NOACs replace VKA as preferred oral anticoagulant among new patients: a drug utilization study in 560 pharmacies in The Netherlands

Time trends in antithrombotic therapy during pregnancy and maternal and perinatal outcomes in the Netherlands (2013-19): a nationwide cohort study

BACKGROUND

Considering the paucity of data, we aimed to describe nationwide time trends in antithrombotic therapy during pregnancy and risks of maternal and perinatal outcomes in the Netherlands.

METHODS

In this nationwide cohort study, all female individuals aged 16-45 years with delivery records in the Dutch perinatal registry between Jan 1, 2013, and Dec 31, 2019, and their infants, were included. Individually linked data from Statistics Netherlands on outpatient medication prescriptions, in-hospital diagnoses, and mortality were used to evaluate time trends in antithrombotic therapy during pregnancy, and risks of maternal and perinatal outcomes (including thromboembolism, bleeding, preeclampsia and eclampsia, and low birthweight).

FINDINGS

A total of 1 122 711 pregnancies and 1 139 116 infants were included (median maternal age 30·5 years [IQR 27·3-33·7]; 886 085 [78·9%] White; median gravidity 2 (IQR 1-3); and median gestational age at delivery 39 weeks [IQR 38-40]). Low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) was the most commonly (more than 99%) prescribed anticoagulants during pregnancy, which slightly increased from 0·7% (1063 of 163 479) in 2013 to 0·9% (1352 of 158 654) in 2019. LMWH was generally started at 5-8 weeks' gestation when oral anticoagulant prescriptions dropped. Antiplatelet drug prescriptions increased from 0·7% (1129 of 163 479) to 4·8% (7671 of 158 654), which primarily initiated around week 12. Maternal risks of venous and arterial thromboembolism and bleeding remained constant from 2013 to 2019; the risk of preeclampsia and eclampsia gradually increased from 1·70% (95% CI 1·63-1·76) in 2013 to 2·05% (1·98-2·13) in 2017, after which it decreased to 1·83% (1·77-1·90) in 2019. There was a significant decrease (2019 vs 2013) in low birthweight (adjusted odds ratio 0·92 [0·90-0·94]; p<0·0001), whereas 28-day neonatal bleeding risk remained unchanged.

INTERPRETATION

Exposure to anticoagulants during pregnancy is not uncommon, and health-care providers and female individuals of reproductive age should be mindful of this to avoid unintended oral anticoagulant exposure. Adhering to guidelines for aspirin use to prevent preeclampsia might lead to a population-level reduction in disease burden and potential improvement in neonatal prognosis.

FUNDING

None.

TRANSLATION

For the Dutch translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Feasibility of atezolizumab and bevacizumab combination regimens in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and lung cancer taking direct oral anticoagulants

AIM

Atezolizumab and bevacizumab (Atezo/Bev) combination immunotherapy regimens and direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are both associated with bleeding. Therefore, combining Atezo/Bev regimens with DOACs may exacerbate the bleeding risk. This study investigated the feasibility of the Atezo/Bev regimen in patients taking DOACs.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 141 patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or advanced lung cancer (LC) treated with Atezo/Bev regimens. Patients who used antithrombotic agents other than DOACs were excluded. Bleeding events during the Atezo/Bev regimen were analyzed.

RESULTS

The incidence rates of bleeding of any grade in the DOAC (n = 11) and no antithrombotic agent (NAA) (n = 130) groups were 9.1% and 10.8%, respectively, with no significant differences. Moreover, no significant difference was found in the frequency of bleeding of grade ≥3 between the DOAC and NAA groups. No patients in the DOAC group discontinued the Atezo/Bev regimen because of severe bleeding. Although serum albumin levels, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.298 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.105-0.847), independently contributed to bleeding events (p = 0.023), DOAC administration did not (HR: 1.357; 95% CI: 0.157-10.54; p = 0.770). Among only patients with HCC (n = 59), none of the five patients taking DOACs experienced bleeding events. A high albumin-bilirubin score (HR: 9.083, 95% CI: 1.118-73.76) was associated with bleeding events (p = 0.039).

CONCLUSIONS

DOACs did not have a considerable effect on bleeding events in the Atezo/Bev regimens for HCC or LC. Under careful surveillance for bleeding, Atezo/Bev regimens may be feasible in patients receiving DOACs.

Pharmacist management of atrial fibrillation in UK primary care: a cross-sectional study

Background

Atrial Fibrillation (AF) increases the risk of stroke by a factor of five, leading a significant cost burdens on healthcare system. Pharmacists, especially those based in a primary care environment are well placed to support patients in this therapeutic area.

Objectives

To assess primary care pharmacists' actual knowledge on the management of AF symptoms and anticoagulation. Furthermore, to investigate the resources used by pharmacists.

Methods

A cross-sectional study using survey was conducted, targeting UK-based registered pharmacists employed within primary care settings. Quantitative data were analysed utilising descriptive univariate and bivariate statistics.

Results

349 pharmacists completed the adapted 19-questions of the pharmacists' knowledge. Out of a maximum of 19 points, the mean score was 14.34 ± 2.2 (75 ± 11.6%). The questionnaire revealed several significant gaps in pharmacists' knowledge. Most of the surveyed pharmacists (62.8%) reported that they used sources of information to support their consultations. Half reported that they used the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance (52.4%) and the British National Formulary (BNF) (50.7%).

Conclusions

Primary care pharmacists are knowledgeable about AF and its management; however, some gaps exist which may require addressing. Although pharmacists use a variety of information resources, it is the traditional resources that remain the most frequently used.

Usefullness of Heparin Calibrated Anti-Xa Activity to Assess Anticoagulant Activity of Apixaban and Rivaroxaban in Emergency Patients Scheduled for Acute Interventions

(1) Background: Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) require monitoring in some critical clinical situations. The specific tests for DOAC monitoring are not yet available in all labs. The aim of this study was to evaluate if a unique, more widespread heparin-calibrated anti-Xa assay could be suitable to estimate the concentrations of apixaban and rivaroxaban in order to establish an algorithm helping our clinicians in their therapeutic decision for patients treated with DOACs in emergencies. (2) Methods: A first retrospective part allowed us to determine of a conversion factor between the measured DOAC concentration and the deducted anti-Xa heparin activity based on optic density. During the second prospective part, both DOAC concentration (ng/mL) and anti-Xa activity heparin (UI/mL) were measured on the same sample, and the previously determined conversion factor was applied to each UI/mL value. We then compared the calculated and measured DOAC concentration values. (3) Results: The analysis of the derivation cohort confirmed a good correlation, especially between the anti-Xa heparin activity and the apixaban concentrations (r = 0.97). Additionally, we determined heparin-calibrated anti-Xa assay cut-offs for invasive procedures at 0.3 UI/mL and for intravenous thrombolysis at 0.51 UI/mL using ROC curves with a sensitivity at 98% and specificity at 95% for 0.3 UI/mL and a sensitivity at 97.7% and specificity at 88.2% for the cut-off of 0.51 UI/mL. In the validation cohort, we confirmed the agreement between measured and calculated DOAC concentrations for the low values, especially around cut-offs with an excellent negative predictive value for 0.51 UI/mL (94% for apixaban and 100% for rivaroxaban) and a good negative predictive value for 0.3 UI/mL (83.3% for apixaban and 85.7% for rivaroxaban). (4) Conclusions: Our results confirm that it is possible to correctly predict or exclude the presence of apixaban/rivaroxaban in emergency situations when specific tests are not readily available.

Reimbursement and use of oral anticoagulants during 2014-2022 - A register-based study

Background

Vitamin K antagonists, warfarin in particular, have been the mainstay of anticoagulation therapy, but their use has declined in many countries since direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have entered the market.

Objective

To examine utilization trends of oral anticoagulants (OACs) in Finland considering the reimbursement of DOACs and changes to national treatment guidelines for the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods

Both public, aggregated data on reimbursed OAC dispensations and individual-level data on electronic dispensations during 2014-2022 were applied. Data on electronic dispensations during 2015-2016 were used to study OAC initiations. Data on entitlements to reimbursement for DOACs came from public data.

Results

In 2014, there were almost 20,000 DOAC users, rising to 214,000 in 2022. The number of warfarin users declined since 2015 from over 181,000 to around 59,000 users in 2022, DOACs exceeding warfarin in the number of users in 2019. The total DOAC costs were higher than warfarin costs each year. Rivaroxaban was the most widely used DOAC during 2014-2018, and apixaban during 2019-2022. In 2015, there were more warfarin (56.7%) than DOAC (43.3%) initiators, but the result was opposite for 2016 (warfarin 39.4%, DOACs 60.6%). The number of individuals entitled to reimbursement for DOACs has increased steadily, and in 2022, there were over 196,000 individuals entitled to this reimbursement due to AF.

Conclusions

The uptake of DOACs in Finland appears to have been gradual and slower than in many other countries. During the 2010s, the treatment guidelines for AF were more cautious in recommending DOACs than the European guidelines. The use of DOACs increased as their reimbursement became less restrictive.

Screening over 100 000 patients in 39 general practices in the Netherlands for anticoagulation underprescription in atrial fibrillation: a descriptive, cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the underprescription of oral anticoagulation (OAC) in individual atrial fibrillation (AF) patients in primary care.

SETTING

Screening of patient records in 39 participating general practitioners (GPs) across the Netherlands.

PARTICIPANTS

We screened 101 207 patient records identifying 2375 non-valvular AF patients.

METHODS

Using electronic patient files, we were able to screen the entire GP population for AF, CHA2DS2-VASc stroke risk scores, and the use of guidelines recommended OAC prescription. In case of a deviation from guidelines recommended OAC prescription, we checked the electronic patient file for any documented reason. Additionally, 6 weeks following the screening, we asked all GPs to provide information on any actions taken for the underprescribed patients.

RESULTS

We found a mean CHA2DS2-VASc score of 3.2. OAC prescription consisted of direct OAC in 1342/1984 (68%) and vitamin K-antagonists in the remainder of patients. OAC underprescription was present in 93/944 (9.9%) females and 101/1374 (9.7%) in males, respectively. In 111/146 (76.0%) of the underprescribed AF patients, no reason to withhold OAC was reported. Reported reasons to withhold OAC were patient refusal (n=10), cardiologist advice (n=7) and high risk of bleeding (n=7). Data regarding actions following the identification of OAC underprescription were available for 92/194 (47%) of the OAC underprescribed cases. After consultation OAC was initiated in 9/92 (10%) only.

CONCLUSIONS

In this large Dutch study among GPs, we observed 9.8% underprescription of OAC in AF patients. In 76% of the AF patients lacking a prescription for OAC, no documentation for deviating from the guidelines was found. Only in a minority of cases detection of OAC underprescription lead to OAC initiation.

Prevalence and Predictors of Nonadherence to Direct Oral Anticoagulant Treatment in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation

Background  For most patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation (AF), direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are preferred over vitamin K antagonists. However, there is concern that the lack of monitoring may impair therapy adherence and therefore the anticoagulant effect. Objective  To assess 1-year DOAC nonadherence in patients with AF and a treatment indication of at least 1 year in the Dutch health care setting, and to identify predictors of nonadherence. Methods  We performed a near-nationwide historical cohort study in patients with a novel DOAC indication for AF. Data were obtained from a pharmacy database, covering 65% of all outpatient prescriptions dispensed in the Netherlands. The 1-year nonadherence was assessed by the proportion of days covered; the threshold was set at <80%. Robust Poisson regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of nonadherence. Results  A total of 46,211 patients were included and the 1-year nonadherence was 6.5%. We identified male sex (risk ratio [RR] 1.23, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.15-1.33), younger age (age ≥60 to <70 years: RR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.00-1.33, age <60 years: RR: 2.22, 95% CI: 1.92-2.57; reference age ≥85 years), a reduced DOAC dose (RR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.00-1.22), a twice-daily dosing regimen (RR: 1.21, 95% CI: 1.12-1.30), and treatment with apixaban (RR: 1.16, 95% CI: 1.06-1.26, reference rivaroxaban) or dabigatran (RR: 1.25, 95% CI: 1.14-1.37) as independent predictors of 1-year nonadherence. Conclusion  One-year nonadherence to DOACs was low yet relevant in patients with AF newly prescribed a DOAC. Understanding the predictors for nonadherence may help identify patients at risk.

Direct-Acting Oral Anticoagulant Therapy in Cancer Patients-A Review

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is an important aspect in cancer patients. There are various pharmacological methods used for thrombotic event treatment. DOACs (direct-acting oral anticoagulants) are gaining popularity among both physicians and researchers and are slowly starting to replace VKAs (vitamin K antagonists), thus becoming a substitute or alternative option for LMWHs (low-molecular-weight heparins). In this article, we present DOACs' main therapeutic advantages and disadvantages in patients with cancer. The only major concern with using DOACs is the higher risk of bleeding; however, there are discrepancies in this matter. There are still some types of cancer for which DOACs are not recommended. Specific cancer types may influence the efficacy of DOAC therapy. Additionally, race and ethnicity may affect therapy in cancer patients with DOACs. A sizeable number of clinical trials are focused on comparing DOACs with other anticoagulants. The current guidelines of different scientific associations are not unanimous in their DOAC assessments. There is still a need for more evidence of DOACs' potential advantages over other methods of anticoagulation in cancer patients to facilitate their position in this recommendation. This literature review presents the current state of knowledge about the use of DOACs in patients with neoplastic growth.

Time Trends in Patient Characteristics, Anticoagulation Treatment, and Prognosis of Incident Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation in the Netherlands

Importance

The temporal trend in adverse events regarding stroke prevention for nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) in the direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) era was rarely investigated comprehensively, especially taking into account potential changes in patient characteristics and anticoagulation treatment.

Objective

To investigate time trends in patient characteristics, anticoagulation treatment, and prognosis of patients with incident NVAF in the Netherlands.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This retrospective cohort study assessed patients with incident NVAF initially recognized within a hospitalization between 2014 and 2018, using data from Statistics Netherlands. Participants were followed-up for 1 year from the hospital admission at which the incident NVAF diagnosis was made or until death, whichever occurred first. Data were analyzed from January 15, 2021, to March 8, 2023.

Exposure

Calendar year of the incident NVAF diagnosis, according to which the participants were categorized into 5 cohorts.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Outcomes of interest were baseline patient characteristics, anticoagulation treatment, and occurrence of ischemic stroke or major bleeding within the 1-year follow-up after incident NVAF.

Results

Between 2014 and 2018, 301 301 patients (mean [SD] age, 74.2 [11.9] years; 169 748 [56.3%] male patients) experienced incident NVAF in the Netherlands, each of whom was categorized into 1 of 5 cohorts by calendar year. Baseline patient characteristics were broadly the same between cohorts with a mean (SD) CHA2DS2-VASc (congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥75 years [doubled], diabetes, stroke [doubled], vascular disease, age 65 to 74 years, and sex category [female]) score of 2.9 (1.7). The median (IQR) proportion of days covered by OACs (ie, vitamin K antagonists or DOACs) within the 1-year follow-up increased from 56.99% (0%-86.30%) to 75.62% (0%-94.52%), and DOACs increased from 5102 patients (13.5%) to 32 314 patients (72.0%) among those who received OACs, gradually replacing VKAs as the first choice of OACs. Over the course of the study, there were statistically significant decreases in the 1-year cumulative incidence of ischemic stroke (from 1.63% [95% CI, 1.52%-1.73%] to 1.39% [95% CI, 1.30%-1.48%) and major bleeding (from 2.50% [95% CI, 2.37%-2.63%] to 2.07% [95% CI, 1.96%-2.19%]), and the association was consistent after adjusting for baseline patient characteristics and excluding those with preexisting chronic anticoagulation.

Conclusions and Relevance

This cohort study of patients with incident NVAF diagnosed between 2014 and 2018 in the Netherlands found similar baseline characteristics, increased OAC use with DOACs being favored over time, and improved 1-year prognosis. Comorbidity burden, potential underuse of anticoagulation medications, and specific subgroups of patients with NVAF remain directions for future investigations and further improvement.

Continued non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants versus vitamin K antagonists during transcatheter aortic valve implantation

BACKGROUND

One-third of patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) have an indication for long-term oral anticoagulation (OAC).

AIMS

We aimed to investigate whether continued non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC) therapy compared with continued vitamin K antagonist (VKA) therapy during TAVI is equally safe and effective.  Methods: Consecutive patients on OAC with either NOAC or VKA undergoing transfemoral TAVI at five European centres were enrolled. The primary outcome measure was a composite of major/life-threatening bleeding, stroke, and all-cause mortality at 30 days.

RESULTS

In total, 584 patients underwent TAVI under continued OAC with 294 (50.3%) patients receiving VKA and 290 (49.7%) patients receiving NOAC. At 30 days, the composite primary outcome had occurred in 51 (17.3%) versus 36 (12.4%) patients with continued VKA and with continued NOAC, respectively (odds ratio [OR] 0.68, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.43-1.07; p=0.092). Rates of major/life-threatening bleeding (OR 0.87, 95% CI: 0.52-1.47; p=0.606) and stroke (OR 1.02, 95% CI: 0.29-3.59; p=0.974) were not different between groups. In a multivariate Cox regression analysis, continued NOAC, compared with continued VKA, was associated with a lower risk for all-cause 1-year mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 0.61, 95% CI: 0.37-0.98; p=0.043). The analysis of the propensity score-matched cohort revealed similar results.

CONCLUSIONS

Continued NOAC compared with continued VKA during TAVI led to comparable outcomes with regard to the composite outcome measure indicating that continued OAC with both drugs is feasible. These hypothesis-generating results need to be confirmed by a dedicated randomised controlled trial.

Protocols for perioperative management of direct oral anticoagulants in hospitals: opportunities for improvement

OBJECTIVES

To investigate and describe the protocolized perioperative management in patient using Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in Dutch hospitals.

METHODS

Between August and December 2020, a nationwide survey in 70 hospitals in the Netherlands was conducted. We asked hospital pharmacists to submit their protocols for perioperative management of DOAC (apixaban, dabigatran, edoxaban and rivaroxaban) users. The protocols were assessed for a number of parameters divided into categories: interruption and restart timetables DOACs for elective procedures, criteria for the start of an urgent procedure without antidotes, criteria for the use of antidotes and advised antidotes for urgent procedures.

RESULTS

A total of 49 hospitals (70%) sent a protocol for perioperative management of DOACs. Two pairs of protocols were identical because hospitals cooperated closely, leaving 47 individual protocols for analysis. Thirty-five of these protocols contained a policy for both elective and urgent procedure; five protocols contained only a policy for elective and seven only for urgent procedures. In protocols for elective procedure, we found great variation in interruption and restart timetables intended for patients with renal impairment (Estimated Glomerular Filtration Ratio < 80 ml/min). In case of urgent procedures, there is variation in choice of antidote, criteria for administration of an antidote and antidote dosing.

CONCLUSION

This study provides an overview of the current state of the perioperative protocols in the Netherlands in patients treated with direct oral anticoagulants. Protocols are often not complete and show important and unwanted variation. We have found that national guidelines do not provide unambiguous advice on all points (urgent procedures) and are therefore often elaborated at a local level. The results of this research can help in improving and harmonizing the perioperative protocols on a national level.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor Use and Risk of Major Bleeding during Treatment with Vitamin K Antagonists: Results of A Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

 Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may increase the risk of major bleeding by decreasing platelet function or decreasing vitamin K antagonist (VKA) metabolism via cytochrome P450 (CYP) inhibition.

AIMS

 To determine whether SSRIs are associated with major bleeding during VKA treatment and investigate the possible mechanisms.

METHODS

 In this cohort study, information on SSRI use and bleeding complications was obtained from patient records of VKA initiators between 2006 and 2018 from two anticoagulation clinics. Conditional logistic regression and time-dependent Cox regression were used to estimate the effect of SSRIs on a high international normalized ratio (INR ≥ 5) within 2 months after SSRI initiation and on major bleeding during the entire period of SSRI use, respectively. SSRI use was stratified for (non-)CYP2C9 inhibitors.

RESULTS

 A total of 58,918 patients were included, of whom 1,504 were SSRI users. SSRI initiation versus nonuse was associated with a 2.41-fold (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.01-2.89) increased risk for a high INR, which was 3.14-fold (95% CI: 1.33-7.43) among CYP2C9-inhibiting SSRI users. The adjusted hazard ratio of major bleeding was 1.22 (95% CI: 0.99-1.50) in all SSRI users and 1.31 (95% CI: 0.62-2.72) in CYP2C9-inhibiting SSRI users compared with nonusers.

CONCLUSION

 SSRI use is associated with an increased risk of high INR and might be associated with major bleeding. The risk of a high INR was slightly more elevated for CYP2C9-inhibiting SSRI users, suggesting there might be a pharmacokinetic interaction (by CYP2C9 inhibition) next to a pharmacodynamic effect of SSRIs on platelet activation.

Prothrombinase-Induced Clotting Time to Measure Drug Concentrations of Rivaroxaban, Apixaban, and Edoxaban in Clinical Practice: A Cross-Sectional Study

Prothrombinase-induced clotting time (PiCT) is proposed as a rapid and inexpensive laboratory test to measure direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) drug levels. In a prospective, multicenter cross-sectional study, including 851 patients, we aimed to study the accuracy of PiCT in determining rivaroxaban, apixaban, and edoxaban drug concentrations and assessed whether clinically relevant drug levels could be predicted correctly. Citrated plasma samples were collected, and the Pefakit^® PiCT was utilized. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was performed to measure drug concentrations. Cut-off levels were established using receiver-operating characteristics curves. We calculated sensitivities and specificities with respect to clinically relevant drug concentrations. Spearman’s correlation coefficient between PiCT and drug concentrations was 0.85 in the case of rivaroxaban (95% CI 0.82, 0.88), 0.66 for apixaban (95% CI 0.60, 0.71), and 0.78 for edoxaban (95% CI 0.65, 0.86). The sensitivity to detect clinically relevant drug concentrations was 85.1% in the case of 30 µg L⁻¹ (95% CI 82.0, 87.7; specificity 77.9; 72.1, 82.7), 85.7% in the case of 50 µg L⁻¹ (82.4, 88.4; specificity 77.3; 72.5, 81.5), and 85.1% in the case of 100 µg L⁻¹ (80.9, 88.4; specificity 73.2%; 69.1, 76.9). In conclusion, the association of PiCT with DOAC concentrations was fair, and the majority of clinically relevant drug concentrations were correctly predicted.

Accuracy of a Single, Heparin-Calibrated Anti-Xa Assay for the Measurement of Rivaroxaban, Apixaban, and Edoxaban Drug Concentrations: A Prospective Cross-Sectional Study

Background

Applying a single anti-Xa assay, calibrated to unfractionated heparin to measure rivaroxaban, apixaban, and edoxaban would simplify laboratory procedures and save healthcare costs.

Aim

We hypothesized that a heparin-calibrated anti-Xa assay would accurately measure rivaroxaban, apixaban, and edoxaban drug concentrations and correctly predict clinically relevant drug levels.

Methods

This analysis is part of the Simple-Xa study, a prospective multicenter cross-sectional study conducted in clinical practice. Patients treated with rivaroxaban, apixaban, or edoxaban were included. Anti-Xa activity was measured using the Siemens INNOVANCE^® Heparin assay. Drug concentrations were determined using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Cut-off levels were determined in a derivation dataset (50% of patients) and sensitivities and specificities were calculated in a verification dataset (50% of patients).

Results

Overall, 845 patients were available for analysis. Correlation coefficients (r _s ) between the heparin-calibrated anti-Xa assay and drug concentrations were 0.97 (95% CI 0.97, 0.98) for rivaroxaban, 0.96 (0.96, 0.97) for apixaban, and 0.96 (0.94, 0.99) for edoxaban. The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (ROC) was 0.99 for all clinically relevant drug concentrations. In the verification dataset, the sensitivity was 94.2% (95% CI 90.8-96.6) for 30 μg L^-1, 95.8% (92.4-98.0) for 50 μg L^-1, and 98.7% (95.5-99.9) for 100 μg L^-1. Specificities were 86.3% (79.2-91.7), 89.8% (84.5-93.7), and 88.7% (84.2-92.2), respectively.

Conclusion

In a large prospective study in clinical practice, a strong correlation of heparin-calibrated anti-Xa measurements with LC-MS/MS results was observed and clinically relevant drug concentrations were predicted correctly.

Inter- and intra-individual concentrations of direct oral anticoagulants: The KIDOAC study

BACKGROUND

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) do not require concentration monitoring. However, whether DOAC concentrations are stable and their variation between and within patients is not well studied.

METHODS

Patients on vitamin K antagonists (VKA) who switched to rivaroxaban, apixaban, or dabigatran were included between 2018 and 2020. Blood was drawn at DOAC trough and peak concentrations at week 0, 2, and 8. Plasma drug concentrations were determined by anti-factor Xa concentrations (rivaroxaban, apixaban) or diluted thrombin time (dabigatran). Inter- and intra-individual variability was assessed by calculating the coefficient of variation (CV). Linear regression models were employed to evaluate associations between DOAC trough concentrations and previous VKA dosage, creatinine clearance, and body mass index (BMI).

RESULTS

One hundred fifty-two patients were included, of whom 96 (63%) were male and with a mean age of 73.9 ± 8.4 years. For the inter-individual variability, the CV ranged between 48% and 81% for trough values and between 25% and 69% for peak values among patients using the recommended DOAC dose. Intra-individual variability was substantially lower, as here the CV ranged between 18% and 33% for trough values and between 15% and 29% for peak values among patients using the recommended DOAC dose. Previous VKA dosage and creatinine clearance were inversely associated with DOAC trough concentrations. No association was found between BMI and DOAC trough concentrations.

CONCLUSION

Inter-individual variability of DOAC concentrations was higher than intra-individual variability. Lower previous VKA dosage and creatinine clearance were associated with higher DOAC trough concentrations. These findings support further study into an optimal target range, in which the risks of both bleeding and thrombosis are minimal.

Time Trends and Treatment Pathways in Prescribing Individual Oral Anticoagulants in Patients with Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation: An Observational Study of More than Three Million Patients from Europe and the United States

BACKGROUND

Data directly comparing trends in the use of different oral anticoagulants (OACs) among patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) from different countries are limited. We addressed this using a large-scale network cohort study in the United States (US), Belgium, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom (UK).

METHODS

We used nine databases (claims or electronic health records) that had been converted into the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership Common Data Model with analysis performed using open-source analytical tools. We identified adults with AF and a first OAC prescription, either vitamin K antagonist (VKA) or direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC), from 2010 to 2017. We described time trends in use, continuation, and switching.

RESULTS

In 2010, 87.5%-99.8% of patients started on a VKA. By 2017, the majority started on a DOAC: 87.0% (US), 88.3% (Belgium), 93.1% (France), 88.4% (Germany), and 86.1%-86.7% (UK). In the UK, DOACs became the most common starting OAC in 2015, 2-3 years later than elsewhere. Apixaban was the most common starting OAC by 2017, 50.2%-57.8% (US), 31.4% (Belgium), 45.9% (France), 39.5% (Germany), and 49.8%-50.5% (UK), followed by rivaroxaban, 24.8%-32.5% (US), 25.7% (Belgium), 38.4% (France), 24.9% (Germany), and 30.2%-31.2% (UK). Long-term treatment was less common in the US than in Europe, especially the UK. A minority of patients switched from their index OAC in the short and long term.

CONCLUSIONS

From 2010 to 2017, VKA use had significantly declined and DOAC use had significantly increased in the US and Europe. Apixaban was the most prescribed OAC in 2017, followed by rivaroxaban.

Shifting from vitamin K antagonists to non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants in patients with atrial fibrillation: predictors, patterns and temporal trends

Background

Non-Vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) emerged as an alternative with comparable or superior efficacy and safety to vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) for stroke prevention in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF).

Objectives

The aim of the current study was to investigate the patterns, predictors, timelines and temporal trends of shifting from VKAs to NOACs.

Methods

In this retrospective observational study, the computerized database of a large healthcare provider in Israel, Maccabi Healthcare Services, was searched to identify patients with AF for whom either a VKA or NOAC was prescribed between 2012 and 2015. Time from diagnosis to therapy initiation and to shifting between therapies was evaluated.

Results

Out of 6987 eligible AF incident patients, 2338 (33.4%) initiated treatment with a VKA and 2221 (31.7%) with a NOAC. In addition, 5259 prevalent patients were analyzed. During the study period, NOAC prescriptions proportion among the newly diagnosed cases increased from 32 to 68.4% (p for trend <  0.001). The median time from diagnosis to first dispensing was greater in NOAC than VKA and decreased among patients treated with NOAC during the study period (2012: 1.9 and 0.3 months, 2015: 0.7 and 0.2 months, respectively). During follow-up, 3737 (49%) patients (54.3% and 47.1% of the incident and prevalent cases, respectively), shifted from a VKA to a NOAC, after a median of 22 months and 39 months in the incident and prevalent cases, respectively, decreasing throughout the study period. Female gender, younger age, southern district, higher CHADS₂ and CHA₂DS₂-VASC score, non-smoking, and treatment with antiplatelets were associated with a greater likelihood for therapy shift. Shifting from a NOAC to a VKA decreased over time from 8 to 4.5% in 2012 to 0.5% and 0.7% in 2015 in the incident and prevalent groups, p <  0.001 respectively.

Conclusions

Shifting from VKA to NOAC occurred in 50% of the cases, more frequently among incident cases, and younger patients with greater stroke risk. Shifting from a NOAC to a VKA was much less frequent, yet it occurred more often in incident cases and decreased over time. A socially and economically sensitive program to optimize the initiation of OAC therapy upon diagnosis is warranted.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12872-021-02295-w.

Prescription patterns of direct oral anticoagulants and concomitant use of interacting medications in the Netherlands

Objectives

To describe the prevalence, temporal and regional trends in prescribing direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in conjunction with interacting medications.

Methods

We performed a cross-sectional study of pharmacy dispensing data in the Foundation for Pharmaceutical Statistics (SFK) registry on patients who have had a prescription for a DOAC filled at one of 831 randomly selected pharmacies in the Netherlands between Jan 2014–Jan 2019.

Results

We identified 99,211 patients who had a first DOAC prescription filled. Mean age was 71.6 ± 10.9 years, 58% were male. In 2014, 8,293 patients were treated with DOACs, in 2018, 35,415 were newly started on a DOAC. In 2018, the use of apixaban was most common (52%) in the Eastern region, whereas rivaroxaban was most frequently prescribed (32–48%) in the other regions. At time of first prescription, the vast majority (99.3%) used ≥ 1 concomitant interacting drug, and 3.2% used ≥ 3 interacting medications. Most common were digoxin (37.8%), atorvastatin (31.5%), verapamil (13.7%) and amiodarone (9.7%). While the number of interacting medications remained unchanged over time (median 1, interquartile range 1–1), there was a notable decrease in antiarrhythmic medications and an increase in non-cardiovascular interacting medications (e.g. dexamethasone from 0.9% to 7.1%, antiepileptic drugs from 2.5% to 3.8%, and haloperidol from 0.5% to 2.2% in 2014 and 2018, respectively).

Conclusion

DOAC use has quadrupled in Dutch clinical practice over the 5‑year period from 2014 to 2018. While the number of patients who take interacting medications remained stable, the profile of interacting medications has changed over time from cardiovascular to medications affecting other organ systems.

Supplementary Information

The online version of this article (10.1007/s12471-021-01612-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Predictors, time course, and outcomes of persistence patterns in oral anticoagulation for non-valvular atrial fibrillation: a Dutch Nationwide Cohort Study

Aims 

Persistence with direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) has become a concern in non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients, but whether this affects prognosis is rarely studied. We investigated the persistence with oral anticoagulants (OACs) and its association with prognosis among a nationwide cohort of NVAF patients.

Methods and results 

DOAC-naive NVAF patients who started to use DOACs for ischaemic stroke prevention between 2013 and 2018 were included using Dutch national statistics. Persistence with OACs was determined based on the presence of a 100-day gap between the last prescription and the end of study period. In 93 048 patients, 75.7% had a baseline CHA₂DS₂-VASc score of ≥2. The cumulative incidence of persistence with OACs was 88.1% [95% confidence interval (CI) 87.9–88.3%], 82.6% (95% CI 82.3–82.9%), 77.7% (95% CI 77.3–78.1%), and 72.0% (95% CI 71.5–72.5%) at 1, 2, 3, and 4 years after receiving DOACs, respectively. Baseline characteristics associated with better persistence with OACs included female sex, age range 65–74 years, permanent atrial fibrillation, previous exposure to vitamin K antagonists, stroke history (including transient ischaemic attack), and a CHA₂DS₂-VASc score ≥2. Non-persistence with OACs was associated with an increased risk of the composite outcome of ischaemic stroke and ischaemic stroke-related death [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 1.79, 95% CI 1.49–2.15] and ischaemic stroke (aHR 1.58, 95% CI 1.29–1.93) compared with being persistent with OACs.

Conclusion 

At least a quarter of NVAF patients were non-persistent with OACs within 4 years, which was associated with poor efficacy of ischaemic stroke prevention. The identified baseline characteristics may help identify patients at risk of non-persistence.

Characteristics of patients with atrial fibrillation prescribed edoxaban in Belgium and The Netherlands: insights from the ETNA-AF-Europe study

BACKGROUND

Studies on the use of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants in unselected patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) show that clinical characteristics and dosing practices differ per region, but lack data on edoxaban.

METHODS

With data from Edoxaban Treatment in routiNe clinical prActice for patients with AF in Europe (ETNA-AF-Europe), a large prospective observational study, we compared clinical characteristics (including the dose reduction criteria for edoxaban: creatinine clearance 15-50 mL/min, weight ≤60 kg, and/or use of strong p-glycoprotein inhibitors) of patients from Belgium and the Netherlands (BeNe) with those from other European countries (OEC).

RESULTS

Of all 13,639 patients in ETNA-AF-Europe, 2579 were from BeNe. BeNe patients were younger than OEC patients (mean age: 72.3 vs 73.9 years), and had lower CHA2DS2-VASc (mean: 2.8 vs 3.2) and HAS-BLED scores (mean: 2.4 vs 2.6). Patients from BeNe less often had hypertension (61.6% vs 80.4%), and/or diabetes mellitus (17.3% vs 23.1%) than patients from OEC. Moreover, relatively fewer patients in BeNe were prescribed the reduced dose of 30 mg edoxaban (14.8%) than in OEC (25.4%). Overall, edoxaban was dosed according to label in 83.1% of patients. Yet, 30 mg edoxaban was prescribed in the absence of any dose reduction criteria in 36.9% of 30 mg users (5.5% of all patients) in BeNe compared with 35.5% (9.0% of all patients) in OEC.

CONCLUSION

There were several notable differences between BeNe and OEC regarding clinical characteristics and dosing practices in patients prescribed edoxaban, which are relevant for the local implementation of dose evaluation and optimisation.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT02944019; Date of registration: October 24, 2016.

Investigation of the Optimal Dose aPCC in Reversing the Effect of Factor Xa Inhibitors-An In Vitro Study

Factor (F) Xa inhibitors are safe and effective alternatives to warfarin. There are concerns about the lack of a reversal strategy in case of serious bleeds or need for emergency surgery in situations when the antidote andexanet alfa is not available. Factor concentrates are widely used, but there are few clinical studies regarding the reversal effect of activated prothrombin complex concentrate (aPCC). Because of the feared thrombogenicity, administration of the lowest effective dose would be desirable. To determine the lowest concentration of aPCC sufficient to reverse the effect of rivaroxaban and apixaban. Blood from 18 healthy volunteers were supplemented with apixaban or rivaroxaban. aPCC was added to obtain 10 different concentrations ranging from 0.08-1.60 U/mL. Thromboelastometry and thrombin generation assay were used to assess the reversal effect. aPCC concentrations of 0.08 and 0.16 U/mL restored thromboelastometry clotting time to baseline in apixaban (P = 1.0) and rivaroxaban (P = 1.0)-containing samples, respectively. The concentrations 0.08 U/mL (P = 0.5) and 0.24 U/mL (P = 0.2) were sufficient to restore thrombin generation. Concentrations of 0.56 U/mL and higher, caused significantly higher ETP than baseline in apixaban-containing samples (P < 0.05). aPCC concentrations lower than previously reported were effective in reversing the effect of FXa inhibitors in vitro.

(Absence of) Association Between Non-Vitamin K Antagonist Oral Anticoagulant Therapy and Urinary Tract Infection in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation

ABSTRACT

The aim of the present study is to identify a potential association of urinary tract infections (UTI) in a large population of patients receiving oral anticoagulation therapy treated in general practices in Germany. This study contains patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation who received at least one prescription of either non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulation (NOAC) or vitamin K antagonists (VKA) within January 2015 and December 2018. The incidence of UTI was examined cumulatively on the basis of Kaplan-Meier methods and was complemented by incidence rates measured in cases per 1000 patient years. Sex-stratified Cox regressions were conducted to examine possible associations in specific sex groups. The study comprised 26,934 patients receiving NOAC therapy and 8121 patients treated with VKA agents. Within a period of 5 years, slightly more NOAC than VKA users were diagnosed with UTI (20.3% vs. 19.3%), whereas the incidence rate was slightly higher in patients receiving NOAC therapy than in those under VKA treatment (50.8 cases vs. 50.5 cases in 1000 patient years). There was no significant association between direct oral anticoagulants versus vitamin K antagonists and infections of the urinary tract. Our study did not identify any significant association between therapy with direct oral anticoagulants versus vitamin K anticoagulants and UTI in patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation in general practices in Germany. Because current findings regarding the risk of UTI in patients receiving oral anticoagulation therapy remain limited and contradictory, further investigations including a broad patient population are necessary to determine patients at risk for UTI and reconcile conflicting evidence.

A universal anti-Xa assay for rivaroxaban, apixaban, and edoxaban measurements: method validation, diagnostic accuracy and external validation

A universal anti‐Xa assay for the determination of rivaroxaban, apixaban and edoxaban drug concentrations would simplify laboratory procedures and facilitate widespread implementation. Following two pilot studies analysing spiked samples and material from 698 patients, we conducted a prospective multicentre cross‐sectional study, including 867 patients treated with rivaroxaban, apixaban or edoxaban in clinical practice to comprehensively evaluate a simple, readily available anti‐Xa assay that would accurately measure drug concentrations and correctly predict relevant levels in clinical practice. Anti‐Xa activity was measured by an assay calibrated with low‐molecular‐weight heparin (LMWH) in addition to ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS). As an external validation, LMWH‐calibrated anti‐Xa activity was also determined in nine external laboratories. The LMWH‐calibrated anti‐Xa activity correlated strongly with rivaroxaban, apixaban or edoxaban drug levels [r_s = 0·98, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0·98–0·98]. The sensitivity for the clinically relevant cut‐off levels of 30, 50 and 100 µg/l was 96·2% (95% CI 94·4–97·4), 96·4% (95% CI 94·4–97·7) and 96·7% (95% CI 94·3–98·1) respectively. Concordant results were obtained in the external validation study. In conclusion, a universal, LMWH‐calibrated anti‐Xa assay accurately measured rivaroxaban, apixaban and edoxaban concentrations and correctly predicted relevant drug concentrations in clinical practice.

Adherence to direct oral anticoagulant treatment for atrial fibrillation in the Netherlands: A surveillance study

BACKGROUND

Adherence to direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in patients with atrial fibrillation in every day practice may be less than in clinical trials.

AIMS

To assess adherence to DOACs in atrial fibrillation patients in every day practice and identify predictors for non-adherence.

METHODS

Individual linked dispensing data of atrial fibrillation patients who used DOACs were obtained from the Foundation for Pharmaceutical Statistics covering the Netherlands between 2012 and 2016. One year adherence to DOAC was calculated for initial DOAC as proportion of days covered (PDC) ≥80% and the association between clinical variables and adherence was assessed using logistic regression. In addition, we measured non-persistence, that is, patients who completely stopped their initial DOAC within 1 year follow-up.

RESULTS

A total of 4797 apixaban-, 20 454 rivaroxaban- and 18 477 dabigatran users were included. The mean age was 69 years (n = 43 910), which was similar for the DOAC types. The overall proportion of patients with PDC ≥80% was 76%, which was highest for apixaban- (87%), followed by dabigatran- (80%) and rivaroxaban (69%) users. Multivariable analyses revealed that age ≤60 years, no concomitant drug use were predictors for non-adherence. Of atrial fibrillation patients who continued treatment, 97% had a PDC ≥80%, compared with only 56% for those who discontinued their DOAC treatment within 1 year.

CONCLUSIONS

Non-adherence to DOACs was associated with age ≤60 years and no concomitant drugs use. Non-adherence was higher in patients who later discontinued DOAC treatment. Results of our study support research into interventions to improve adherence.

Antithrombotic management and outcomes of patients with atrial fibrillation treated with NOACs early at the time of market introduction: Main results from the PREFER in AF Prolongation Registry

The management of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) has rapidly changed with increasing use of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) and changes in the use of rhythm control therapy. The prevention of thromboembolic events European Registry in Atrial Fibrillation Prolongation Registry (PREFER Prolongation) enrolled consecutive patients with AF on NOACs between 2014 and 2016 in a multicentre, prospective, observational study with one-year follow-up, focusing on the time of introduction of NOACs. Overall, 3783 patients were enrolled, with follow-up information available in 3223 (85%). Mean age was 72.2 ± 9.4 years, 40% were women, mean CHA₂DS₂VASc score was 3.4 ± 1.6, and 2587 (88.6%) had a CHA₂DS₂VASc score ≥ 2. Rivaroxaban was used in half of patients, and dabigatran and apixaban were used in about a quarter of patients each; edoxaban was not available for use in Europe at the time. Major cardiovascular event rate was low: serious events occurred in 74 patients (84 events, 2%), including 24 strokes (1%), 62 major bleeds (2%), of which 30 were life-threatening (1%) and 3 intracranial (0.1%), and 28 acute coronary syndromes (1%). Mortality was 2%. Antiarrhythmic drugs were used in about 50% of patients, catheter ablation in 5%. Adverse events were low in this contemporary European cohort of unselected AF patients treated with NOACs already at the time of their first introduction, despite high thromboembolic risk.

Higher prescription of antidepressants and/or anxiolytics among chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients

Background:

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is often accompanied by psychiatric problems, such as depression and anxiety, affecting both treatment outcomes and mortality. Evidence for the number of COPD patients using medication for these disorders is sparse. In this study, chronic antidepressant (ATD) and anxiolytic (ANX) drug use – to identify depression and anxiety – among COPD patients was compared with subjects with or without other chronic diseases.

Methods:

The NControl database containing prescription data of 800 pharmacies including 7 million individuals in The Netherlands was used. Patients of age 55+ years who received frequent prescriptions – at least two/year in 5 out of 6 years – for COPD medication, dermatological drugs, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), statins and oral glucose-lowering medication were analyzed for concomitant chronic use of ATDs and ANXs between 1 January 2013 and 1 January 2019. All other subjects aged 55+ years were included as a control group (control group 1). This group was further stratified into a group of subjects that received frequent prescriptions of any kind (control group 2).

Results:

15.2% of the patients that receive COPD treatment (n = 96,319), 15.3% of subjects that are treated for dermatological problems (n = 62,865), 13.2% of subjects that receive DMARDs (n = 7900), 11.6% of statins users (n = 422,376) and 11.4% of oral glucose-lowering medication users (n = 165,975) are also chronically treated for depression or anxiety, compared with 2.6% (control group 1; n = 3,290,608) and 11.4% (control group 2; n = 757,947). In general, female and 75+ years aged subjects showed a higher risk for using ATDs and ANXs chronically. In the COPD and the dermatological patient group the risk was the highest compared with the other patient groups.

Conclusions:

The rates of chronic ATD and ANX use and the risk of having depression and/or anxiety are especially high in COPD patients, indicating that psychiatric problems are more common in COPD than in most other chronic diseases. In general, age and gender strongly influence the risk of chronically using ATDs and ANXs.

The reviews of this paper are available via the supplemental material section.

Characteristics of patients with atrial fibrillation prescribed edoxaban in Belgium and the Netherlands: insights from the ETNA-AF-Europe study

Background

Studies on the use of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants in unselected patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) show that clinical characteristics and dosing practices differ per region, but lack data on edoxaban.

Methods

With data from Edoxaban Treatment in routiNe clinical prActice for patients with AF in Europe (ETNA-AF-Europe), a large prospective observational study, we compared clinical characteristics (including the dose reduction criteria for edoxaban: creatinine clearance 15–50 ml/min, weight ≤60 kg, and/or use of strong p‑glycoprotein inhibitors) of patients from Belgium and the Netherlands (BeNe) with those from other European countries (OEC).

Results

Of all 13,639 patients in ETNA-AF-Europe, 2579 were from BeNe. BeNe patients were younger than OEC patients (mean age: 72.3 vs 73.9 years), and had lower CHA₂DS₂-VASc (mean: 2.8 vs 3.2) and HAS-BLED scores (mean: 2.4 vs 2.6). Patients from BeNe less often had hypertension (61.6% vs 80.4%), and/or diabetes mellitus (17.3% vs 23.1%) than patients from OEC. Moreover, relatively fewer patients in BeNe were prescribed the reduced dose of 30 mg edoxaban (14.8%) than in OEC (25.4%). Overall, edoxaban was dosed according to label in 83.1% of patients. Yet, 30 mg edoxaban was prescribed in the absence of any dose reduction criteria in 36.9% of 30 mg users (5.5% of all patients) in BeNe compared with 35.5% (9.0% of all patients) in OEC.

Conclusion

There were several notable differences between BeNe and OEC regarding clinical characteristics and dosing practices in patients prescribed edoxaban, which are relevant for the local implementation of dose evaluation and optimisation.

Trial registration

NCT02944019; Date of registration 24 October 2016

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s12471-020-01518-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

A new smartphone application for integrated transmural care of atrial fibrillation, AF-EduApp: Usability and validation study

Introduction

Digital technology creates the opportunity to develop and evaluate new tools, such as smartphone applications, to support integrated atrial fibrillation management. This study aimed to develop, evaluate, and validate a new, integrated care application (AF-EduApp) mainly focusing on targeted atrial fibrillation education to improve patient self-care capabilities and therapy adherence.

Methods

The newly developed AF-EduApp, available for Android and iOS, consists of six different modules. The prototype was validated and optimized for its usability and functionality at Jessa Hospital Hasselt and Antwerp University Hospital in two phases: (1) validity evaluation with interviews of an expert panel with 15 healthcare professionals and 10 atrial fibrillation patients, and (2) a pilot study of 1 month with 20 atrial fibrillation patients.

Results

Both experts and patients found that the application aids atrial fibrillation management. Based on the input of patients and experts, the main optimizations concerned the medication module (patient choice on setting reminder; interactivity of reminders with a “taken” or “snooze” function) and development of a clinical dashboard for the caregivers allowing telemonitoring of measurements and feedback to the patients. After the pilot study ( n = 20), 16 patients indicated they wanted to use the app for a longer period. The measurement (27%) and education (17%) modules were the two most used modules with a significant improvement in knowledge (71.9% to 87.5%; P = 0.013).

Discussion

The AF-EduApp received a positive evaluation from health professionals and atrial fibrillation patients. Further development should be focused on the medication module and improvement of the clinical dashboard.

Real-world evaluation of perception, convenience and anticoagulant treatment satisfaction of patients with atrial fibrillation switched from long-term vitamin K antagonist treatment to dabigatran

Background and purpose

Real-world data about treatment convenience and satisfaction in Asian non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients after switching from vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) to non-VKA oral anticoagulants were evaluated.

Methods

In this non-interventional study involving 49 sites across five countries in Southeast Asia and South Korea, 379 stable NVAF patients who switched from VKA therapy to dabigatran during routine clinical practice were recruited and followed up for 6 months. Treatment convenience and satisfaction were evaluated using Perception on Anticoagulant Treatment Questionnaire-2 (PACT-Q2). Through post hoc analysis, factors associated with improved treatment convenience scores at visit 2 were described.

Results

Treatment convenience and satisfaction significantly improved after switching from VKAs to dabigatran at visit 2 and visit 3 (convenience: p<0.001 each vs baseline; satisfaction: p=0.0174 (visit 2), p=0.0004 (visit 3) compared with baseline). Factors predictive of higher (>80th percentile) response on treatment convenience were female sex, younger age (<75 years), higher baseline stroke risk, higher creatinine clearance and absence of concomitant hypertension, stroke or gastrointestinal diseases.

Conclusion

Dabigatran was associated with a significant improvement in treatment convenience and satisfaction after switching from VKAs when used for stroke prevention in NVAF patients from Southeast Asia and South Korea.

Anticoagulant selection in relation to the SAMe-TT2R2 score in patients with atrial fibrillation: The GLORIA-AF registry

AIM

The SAMe-TT₂R₂ score helps identify patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) likely to have poor anticoagulation control during anticoagulation with vitamin K antagonists (VKA) and those with scores >2 might be better managed with a target-specific oral anticoagulant (NOAC). We hypothesized that in clinical practice, VKAs may be prescribed less frequently to patients with AF and SAMe-TT₂R₂ scores >2 than to patients with lower scores.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We analyzed the Phase III dataset of the Global Registry on Long-Term Oral Antithrombotic Treatment in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation (GLORIA-AF), a large, global, prospective global registry of patients with newly diagnosed AF and ≥1 stroke risk factor. We compared baseline clinical characteristics and antithrombotic prescriptions to determine the probability of the VKA prescription among anticoagulated patients with the baseline SAMe-TT₂R₂ score >2 and ≤ 2. Among 17,465 anticoagulated patients with AF, 4,828 (27.6%) patients were prescribed VKA and 12,637 (72.4%) patients an NOAC: 11,884 (68.0%) patients had SAMe-TT₂R₂ scores 0-2 and 5,581 (32.0%) patients had scores >2. The proportion of patients prescribed VKA was 28.0% among patients with SAMe-TT₂R₂ scores >2 and 27.5% in those with scores ≤2.

CONCLUSIONS

The lack of a clear association between the SAMe-TT₂R₂ score and anticoagulant selection may be attributed to the relative efficacy and safety profiles between NOACs and VKAs as well as to the absence of trial evidence that an SAMe-TT₂R₂-guided strategy for the selection of the type of anticoagulation in NVAF patients has an impact on clinical outcomes of efficacy and safety. The latter hypothesis is currently being tested in a randomized controlled trial.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov//Unique identifier: NCT01937377, NCT01468701, and NCT01671007.

Design and rationale of DUTCH-AF: a prospective nationwide registry programme and observational study on long-term oral antithrombotic treatment in patients with atrial fibrillation

INTRODUCTION

Anticoagulation therapy is pivotal in the management of stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (AF). Prospective registries, containing longitudinal data are lacking with detailed information on anticoagulant therapy, treatment adherence and AF-related adverse events in practice-based patient cohorts, in particular for non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (NOAC). With the creation of DUTCH-AF, a nationwide longitudinal AF registry, we aim to provide clinical data and answer questions on the (anticoagulant) management over time and of the clinical course of patients with newly diagnosed AF in routine clinical care. Within DUTCH-AF, our current aim is to assess the effect of non-adherence and non-persistence of anticoagulation therapy on clinical adverse events (eg, bleeding and stroke), to determine predictors for such inadequate anticoagulant treatment, and to validate and refine bleeding prediction models. With DUTCH-AF, we provide the basis for a continuing nationwide AF registry, which will facilitate subsequent research, including future registry-based clinical trials.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The DUTCH-AF registry is a nationwide, prospective registry of patients with newly diagnosed 'non-valvular' AF. Patients will be enrolled from primary, secondary and tertiary care practices across the Netherlands. A target of 6000 patients for this initial cohort will be followed for at least 2 years. Data on thromboembolic and bleeding events, changes in antithrombotic therapy and hospital admissions will be registered. Pharmacy-dispensing data will be obtained to calculate parameters of adherence and persistence to anticoagulant treatment, which will be linked to AF-related outcomes such as ischaemic stroke and major bleeding. In a subset of patients, anticoagulation adherence and beliefs about drugs will be assessed by questionnaire.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This study protocol was approved as exempt for formal review according to Dutch law by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands. Results will be disseminated by publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at scientific congresses.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

Trial NL7467, NTR7706 (https://www.trialregister.nl/trial/7464).

Antithrombotic management of patients with atrial fibrillation-Dutch anticoagulant initiatives anno 2020

In recent years, as more and more experience has been gained with prescribing direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), new research initiatives have emerged in the Netherlands to improve the safety and appropriateness of DOAC treatment for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). These initiatives address several contemporary unresolved issues, such as inappropriate dosing, non-adherence and the long-term management of DOAC treatment. Dutch initiatives have also contributed to the development and improvement of risk prediction models. Although fewer bleeding complications (notably intracranial bleeding) are in general seen with DOACs in comparison with vitamin K antagonists, to successfully identify patients with high bleeding risk and to tailor anticoagulant treatment accordingly to mitigate this increased bleeding risk, is one of the research aims of recent and future years. This review highlights contributions from the Netherlands that aim to address these unresolved issues regarding the anticoagulant management in AF in daily practice, and provides a narrative overview of contemporary stroke and bleeding risk assessment strategies.

Physician Practice Patterns for Performing Thoracentesis in Patients Taking Anticoagulant Medications

BACKGROUND

Patients undergoing thoracentesis often have comorbid conditions or take medications that potentially put them at higher bleeding risk. Direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) use has also increased significantly. There are no published guidelines or consensus on when to perform thoracentesis in patients on anticoagulants. Recent studies support the safety of a more liberal approach for thoracentesis among patients with coagulopathy.

METHODS

We conducted a survey to ascertain the practices of physicians regarding thoracentesis in patients with increased bleeding risk. The survey was administered to the email distribution lists of the American Association of Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology and of the American Thoracic Society.

RESULTS

The survey was completed by 256 attending physicians. Most of them were general pulmonologists practicing at academic medical centers. Most of them would perform a thoracentesis in patients receiving acetylsalicylic acid or prophylactic doses of unfractionated heparin or low molecular weight heparin (96%, 89%, and 88%, respectively). Half of the respondents would perform a thoracentesis in patients on antiplatelet medications (clopidogrel and ticagrelor, 51%; ticlopidine, 53%). A minority would perform thoracentesis in patients on direct oral anticoagulants or infused thrombin inhibitors (19% and 12%, respectively). The only subgroup that had a higher proclivity for performing thoracentesis without holding medications were attending physicians practicing for under 10 years. Relative to noninterventional pulmonologists, there were no significant differences in the responses of interventional pulmonologists.

CONCLUSION

There was variation in the practice patterns of attending physicians in performing thoracentesis in patients with elevated bleeding risk. Further data and guidelines regarding the safety of thoracentesis in these patients are needed.

Consequences of pre-injury utilization of direct oral anticoagulants in patients with traumatic brain injury: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The rapid adoption and widespread use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) has outpaced research efforts to establish their effects in bleeding trauma patients. In patients with complicated traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by intracranial hemorrhage, DOAC use may be associated with higher bleeding volume and potentially more disastrous sequelae than use of vitamin K antagonists (VKAs). In the current systematic review and meta-analysis we set out to evaluate the literature on the relationship between preinjury DOAC use and course of the intracranial hemorrhage. (ICH), its treatment and mortality rates in TBI patients, and to compare these outcomes to those of patients with preinjury VKA use.

METHODS

PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were searched using a search strategy including three main terms: "traumatic brain injury," "direct oral anticoagulants," and "vitamin K antagonists." There were 1,446 abstracts screened, and ultimately, six included articles. Random effects modeling meta-analysis was performed on in-hospital mortality, ICH progression and neurosurgical intervention rate.

RESULTS

All cohorts had similar baseline and emergency department parameters. Within individual studies surgery rate, reversal agents used, ICH progression and in-hospital mortality differed significantly between DOAC and VKA cohorts. Meta-analysis showed no significant difference in in-hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR], 0.98; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.23-4.06; I = 76%; p = 0.97), neurosurgical interventions (OR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.14-1.63; p = 0.24), or ICH progression rates (OR, 1.86; 95% CI, 0.32-10.66; p = 0.49) between patients that used preinjury DOACs versus patients that used VKAs.

CONCLUSION

Direct oral anticoagulant-using mild TBI patients do not appear to be at an increased risk of in-hospital mortality, nor of increased ICH progression or surgery rates, compared with those taking VKAs.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Systematic review, level III.

Self-reported therapy adherence and predictors for nonadherence in patients who switched from vitamin K antagonists to direct oral anticoagulants

BACKGROUND

Many patients who used vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) for long-term prevention of thromboembolism are now actively switched to a direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC). Strict adherence to a DOAC is crucial for its success. However, therapy adherence and clinical factors that predict nonadherence are currently not well studied among patients who switched from a VKA to a DOAC.

METHODS

A questionnaire was developed and sent to 2920 former patients of 3 anticoagulation clinics in the Netherlands, who switched from a VKA to a DOAC between January 2016 and December 2017. Questions concerned demographics, treatment persistence, adherence, and the occurrence of bleeding or thromboembolic events on DOACs. To identify predictors for nonadherence, logistic regression models were used to estimate crude and age/sex-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs).

RESULTS

A total of 1399 questionnaires (response rate 48%) were used for analysis. DOAC treatment persistence (94%) and adherence (86%) rates were high. Several predictors of nonadherence were identified, including young age (OR, 5.9; 95% CI, 3.6-9.8 for <60 years compared to >75 years), low consultation frequency with a specialist (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.1-2.2), a history of minor bleeding on DOACs (OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.3-2.8), and a twice-daily dosing regimen (OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.3-2.6).

CONCLUSIONS

Self-reported treatment persistence and adherence were high in our study population, and several predictors of nonadherence were identified. Factors that can be influenced (low consult frequency with medical specialist, daily dosing regimen) may be used to improve therapy adherence.

Changes in anticoagulant prescription in Dutch patients with recent-onset atrial fibrillation: observations from the GARFIELD-AF registry

Background

For the improvement of AF care, it is important to gain insight into current anticoagulation prescription practices and guideline adherence. This report focuses on the largest Dutch subset of AF-patients, derived from the GARFIELD-AF registry.

Methods

Across 35 countries worldwide, patients with newly diagnosed ‘non-valvular’ atrial fibrillation (AF) with at least one additional risk factor for stroke were included. Dutch patients were enrolled in five, independent, consecutive cohorts from 2010 until 2016.

Results

In the Netherlands, 1189 AF-patients were enrolled. The prescription of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOAC) has increased sharply, and as per 2016, more patients were initiated on NOACs instead of vitamin K antagonists (VKA). In patients with a class I recommendation for anticoagulation, only 7.5% compared to 30.0% globally received no anticoagulation. Reasons for withholding anticoagulation in these patients were unfortunately often unclear.

Conclusions

The data from the GARFIELD-AF registry shows the rapidly changing anticoagulation preference of Dutch physicians in newly diagnosed AF. Adherence to European AF guidelines in terms of anticoagulant regimen would appear to be appropriate. In absence of structured follow up of AF patients on NOAC, the impact of these rapid practice changes in anticoagulation prescription in the Netherlands remains to be established.

Effectiveness and safety of direct oral anticoagulants in atrial fibrillation patients switched from vitamin K antagonists: A systematic review and meta-analysis

A substantial proportion of atrial fibrillation patients initiating direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) are vitamin K antagonists (VKA)-experienced, for example switchers from VKA to DOAC. With this study, we aimed to summarize available evidence on the effectiveness and safety of DOAC vs VKA in real-life VKA-experienced atrial fibrillation patients. We searched EMBASE, MEDLINE and Cochrane Library systematically for English-language studies indexed any time before October 2018. We included studies of VKA-experienced atrial fibrillation patients initiating DOAC therapy, with continued VKA therapy as comparator. Outcomes included arterial thromboembolism and bleeding. When appropriate, meta-analysis was performed by calculating pooled, weighted and adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Eight cohort studies comparing VKA-experienced DOAC (dabigatran or rivaroxaban) users with continued VKA users were included. When comparing DOAC to VKA, an increased risk of ischaemic stroke and myocardial infarction was found for dabigatran (pooled aHR of 1.61 [95% CI 1.19-2.19, I2  = 65%] and 1.29 [95% CI 1.10-1.52, I2  = 0%], respectively), but not for rivaroxaban. The use of dabigatran in VKA-experienced users was associated with an increased risk of gastrointestinal bleeding (pooled aHR 1.63 [95% CI 1.36-1.94, I2  = 30%]), but a decreased risk of intracranial bleeding (pooled aHR 0.45 [95% CI 0.32-0.64, I2  = 0%]). In conclusion, the use of dabigatran in prior VKA users in clinical practice was associated with a slightly increased risk of arterial thromboembolism and gastrointestinal bleeding, but a decreased risk of intracranial bleeding. Importantly, observational studies of real-life VKA-experienced oral anticoagulant users may be confounded by the reason for switching.

Mining treatment patterns of glucose-lowering medications for type 2 diabetes in the Netherlands

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

Different classes of glucose-lowering medications are used for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) management. It is unclear how often these medications are prescribed in clinical practice. In this study, we aimed to describe treatment patterns of glucose-lowering medications in patients with T2DM in the Netherlands.

METHODS

We studied a cohort of 73 819 patients with T2DM, aged ≥45 years with a first prescription for oral glucose-lowering medication between 2011 and 2017. We used the NControl database with dispensing data from 800 pharmacies in the Netherlands. Prevalence of each glucose-lowering medication class during 6 years after the index date was calculated. Using SQL Server, we identified stepwise patterns of medication prescription in this population.

FINDINGS

During the study period, prevalence of biguanides (BIGU) decreased from 95.6% to 80.8% and use of sulfonylureas (SU) increased from 27.3% to 42.3%. 55.2% of all patients only received BIGUs, 19.1% of all patients started on BIGUs but switched to BIGU +SU. 13.5% of patients with T2DM initiated insulins, on average 532 days (almost 18 months) after the index date.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings showed that in the Netherlands, medication treatment in patients with T2DM is mainly consistent with the clinical guidelines in the Netherlands during the study period.

Disparities and Temporal Trends in the Use of Anticoagulation in Patients With Ischemic Stroke and Atrial Fibrillation

Background and Purpose- Ischemic stroke (IS) secondary to atrial fibrillation (AF) is largely preventable with the use of anticoagulation. We sought to identify race-ethnicity and sex disparities with the use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), aspirin, and warfarin in IS patients with AF and to identify temporal trends in the utilization of these medications. Methods- The FLiPER-AF Stroke Study (Florida Puerto Rico Atrial Fibrillation) included 24 040 IS cases enrolled in the Florida-Puerto Rico Collaboration to Reduce Stroke Registry from 2010 to 2016. Multivariable logistic regression models were performed to evaluate the effect of race-ethnicity and sex on utilization of DOACs, aspirin, and warfarin for stroke prevention in AF after adjustment for sociodemographic, hospital, and clinical factors. Results- Among 24 040 IS cases, 54% were women and 10% black, 12% FL-Hispanics, 4% PR-Hispanic, and 74% whites. From 2010 to 2016, DOAC use increased from 0% to 36%, warfarin use decreased from 51% to 17%, and aspirin use remained relatively stable (42%-40%). After adjustment, blacks had higher odds of warfarin (odds ratio, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.07-1.40) prescription at discharge compared with whites. Men had higher rates of aspirin (42.1% versus 38.8%), warfarin (33.6% versus 28.9%), and DOAC (21.3% versus 19.3%) use compared with women. After adjustment, women had lower odds of being discharged on aspirin (odds ratio, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.86-0.98) or warfarin (odds ratio, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.84-0.99). There was no sex difference in use of DOACs. Conclusions- Our study confirmed the increasing use of DOACs, downtrending use of warfarin, whereas aspirin use remained similar over the years. There are sex and race-ethnicity disparities in anticoagulation use in IS patients with AF. It is critical to understand underlying drivers of these disparities to develop better practice strategies for stroke prevention in patients with AF. Clinical Trial Registration- URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier: NCT03627806.

Transcatheter Mitral Valve Implantation with the Medtronic Intrepid™ Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement System

Mitral regurgitation is the most prevalent yet undertreated valvulopathy despite its adverse prognosis. With the emergence of transcatheter mitral interventions, the potential for this huge unmet disease burden to be addressed may finally be realized. Medtronic Intrepid™ Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement System represents one of several novel solutions. Based on early data from the pilot study, its efficacy and clinical utility is currently being tested against the mainstay treatment of surgical mitral valve replacement in a randomized trial. While there remain significant challenges before transcatheter mitral intervention can become part of the routine treatment algorithm, the authors are optimistic that transcatheter mitral valve repair and intervention have the potential in revolutionizing the management of severe symptomatic mitral regurgitation.

Uptake in antithrombotic treatment and its association with stroke incidence in atrial fibrillation: insights from a large German claims database

BACKGROUND

Underuse of oral anticoagulation (OAC) for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (AF) results in thousands of preventable strokes in Germany each year. This study aimed to assess changes in antithrombotic therapy in AF patients after increased use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in Germany and to evaluate whether the adoption of DOAC therapy was associated with changes in AF-related stroke and bleeding over time.

METHODS

Analyses were carried out on a large claims-based dataset of 4 million health-insured Germans. The study population consisted of 601,261 prevalent AF patients between 2011 and 2016 who were assigned to one of the following four treatment groups: DOAC, VKA, antiplatelets or no antithrombotic treatment. Treatment patterns were descriptively analysed and represented by cohort and CHA₂DS₂-VASc score. Clinical outcomes before and after the adoption of DOAC therapy were assessed using Poisson regression models.

RESULTS

Use of OAC increased from 42 to 61% between 2011 and 2016, mainly due to more frequent prescription of DOACs. However, some underuse of OAC therapy remained even in high risk AF patients. In parallel with the increased prescription rate of OAC, there was an overall 24% incidence reduction in stroke between 2011 and 2016 which was mainly driven by reductions in ischemic strokes. Over the same time period the risk for major bleeding remained unchanged.

CONCLUSION

Between 2011 and 2016, the use of guideline-conform antithrombotic therapy in Germany has significantly increased. This was associated with a significant decline in strokes without an increased incidence of bleeding complications.