Age-dependent anticoagulant therapy for atrial fibrillation patients with intermediate risk of ischemic stroke: A nationwide population-based study

Author(s):  
Sun Young Choi ◽  
Moo Hyun Hyun Kim ◽  
Kwang Min Lee ◽  
Young-Rak Cho ◽  
Jong Sung Park ◽  
...  

Background: Although older age is one of the most important risk factors for stroke in atrial fibrillation (AF), it is unclear whether an age threshold exists for which oral anticoagulants (OACs) are beneficial for intermediate-risk AF patients. We sought to investigate the age-dependency of OAC for ischemic stroke in intermediate-risk AF patients. Methods: We enrolled 34,701 AF patients (males with a CHA2DS2-VASc score of 1 and females with a CHA2DS2-VASc score of 2) using the Korean National Health Insurance Service database. The clinical endpoint was the occurrence of ischemic stroke and a composite outcome (ischemic stroke + major bleeding + all-cause death). Results: In AF patients aged ≥ 55 years, OAC therapy was associated with a lower risk of ischemic stroke compared with non-OAC treatment in males (55-59 years: HR 0.79, 95% CI 0.61-0.98, p = 0.038, 60-64 years: HR 0.78, 95% CI 0.61-0.96, p = 0.029, and 65-74 years: HR 0.66, 95% CI 0.49-0.84, p = 0.011) and females (55-59 years: HR 0.76, 95% CI 0.58-0.96, p = 0.027, 60-64 years: HR 0.73, 95% CI 0.55-0.93, p = 0.017, and 65-74 years: HR 0.69, 95% CI 0.51-0.87, p = 0.013). OAC was associated with a lower risk for the composite outcome compared to non-OAC for male and female patients aged ≥ 55 years. Conclusions: Age is an important determinant of ischemic stroke and composite outcome in intermediate-risk AF patients. The benefit of OAC therapy for these AF patients appears to have an age threshold (age ≥ 55 years).

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
K M Lee ◽  
M H Kim ◽  
S Y Choi ◽  
S J Kim ◽  
S W Kim ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Although older age is one of the most important risk factor for stroke in atrial fibrillation (AF), it is unclear whether oral anticoagulants are beneficial for AF patients with intermediate CHA2DS2-VASc score (1 for male or 2 for female) according to age threshold. We sought to investigate the effect of age-dependent antithrombotic therapy for ischemic stroke in Korean intermediate risk AF patients. Methods We enrolled 29,592 patients (males with CHA2DS2-VASc score of 1 and females with CHA2DS2-VASc score of 2) using the Korean National Health Insurance Service database. The clinical endpoint was the occurrence of ischemic stroke. The propensity score matching method was used to balance covariates across treated and untreated patients. Results Treated male AF patients were 6,570 (67.1%) with age <55 years, 7,115 (70.9%) with 55–64 years and 6,470 (68.3%) with 65–74 years in each age risk criterion. Also, treated female AF patients were 3,156 (71.3%) with age <55 years, 2,838 (71.0%) with 55–64 years and 3,440 (72.6%) with 65–74 years in each age risk criterion. Among male and female patients (age <55 years and 55–64 years) with 1 risk factor, an annual ischemic stroke rate was not significantly different between treated and untreated patients at full follow-up. However, treated AF patients who are in age 65–74 year without other risk factor had a much lower annual risk of ischemic stroke [(1.05%/year (male) and 1.04%/year (female)] compared with untreated patients [(1.77%/year (male) (p<0.026) and 1.86%/year (female) (p<0.041). Conclusions Age is an important predictor in determining the risk of ischemic stroke in AF patients with intermediate CHA2DS2-VASc scores (1 for male or 2 for female). We suggest that the benefit of anti-thrombotic therapy for intermediate risk AF patients depends on age threshold.


2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
I K Moon ◽  
S R Lee ◽  
E K Choi ◽  
E J Lee ◽  
J H Jung ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) often have concomitant valvular heart disease (VHD), especially in Asia. There are limited data on non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOAC) impact on outcomes for stroke prevention and bleeding for these patients in real world clinical practice. Purpose To investigate the effectiveness and safety of NOACs compared with warfarin in patients with AF and associated Evaluated Heartvalves, Rheumatic or Artificial (EHRA) type 2 VHD. Methods We identified oral anticoagulants naive patients with AF and EHRA type 2 VHD from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database between 2014 and 2016 (n=2,671 taking warfarin; n=3,058 taking NOAC). Six clinical outcomes including ischemic stroke, intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), gastrointestinal bleeding (GI), major bleeding, all-cause death, and their composite outcome and fatal clinical events (any events that led to death within 30-day of its occurrence) were evaluated. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) method was used to balance covariates between the two groups. Results After weighted using 5% trimmed IPTW method (n=2371 taking warfarin; n=2792 taking NOAC), the mean age was 71.2 years, male was 57% and CHA2DS2-VASc score was 3.9. During a mean 1.4-year follow-up, weighted incidence rate of ischemic stroke, ICH, GI bleeding, and all-cause death were lower in the NOAC group than in the warfarin group. Compared to warfarin, NOACs were associated with lower risks of ischemic stroke (hazard ratio [HR] 0.71, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.53–0.96), GI bleeding (HR 0.50, 95% CI 0.35–0.72) and major bleeding (HR 0.61, 95% CI 0.45–0.80). Although NOAC and warfarin groups showed similar incidence rate of ICH, NOAC group was associated with a significantly lower risk of fatal ICH compared to warfarin group (HR 0.28, 95% CI 0.07–0.83). Overall, NOACs were associated with a lower risk of the composite outcome (HR 0.68, 95% CI 0.58–0.80). For an exploratory analysis, patients with EHRA type 1 VHD (n=366 taking warfarin; n=345 taking NOAC) was evaluated. In multivariable Cox regression analysis, NOAC group showed a comparable risk of ischemic stroke, ICH, all-cause death and composite outcome. Clinical outcome in AF patients with VHD Conclusion In this nationwide Asian AF population with EHRA type 2 VHD, NOAC use was associated with lower risks of ischemic stroke, major bleeding, all-cause death, and the composite outcome compared to warfarin.


2017 ◽  
Vol 81 (8) ◽  
pp. 1158-1164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Si-Hyuck Kang ◽  
Eue-Keun Choi ◽  
Kyung-Do Han ◽  
So-Ryoung Lee ◽  
Woo-Hyun Lim ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (17) ◽  
pp. 3918
Author(s):  
Sola Han ◽  
Young-Hoon Kim ◽  
Myung-Yong Lee ◽  
Oh Young Bang ◽  
Sung-Won Jang ◽  
...  

Reduced-dose nonvitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) are commonly prescribed to Asian patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). We aimed to compare the risk of stroke/systemic embolism (S/SE) and major bleeding (MB) between patients treated with reduced-dose NOACs and those treated with warfarin, using the claims database in Korea. Patients with NVAF newly initiated on oral anticoagulants (OACs; apixaban, dabigatran, rivaroxaban, and warfarin) between 1 July 2015 and 30 November 2016 were included. Among all patients with NVAF treated with OACs, 5249, 6033, 7602, and 8648 patients were treated with reduced-dose apixaban, dabigatran, rivaroxaban, and warfarin, respectively. Patients treated with reduced-dose NOACs were older and had higher CHA2DS2-VASc and HAS-BLED scores than those treated with warfarin. Compared to warfarin, all reduced-dose NOACs showed significantly lower risk of S/SE (hazard ratios (95% confidence interval), 0.63 (0.52–0.75) for apixaban; 0.51 (0.42–0.61) for dabigatran; and 0.67 (0.57–0.79) for rivaroxaban) and MB (0.54 (0.45–0.65) for apixaban; 0.58 (0.49–0.69) for dabigatran; 0.73 (0.63–0.85) for rivaroxaban). In the real-world practice among Asians with NVAF, all reduced-dose NOACs were associated with a significantly lower risk of S/SE and MB compared to those of warfarin.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (14) ◽  
pp. 3126
Author(s):  
Jaehyun Lim ◽  
So-Ryoung Lee ◽  
Eue-Keun Choi ◽  
Kyung-Do Han ◽  
Jin-Hyung Jung ◽  
...  

Background: It is unclear whether exercise would reduce dementia in patients with a new diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (AF). Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the association between the change in physical activity (PA) before and after new-onset AF and the risk of incident dementia. Methods: Using the Korean National Health Insurance Service database, we enrolled a total of 126,555 patients with newly diagnosed AF between 2010 and 2016, who underwent health examinations within two years before and after their diagnosis of AF. The patients were divided into four groups: persistent non-exercisers, exercise starters, exercise quitters, and exercise maintainers. Results: Based on a total of 396,503 person-years of follow-up, 5943 patients were diagnosed with dementia. Compared to persistent non-exercisers, exercise starters (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 0.87; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.81–0.94), and exercise maintainers (aHR 0.66; 95% CI 0.61–0.72) showed a lower risk of incident dementia; however, the risk was similar in exercise quitters (aHR 0.98; 95% CI 0.92–1.05) (p-trend < 0.001). There was a J-shaped relationship between the dose of exercise and the risk of dementia, with the risk reduction maximized at 5–6 times per week of moderate-to-vigorous PA among exercise starters. Conclusion: Patients who initiated or continued regular exercise after diagnosis of AF were associated with a lower risk of dementia than persistent non-exercisers, with no risk reduction associated with exercise cessation. Our findings may provide evidence for the benefit of exercise prescription to patients with new-onset AF to prevent incident dementia regardless of their current exercise status.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 1624 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moon ◽  
Lee ◽  
Choi ◽  
Lee ◽  
Jung ◽  
...  

Background: There are limited data for non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) impact on outcomes for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and valvular heart diseases (VHDs). Methods: We identified patients with AF and associated Evaluated Heartvalves, Rheumatic or Artificial (EHRA) type 2 VHDs, and who had been naïve from the oral anticoagulants in the Korean National Health Insurance Service database between 2014 and 2016 (warfarin: n = 2671; NOAC: n = 3058). For analyzing the effect of NOAC on primary prevention, we excluded those with a previous history of ischemic stroke, intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), and gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding events. To balance covariates, we used the propensity score weighting method. Ischemic stroke, ICH, GI bleeding, major bleeding, all-cause death, and their composite outcome and fatal clinical events were evaluated. Results: During a follow-up with a mean duration of 1.4 years, NOACs were associated with lower risks of ischemic stroke (hazard ratio (HR): 0.71, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.53–0.96), GI bleeding (HR: 0.50, 95% CI: 0.35–0.72), fatal ICH (HR: 0.28, 95% CI: 0.07–0.83), and major bleeding (HR: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.45–0.80) compared with warfarin. Overall, NOACs were associated with a lower risk of the composite outcome (HR: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.58–0.80). Conclusions: In this nationwide Asian AF population with EHRA type 2 VHDs, NOAC use was associated with lower risks of ischemic stroke, major bleeding, all-cause death, and the composite outcome compared to warfarin use.


PLoS Medicine ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. e1003659
Author(s):  
Hyo-Jeong Ahn ◽  
So-Ryoung Lee ◽  
Eue-Keun Choi ◽  
Kyung-Do Han ◽  
Jin-Hyung Jung ◽  
...  

Background There is a paucity of information about cardiovascular outcomes related to exercise habit change after a new diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (AF). We investigated the association between exercise habits after a new AF diagnosis and ischemic stroke, heart failure (HF), and all-cause death. Methods and findings This is a nationwide population-based cohort study using data from the Korea National Health Insurance Service. A retrospective analysis was performed for 66,692 patients with newly diagnosed AF between 2010 and 2016 who underwent 2 serial health examinations within 2 years before and after their AF diagnosis. Individuals were divided into 4 categories according to performance of regular exercise, which was investigated by a self-reported questionnaire in each health examination, before and after their AF diagnosis: persistent non-exercisers (30.5%), new exercisers (17.8%), exercise dropouts (17.4%), and exercise maintainers (34.2%). The primary outcomes were incidence of ischemic stroke, HF, and all-cause death. Differences in baseline characteristics among groups were balanced considering demographics, comorbidities, medications, lifestyle behaviors, and income status. The risks of the outcomes were computed by weighted Cox proportional hazards models with inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) during a mean follow-up of 3.4 ± 2.0 years. The new exerciser and exercise maintainer groups were associated with a lower risk of HF compared to the persistent non-exerciser group: the hazard ratios (HRs) (95% CIs) were 0.95 (0.90–0.99) and 0.92 (0.88–0.96), respectively (p < 0.001). Also, performing exercise any time before or after AF diagnosis was associated with a lower risk of mortality compared to persistent non-exercising: the HR (95% CI) was 0.82 (0.73–0.91) for new exercisers, 0.83 (0.74–0.93) for exercise dropouts, and 0.61 (0.55–0.67) for exercise maintainers (p < 0.001). For ischemic stroke, the estimates of HRs were 10%–14% lower in patients of the exercise groups, yet differences were statistically insignificant (p = 0.057). Energy expenditure of 1,000–1,499 MET-min/wk (regular moderate exercise 170–240 min/wk) was consistently associated with a lower risk of each outcome based on a subgroup analysis of the new exerciser group. Study limitations include recall bias introduced due to the nature of the self-reported questionnaire and restricted external generalizability to other ethnic groups. Conclusions Initiating or continuing regular exercise after AF diagnosis was associated with lower risks of HF and mortality. The promotion of exercise might reduce the future risk of adverse outcomes in patients with AF.


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