissions, outpatient care visits, and diagnostic and interventional procedures occurring during follow-up. AF-related HCRU was reported as the percentage of patients demonstrating at least one event and was quantified as rate-per-patient-per-year (PPPY) over time. A total of 49,574 patients was analyzed, having an overall median follow-up of 719 days. Almost all patients (99.5%) had at least one outpatient care visit, while hospital admissions were the second most frequent medical contact, with similar proportions in North America (37.5%) and Europe (37.2%), and slightly higher in the other GARFIELD-AF countries (42.0%; namely Australia, Egypt, and South Africa). Asia and Latin America showed lower percentages of hospitalizations, outpatient care visits, and diagnostic and interventional procedures. Analyses of GARFIELD-AF highlighted the vast AF-related HCRU, underlying significant geographical differences in the type, quantity, and frequency of AF-related HCRU. These differences were likely attributable to health service availability and differing models of care.

Barriers to stroke prevention in Atrial Fibrillation: Insights from the global anticoagulation Roundtable

Atrial fibrillation (AF) accounts for one-quarter of the global ischemic stroke burden. Population growth and an increasing prevalence of stroke risk factors underscores the critical need to recognize and address the worldwide crisis in underutilization of antithrombotic therapy for patients with AF. Failure to address key patient, clinician, and societal gaps in AF care will result in a worldwide increase in stroke-related morbidity and mortality while overwhelming global healthcare systems. The failure to adhere to evidence-based guideline recommendations for stroke prevention in AF reflects a critical gap in implementation of best clinical practice among providers and healthcare systems. Globally, these include inadequate provider education, limited public awareness, underdiagnosis, and underutilization of treatments, including antithrombotic therapy. In specific regions, efforts are further complicated by availability of specific medications, variation in drug metabolism across racial and ethnic populations, socioreligious considerations, and lack of universally available electronic health records. Efforts are needed at both global and regional levels to address key barriers to evidence-based care for patients with AF. Investing in clinical tools and teams that improve stroke prevention for patients with AF will likely improve population health.

Direct Oral Anticoagulants vs. Warfarin in Latin American Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: Evidence From Four post-hoc Analyses of Randomized Clinical Trials

Background

Several studies have investigated the effect of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in Latin American patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), but the results remain controversial. Therefore, we aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of DOACs vs. warfarin in Latin American patients with AF.

Methods

We systematically searched the PubMed and Embase databases until November 2021 for studies that compared the effect of DOACs vs. warfarin in Latin patients with AF. Adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs were pooled by a random-effects model using an inverse variance method.

Results

Four post-hoc analyses of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) involving 42,411 DOACs and 29,270 warfarin users were included. In Latin American patients with AF, for the effectiveness outcomes, the use of DOACs compared with warfarin was significantly associated with decreased risks of stroke or systemic embolism (SSE) (HR = 0.78; 95%CI.64–0.96), stroke (HR = 0.75; 95%CI.57–0.99), hemorrhagic stroke (HR = 0.14; 95%CI.05–0.36), all-cause death (HR = 0.89; 95% CI.80–1.00), but not ischemic stroke and cardiovascular death. For the safety outcomes, compared with warfarin, the use of DOACs was associated with reduced risks of major or non-major clinically relevant (NMCR) bleeding (HR = 0.70; 95% CI.57–0.86), major bleeding (HR = 0.70; 95%CI.53–0.92), intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) (HR = 0.42; 95%CI.24–0.74), or any bleeding (HR = 0.70;95% CI.62–0.78), but not gastrointestinal bleeding. In non-Latin American patients with AF, for the effectiveness outcomes, the use of DOACs compared with warfarin was significantly associated with decreased risks of SSE (HR = 0.87; 95%CI.75–1.00), hemorrhagic stroke (HR = 0.41; 95%CI.28–0.60), cardiovascular death (HR = 0.87; 95% CI.81–0.94), all-cause death (HR = 0.90; 95% CI.85–0.94). Conversely, the risk of myocardial infarction increased (HR = 1.34; 95% CI 1.13–1.60), but not ischemic stroke. For the safety outcomes, compared with warfarin, the use of DOACs was associated with reduced risks of major or NMCR bleeding (HR = 0.75; 95%CI.61–0.92), major bleeding (HR = 0.76; 95%CI.63–0.92), ICH (HR = 0.42; 95%CI.36–0.52), and any bleeding (HR = 0.81; 95% CI.71–0.92), but not gastrointestinal bleeding.

Conclusion

Current pooled data from the four post-hoc analyses of RCTs suggested that compared with warfarin, DOACs appeared to have significant reductions in SSE, stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, all-cause death, major or NMCR bleeding, major bleeding, ICH, and any bleeding, but comparable risks of ischemic stroke, cardiovascular death, and gastrointestinal bleeding in Latin American patients with AF. DOACs appeared to have significant reductions in SSE, hemorrhagic stroke, all-cause death, cardiovascular death, major or NMCR bleeding, major bleeding, ICH, and any bleeding, and increased the risk of myocardial infarction, but comparable risks of stroke, ischemic stroke, and gastrointestinal bleeding in non-Latin American patients with AF.

Prescription of oral anticoagulation in geriatric patients with atrial fibrillation

Objective

To determine the prevalence of prescription of oral anticoagulation in patients aged > 60 years with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF).

Methods

Observational, cross-sectional, retrospective study based on a review of the clinical ­histories of patients aged >60 years diagnosed with NVAF from July 1 to September 30, 2019 and seen at the outpatient clinic (cardiology, internal medicine, geriatrics) of a secondary-level hospital in Queretaro, Mexico. Clinical profile and oral anticoagulant treatment were analyzed.

Results

The study population comprised 300 patients (mean age, 77.2±8.3 years; 53.3% women; 81% attended in cardiology). Of these, 91% had a high thromboembolic risk, 22.7% a high bleeding risk, and 1.7% contraindications for anticoagulation. Comorbidity was frequent. As for therapy, 82.7% were taking direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC), 11.0% vitamin K antagonists (VKA), and 6.3% no anticoagulant treatment. Anticoagulant therapy was inappropriate in 29.3% of patients, mainly because DOAC were prescribed without adjusting for age, weight, or serum creatinine and administered without indication according to thromboembolic risk. Only 39.4% of patients taking VKA were within the therapeutic range. Of all patients receiving DOAC, 48.0% were taking rivaroxaban, mainly at 20 mg/d (73.1%).

Conclusions

Thromboembolic risk is high in geriatric patients with NVAF. Anticoagulation is contraindicated in <2% of patients. Oral anticoagulants are prescribed inappropriately in three out of ten patients.

Changes in anticoagulant prescription patterns over time for patients with atrial fibrillation around the world

BACKGROUND

Prescribing patterns for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients evolved with approval of non-Vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) over time.

OBJECTIVES

To assess changes in anticoagulant prescription patterns in various geographical regions upon first approval of a NOAC and to analyze the evolution of oral anticoagulants (OACs) use over time in relation to CHA2DS2-VASc and HAS-BLED risk profiles.

METHODS

Global Registry on Long-Term Oral Antithrombotic Treatment in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation (GLORIA-AF) Phases II and III reported data on antithrombotic therapy for patients with newly diagnosed AF and ≥1 stroke risk factor. We focused on sites enrolling patients in both phases and reported treatment patterns for the first 4 years after initial NOAC approval.

RESULTS

From GLORIA-AF Phases II and III, 27 432 patients were eligible for this analysis. When contrasting the first year with the fourth year of enrolment, the proportion of NOAC prescriptions increased in Asia from 29.2% to 60.8%, in Europe from 53.4% to 75.8%, in North America from 49.0% to 73.9% and in Latin America from 55.7% to 71.1%. The proportion of Vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) use decreased across all regions over time, in Asia from 26.0% to 9.8%, in Europe from 35.5% to 16.8%, in North America from 28.9% to 12.1%, and in Latin America from 32.4% to 17.8%. In the multivariable analysis, factors associated with NOAC prescription were as follows: enrolment year, type of site, region, stroke and bleeding risk scores, and type and categorization of AF.

CONCLUSIONS

During 4 years after the approval of the first NOAC, NOAC use increased, while VKA use decreased, across all regions.

Non-adherence to Thromboprophylaxis Guidelines in Atrial Fibrillation: A Narrative Review of the Extent of and Factors in Guideline Non-adherence

Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia. It increases the risk of thromboembolism by up to fivefold. Guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations to effectively mitigate thromboembolic events using oral anticoagulants while minimizing the risk of bleeding. This review focuses on non-adherence to contemporary guidelines and the factors associated with guideline non-adherence. The extent of guideline non-adherence differs according to geographic region, healthcare setting, and risk stratification tools used. Guideline adherence has gradually improved over recent years, but a significant proportion of patients are still not receiving guideline-recommended therapy. Physician-related and patient-related factors (such as patient refusals, bleeding risk, older age, and recurrent falls) also contribute to guideline non-adherence, especially to undertreatment. Quality improvement initiatives that focus on undertreatment, especially in the primary healthcare setting, may help to improve guideline adherence.

Rivaroxaban versus warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation enrolled in Latin America: Insights from ROCKET AF

BACKGROUND

ROCKET AF demonstrated the efficacy and safety of rivaroxaban compared with warfarin for the prevention of stroke and systemic embolism (SE) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We examined baseline characteristics and outcomes in patients enrolled in Latin America compared with the rest of the world (ROW).

METHODS

ROCKET AF enrolled 14,264 patients from 45 countries. Of these, 1,878 (13.2%) were from 7 Latin American countries. The clinical characteristics and outcomes (adjusted by baseline characteristics) of these patients were compared with 12,293 patients from the ROW. Treatment outcomes of rivaroxaban compared with warfarin were also stratified by region.

RESULTS

The annual rate of stroke/SE was similar in those from Latin American and ROW (P= .63), but all-cause and vascular death were significantly higher than in ROW (HR 1.40, 95% CI 1.20-1.64; HR 1.38, 95% CI 1.14-1.68; P< .001). Rates of major or nonmajor clinically relevant bleeding tended to be lower in Latin America (HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.80-1.0; P= .05). Rates of stroke and/or SE were similar with rivaroxaban and warfarin in patients from Latin America and ROW (HR 0.83, 95% CI 0.54-1.29 vs HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.75-1.07; interaction P= .77).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with AF in Latin America had similar rates of stroke and/or SE, higher rates of vascular death, and lower rates of bleeding compared with patients in the ROW. The effect of rivaroxaban compared with warfarin in Latin America was similar to the ROW. Further studies analyzing patient- and country-specific determinants of these regional differences in Latin America are warranted.

Incidence, risk factors, prognosis, and health-related quality of life after stroke in a low-resource community in Chile (ÑANDU): a prospective population-based study

BACKGROUND

Stroke is a leading cause of disability and death worldwide. The best estimates of local, national, and global burden of stroke are derived from prospective population-based studies. We aimed to investigate the incidence, risk factors, long-term prognosis, care, and quality of life after stroke in the Ñuble region of Chile.

METHODS

We did a prospective community-based study with use of multiple overlapping sources of hospitalised, ambulatory, and deceased cases. Standardised diagnostic criteria were used to identify and follow up all cases occurring in the resident population of the Ñuble region, Chile (in a low-income rural-urban population including predominantly people of Indigenous-European heritage), for 1 year. Participants were included if they had a clinical diagnosis of stroke confirmed according to the study criteria. All cases were adjudicated by vascular neurologists. Incidence rates of first-ever stroke were calculated from the population of Ñuble according to the 2017 national census.

FINDINGS

From April 1, 2015, to March 31, 2016, we ascertained 1103 stroke cases, of which 890 (80·7%) were first-ever incident cases. The mean age of patients with first-ever stroke was 70·3 years (SD 14·1) and 443 (49·8%) were women. A CT scan was obtained in 801 (90%) of 890 patients (mean time from symptom onset to scan of 13·4 h (SD 29·8). The incidence of first-ever stroke age-adjusted to the world population was 121·7 (95% CI 113·7-130·1) per 100 000. The age-adjusted incidence rates, per 100 000 inhabitants, by main pathological subtypes were as follows: ischaemic stroke (101·5 [95% CI 90·9-113·0]); intracerebral haemorrhage (17·9 [13·5-23·4]), and subarachnoid haemorrhage (4·2 [2·1-7·3]). The 30-day case-fatality rate was 24·6% (21·9-27·6). At 6 months after the stroke, 55·9% (432 of 773) of cases had died or were disabled, which increased to 61·0% (456 of 747) at 12 months. Health-related quality of life in survivors was low at 6 months, improving slightly at 12 months after the stroke.

INTERPRETATION

The incidence of stroke in this low-resource population was higher than our previous finding in northern Chile and within the mid-range of most population-based stroke studies. This result was due mainly to a higher incidence of ischaemic stroke, probably associated with increasing age and a high prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors in the population studied. Our findings suggest that more should be done for the prevention and care of stroke in communities like the Ñuble population.

FUNDING

The National Agency for Research and Development and the Technology-Health Research Fund, Clínica Alemana de Santiago, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Meyers Squibb, The Herminda Martin Clinical Hospital of Chillán, Universidad Mayor, and Universidad de Concepción.

Atrial fibrillation in low- and middle-income countries: a narrative review

Preventing premature non-communicable disease mortality necessitates a thorough review of one of the most important risk factors for stroke, which is atrial fibrillation (AF). The latter and AF-related stroke are still considered to be problems of high-income countries and are frequently overlooked in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). In this narrative review, we provide an overview of studies that evaluated at least one of the following determinants of AF burden in LMICs: current epidemiology and trends, stroke prevention, health outcomes, and economic burden. Studies focusing on samples close to the general population (including community- and primary care-based samples) indicate sex-specific prevalence rates up to 7.4% in LMICs. Although AF prevalence is still higher in high-income countries than LMICs, the gap in AF burden between these two groups has been reducing in the past three decades. Oral anticoagulant (OAC) therapy for stroke prevention is underused in LMICs, and there are little data on OAC therapy in relation to stroke risk scores, such as CHA2DS2-VASc. Available data also points to higher morbidity and mortality for patient with AF in LMICs than their counterparts in high-income countries. Data on the consequent economic burden in LMICs is scarce, but it is reasonable to consider it will follow the same trend as that observed for health outcomes. Raising the visibility of AF as a public health problem in LMICs is necessary as a first step to providing adequate care for patients with this condition.

GARFIELD-AF: a worldwide prospective registry of patients with atrial fibrillation at risk of stroke

The Global Anticoagulant Registry in the Field-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF) examined real-world practice in a total of 57,149 (5069 retrospective, 52,080 prospective) patients with newly diagnosed AF at risk of stroke/systemic embolism, enrolled at over 1000 centers in 35 countries. It aimed to capture data on AF burden, patients' clinical profile, patterns of clinical practice and antithrombotic management, focusing on stroke/systemic embolism prevention, uptake of new oral anticoagulants, impact on death and bleeding. GARFIELD-AF set new standards for quality of data collection and analysis. A total of 36 peer-reviewed articles were already published and 73 abstracts presented at international congresses, covering treatment strategies, geographical variations in baseline risk and therapies, adverse outcomes and common comorbidities such as heart failure. A risk prediction tool as well as innovative observational studies and artificial intelligence methodologies are currently being developed by GARFIELD-AF researchers. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT01090362 (ClinicalTrials.gov).

Meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants with warfarin in Latin American patients with atrial fibrillation

BACKGROUND

Data of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) in current management of atrial fibrillation (AF) are predominantly derived from North American and European regions. However, the effects of NOACs for stroke prevention in Latin America remain unclear. Therefore, we aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of NOACs with warfarin in Latin American patients with AF.

METHODS

The PubMed and Embase databases were systematically searched until July 12, 2019 for applicable randomized clinical trials. The risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled using a random-effects model.

RESULTS

Four trials involving 8943 Latin American patients were included in this meta-analysis. In anticoagulated patients with AF, Latin American patients had higher rates of stroke or systemic embolism and all-cause death compared with non-Latin American subjects. Compared with warfarin use, the use of NOACs was significantly associated with reduced risks of stroke or systemic embolism, major bleeding, intracranial bleeding, and any bleeding in Latin American patients. There were no significant differences in the risks of ischemic stroke, all-cause death, and gastrointestinal bleeding between Latin and non-Latin American groups. All the interactions between Latin and non-Latin American groups about efficacy and safety outcomes of NOACs compared with warfarin were non-significant (all Pinteraction > .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Our meta-analysis suggested that the use of NOACs was at least non-inferior to warfarin use for stroke prevention in Latin American patients with AF.

Stroke prevention in patients from Latin American countries with non-valvular atrial fibrillation: Insights from the GARFIELD-AF registry

Background

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an important preventable cause of stroke. Anticoagulation (AC) therapy can reduce this risk. However, prescribing patterns and outcomes in patients with non‐valvular AF (NVAF) from Latin American countries are poorly described.

Methods

Using data from the Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD‐AF (GARFIELD‐AF), we examined the stroke prevention strategies and the 1‐year outcomes in patients from four Latin American countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico.

Results

A total of 4162 patients (2010‐2014) were included in this analysis. At the time of AF diagnosis, 39.9% of patients were prescribed vitamin K antagonists (VKA) ± antiplatelet (AP) therapy, 21.8% non‐VKA oral anticoagulant (NOAC) ± AP, 24.1% AP only and 14.1% no antithrombotic treatment. The proportion of moderate‐high risk patients receiving no AC therapy at participating centers was highest in Mexico (46.4%) and lowest in Chile (14.3%). During 1‐year follow‐up, the rates of all‐cause mortality, stroke/SE and major bleeding were: 5.77 (95% CI) (5.06‐6.56), 1.58 (1.23‐2.02), and 0.99 (0.72‐1.36) and per 100 person‐years, respectively, which are higher than the global rates across all countries in GARFIELD‐AF. Unadjusted rates of all‐cause mortality were highest in Argentina, 6.95 (5.43‐8.90), and lowest in Chile, 4.01 (2.92‐5.52).

Conclusions

GARFIELD‐AF results describes the marked variation in the baseline characteristics and patterns of antithrombotic treatments in patients with NVAF in four Latin American countries. Over one‐third of patients with a moderate‐to‐high risk of stroke received no AC therapy, highlighting the need for improved management of patients according to national guideline.

Clinical Trial Registration—URL

http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01090362.