Update on Edoxaban for the Prevention and Treatment of Thromboembolism: Clinical Applications Based on Current Evidence

Comparison of the efficacy and safety between rivaroxaban and dabigatran in the treatment of acute portal vein thrombosis in cirrhosis

BACKGROUND

New oral anticoagulants (NOACs) have been becoming prevalent in recent years and are increasingly used in the treatment of port vein thrombosis. The difference of the efficacy and safety between rivaroxaban and dabigatran remains unclear in the treatment of cirrhotic patients with acute portal vein thrombosis (PVT).

METHODS

This retrospective study included all consecutive cirrhotic patients with acute portal vein thrombosis in our institute from January 2020 to December 2021. The patients received oral anticoagulation with rivaroxaban or dabigatran. The demographic, clinical, and imaging data of patients were collected. The diagnosis of acute PVT was confirmed by imaging examinations. The severity of liver cirrhosis was assessed using Child-Pugh score and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score. Outcomes included recanalization (complete, partial, and persistent occlusion), liver function, bleedings, and survival. The log-rank test was used to compare Kaplan-Meier distributions of time-to-event outcomes. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

A total of 94 patients were included, 52 patients (55%) received rivaroxaban and 42 (45%) with dabigatran. The complete and partial recanalization of PVT was observed in 41 patients. There was no significant difference in complete recanalization, partial recanalization, and persistent occlusion between the two groups. With multivariate analysis, D-dimer (HR 1.165, 95% CI 1.036-1.311, p = 0.011) was independent predictors of complete recanalization. The Child-Pugh score (p = 0.001) was significantly improved in both two groups after anticoagulation, respectively. However, there was no difference between the two groups. The probability of survival was 94%, 95% in the rivaroxaban and dabigatran groups (log-rank p = 0.830). Major bleedings were reported in 3 patients (6%) in rivaroxaban group and 1 patient (2%) in dabigatran group (p = 0.646). Six patients (12%) in rivaroxaban group experienced minor bleeding, and five (12%) from dabigatran group (p = 0.691).

CONCLUSIONS

The efficacy and safety were comparable between rivaroxaban and dabigatran in the treatment of cirrhotic patients with acute portal vein thrombosis. And D-dimer can contribute to the prediction of PVT recanalization in cirrhotic patients.

Anticoagulation Treatment in Venous Thromboembolism: Options and Optimal Duration

Venous thromboembolism (VTE), clinically presenting as deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE), constitutes a major global healthcare concern with severe complications, long-term morbidity and mortality. Although several clinical, genetic and acquired risk factors for VTE have been identified, the molecular pathophysiology and mechanisms of disease progression remain poorly understood. Anticoagulation has been the cornerstone of therapy for decades, but there still are uncertainties regarding primary and secondary VTE prevention, as well as optimal therapy duration. In this review we discuss the role of factor Xa in coagulation cascade and the different choices of anticoagulation therapy based on patients' predisposing risk factors and risk of event recurrence. Further, we compare newer agents to traditional anticoagulation treatment, based on most recent studies and guidelines.

Edoxaban in atrial fibrillation patients with established coronary artery disease: Insights from ENGAGE AF–TIMI 48

Background:

The relative efficacy and safety profile of the oral Factor Xa inhibitor edoxaban compared with warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation and established coronary artery disease (CAD) has not been analyzed.

Materials and methods:

In the ENGAGE AF–TIMI 48 trial, two edoxaban regimens were compared with warfarin in 21,105 patients with atrial fibrillation and CHADS2 ⩾2. We analyzed the primary trial endpoints (efficacy: stroke or systemic embolic event, safety: International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis major bleeding) in patients with versus without CAD, and used interaction testing to assess for treatment effect modification.

Results:

The 4510 patients (21.4%) with known CAD were older, more likely male, on aspirin, with lower creatinine clearance and higher CHADS2 and HAS-BLED scores ( p <0.001 for each). Treatment with the higher-dose edoxaban regimen (versus warfarin) in patients with known CAD tended to have a greater reduction in stroke/systemic embolic event compared with patients without CAD (CAD: hazard ratio 0.65 (0.46–0.92) versus no CAD: hazard ratio 0.94 (0.79–1.12), p-INT 0.062) and also in myocardial infarction (CAD: hazard ratio 0.69 (0.49–0.98) versus no CAD: hazard ratio 1.24 (0.89–1.72), p-INT 0.017), while there was a similar reduction in bleeding irrespective of CAD status (hazard ratio 0.81 and 0.80, p-INT 0.97). Presence or absence of CAD did not modify the efficacy or safety profile of the lower-dose edoxaban regimen (versus warfarin).

Conclusion:

The reduction in ischemic events with the higher-dose edoxaban regimen versus warfarin was greater in patients with CAD, while bleeding was significantly reduced with edoxaban regardless of CAD status. The efficacy and safety profile of the lower-dose edoxaban regimen relative to warfarin was unaffected by CAD status.

Perioperative Management of Direct Oral Anticoagulants (DOACs): A Systemic Review

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are in wide use among patients requiring both short- and long-term anticoagulation, mainly due to their ease of use and the lack of monitoring requirements. With growing use of DOACs, it is imperative that physicians be able to manage patients on these medications, especially in the perioperative period. We aim to provide guidance on the management of DOACs in the perioperative period. In this review, we performed an extensive literature search summarizing the management of patients on direct-acting anticoagulants in the perioperative period. A total of four direct-acting oral anticoagulants were considered appropriate for inclusion in this review. The drugs were dabigatran etexilate mesylate (Pradaxa), rivaroxaban (Xarelto), apixaban (Eliquis), and edoxaban (Savaysa). Management of patients on DOACs in the perioperative period involves an assessment of thromboembolic event risk while off anticoagulation compared to the relative risk of bleeding if such drug is continued. DOACs may not need to be discontinued in minor surgeries or procedures, and in major surgeries, they may be discontinued hours prior depending on drug pharmacokinetics and renal function of the patients.

Anti-Xa bioassays for the laboratory measurement of direct Factor Xa inhibitors in plasma, in selected patients

In the past decade Direct Oral Anti-Coagulants (DOACs), targeting Thrombin or Factor Xa, have enormously facilitated the daily treatment of all relevant patients, including those requiring lifelong therapy. These DOACs have considerable advantages over the use of oral Vitamin K Antagonist (VKA) treatments, in view of having little interferences with food and other medications and also not requiring adjustment for age, gender or weight, with some well-defined exceptions. In this current What's Happening Section we focus on measurements of DiXaIs in plasma using anti-Xa assays, with the objective of providing a tribute to Professor Michel Meyer Samama, who was not only a real leader in this field but, in the past, both authors benefited from his wisdom, as a teacher who dedicated his scientific and professional life (among many other interests in hemostasis, thrombosis and fibrinolysis) to develop and promote methods and strategies for laboratory monitoring of anticoagulants. This review presents the performance characteristics of the Anti-Factor Xa assays (measuring Factor Xa inhibition by drugs), which are available for measuring Direct Factor Xa Inhibitors in plasma, and show good compliance of the results with the reference LC:MS method (which measures the mass of Direct Factor Xa Inhibitors). We also present the preparation and validation of drug specific plasma calibrators and controls which are requested for drug measurements. These assays are convenient and practical laboratory tools which can be used in any laboratory setting, and meet the requirements of regulatory bodies for making smart, quantitative, sensitive, accurate and ease of use assays for measuring DOACs when needed. The manuscript focuses mainly on the following areas of current interest: interference in coagulation assays; anti-Xa laboratory methods; development of calibrators and controls for DiXaIs; method validation and comparison with reference techniques (LC:MS); regulatory requirements and method registrations; newer clinical applications and experience on DiXaIs with Anti-Xa assays, and future perspectives.

Implications of edoxaban in the prevention and treatment of thromboembolic complications in clinical practice

Edoxaban is a once-daily oral inhibitor of factor Xa, currently indicated to reduce the risk of stroke or systemic embolism in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation patients and for the treatment and prevention of venous thromboembolism (EMA, FDA and Japan). The ENGAGE AF-TIMI 48 and the Hokusai-VTE trials demonstrated that edoxaban was at least as effective as warfarin for the prevention of stroke or systemic embolism in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation patients, as well as for the prevention and treatment of venous thromboembolism, but with a lesser risk of bleeding in both cases. In addition, it seems a cost-effective strategy for the management of this population. In this review, the implications of the most recent available evidence about edoxaban in clinical practice will be updated.