Introduction and Objective: Even though the introduction of less cumbersome anticoagulant agents has improved, the rates ofoverall anticoagulant treatment in eligible patients with atrial ...fibrillation (AF) remain to be defined. We aimed to assess the rates of and determinants for the use of anticoagulation treatment before stroke in patients with known AF since the introduction of direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) in clinical practice. Methods: Consecutive patients admitted to an individual stroke unit, from September 2013 through July 2019, for acute ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) with known AF before the event were included in the study. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent predictors of the use of anticoagulant treatment. Results: Overall, 155 patients with ischemic stroke/TIA and known AF were included in this study. Among 152 patients with a CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score >1, 43 patients were not receiving any treatment, 47 patients were receiving antiplatelet agents, and the remaining 62 patients were on oral anticoagulants. Among 34 patients on DOAC, 13 were receiving a nonlabeled reduced dose and 18 out of 34 patients on vitamin K antagonists had an INR value <2 at the time of admission. Before stroke, only 34 out of 155 patients (21.9%) were adequately treated according to current guidelines. Previous stroke/TIA was the only independent predictor of the use of anticoagulant therapy. Conclusions: Only 21.9% of the patients hospitalized for a stroke or TIA with known AF before the event were adequately treated according to recent treatment guidelines. It is important to improve medical information about the risk of AF and the efficacy of anticoagulants in stroke prevention.
The data presented in this article are related to the research article entitled “Patients aged 90 years or older with atrial fibrillation treated with oral anticoagulants: A multicentre observational ...study” 1. This article unveils original data of a cohort of 546 patients aged 90 years or older with non-valvular atrial fibrillation treated with oral anticoagulants. Here, we describe the time course of ischemic stroke and systemic embolism and of major bleeding according to the presence of outcome predictors and report the causes of permanent discontinuation and of death. Furthermore, we report data on the incidence of ischemic stroke and systemic embolism, of major bleeding, of permanent discontinuation and of all-cause death comparing i) oral anticoagulant naïve users vs. long-term oral anticoagulant users, ii) patients on anticoagulant therapy for less than 2 years (new users) vs. patients on anticoagulant therapy for more than 2 years. The material of this data article provides a better understanding on the use of oral anticoagulants in this fragile population and facilitates further critical analysis. Moreover, it aims at highlighting the importance of increasing knowledge in patients aged 90 years or older. These patients are often excluded from or under-represented in clinical trials and cohort studies.
Approximately one-fifth of all cases of venous thromboembolism (VTE) are related to cancer and anticoagulant treatment in these patients has remained a challenge. Cancer patients with VTE are at ...increased risk of developing recurrent VTE compared to patients without cancer, but also have a higher risk of major bleeding. In these patients, low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs) have been shown to be more effective and as safe as vitamin K-antagonists (VKAs) for the treatment of VTE. Therefore, the majority of current clinical guidelines recommend LMWHs as the treatment of choice for cancer-associated VTE. However, several issues should be considered regarding the use of LMWHs as daily subcutaneous injections, the costs or risk of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia. In recent years, direct-acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have shown similar efficacy and better safety profile compared to VKAs and have become the standard of care for the treatment of VTE in the general population. Because DOACs offer a simple oral treatment regimen without the need for anticoagulation control, they could be an attractive alternative to LMWH.
Before DOACs become an accepted treatment option for cancer associated VTE, they have to be evaluated in a head-to-head comparison with LMWH. Data from two randomized trials comparing DOACs vs. LMWH have recently been published. In the present review, we will provide three clinically relevant questions on the use of DOACs in patients with cancer and VTE and provide an overview on recent evidence on this topic: 1) are DOACs a treatment option for the prevention of VTE in cancer patients?; 2) what is the place for DOACs in patients with cancer-associated VTE?; 3) should I use DOACs for the extended treatment of cancer-related VTE?.
•The management of cancer-associated venous thromboembolism (CAT) is challenging.•LMWHs are the first-choice for thromboprophylaxis, but recent studies on DOACs show attractive results.•Head-to-head trials with LMWHs indicate that edoxaban and rivaroxaban are a valid treatment option in CAT.•Data on extended treatment for CAT are limited, studies with DOACs are ongoing.
•The rate of vascular events in cancer patients treated with ICIs is still unclear.•In melanoma, rates of VTE, stroke, myocardial infarction were 1.5%, 1.7%, 0.4%.•In NSCLC, rates of VTE, stroke, ...myocardial infarction were 1.9%, 1.2%, 1.1%.•In NSCLC, cardiovascular events are higher with combined versus mono-immunotherapy.
The incidence of venous and arterial thromboembolic events in advanced cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has been sporadically reported. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the rate of vascular events in patients with melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with ICIs. A systematic search of MEDLINE and EMBASE was performed to identify randomized clinical trials and prospective studies. The main outcomes were venous thromboembolism (VTE), stroke or systemic embolism (SE) and myocardial infarction (MI). Secondary outcomes were fatal VTE, fatal stroke or SE and fatal MI. Pooled proportions with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using random-effects models. A total of 59 trials, 25 in 5,578 patients with melanoma and 34 in 6,543 patients with NSCLC were included. In patients with melanoma, rates of VTE, stroke or SE and MI were 1.5% (95% CI 0.8–2.8), 1.7% (95% CI 0.8–3.7) and 0.4% (95% CI 0.2–0.9), respectively. In patients with NSCLC, corresponding rates were 1.9% (95% CI 1.2–3.2), 1.2% (95% CI 0.6–2.5), and 1.1% (95% CI 0.5–2.1), respectively. Rates of fatal VTE and MI were similar in melanoma and NSCLC patients. Rates of fatal stroke or SE were 1.9% (95% CI 0.4–9.5) and 0.7% (95% CI 0.2–2.3) in melanoma and NSCLC patients, respectively. Rates of VTE (3.1% vs. 1.1%) and myocardial infarction (3.4% Vs. 0.5%) were numerically higher in NSCLC patients treated with combined-ICIs vs mono-ICIs. Our study shows a not negligible rate of vascular events in patients with melanoma or NSCLC treated with ICIs.
Abstract
Background
International guidelines have endorsed the use of edoxaban or rivaroxaban as an alternative to low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) for the treatment of acute venous ...thromboembolism (VTE) in cancer patients. Recently, a large randomized controlled trial of apixaban versus dalteparin in patients with cancer was completed. We performed an updated meta-analysis to assess the efficacy and safety of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) versus LMWH in patients with cancer-associated VTE.
Methods
MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CENTRAL (Cochrane Controlled Trials Registry) were systematically searched up to March 30, 2020 for randomized controlled trials comparing DOACs versus LMWH for the treatment of VTE in patients with cancer. The two coprimary outcomes were recurrent VTE and major bleeding at 6 months. Data were pooled by the Mantel–Haenszel method and compared by relative risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
Results
Four randomized controlled studies (2,894 patients) comparing apixaban, edoxaban, or rivaroxaban with dalteparin were included in the meta-analysis. Recurrent VTE occurred in 75 of 1,446 patients (5.2%) treated with oral factor Xa inhibitors and in 119 of 1,448 patients (8.2%) treated with LMWH (RR 0.62; 95% CI 0.43–0.91;
I
2
, 30%). Major bleeding occurred in 62 (4.3%) and 48 (3.3%) patients receiving oral factor Xa inhibitors or LMWH, respectively (RR 1.31; 95% CI 0.83–2.08;
I
2
, 23%).
Conclusion
In patients with cancer-associated VTE, oral factor Xa inhibitors reduced the risk of recurrent VTE without a significantly higher likelihood of major bleeding at 6 months compared with LMWH.
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