Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Background
Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are recommended as first-line anticoagulants in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, in patients with cancer and AF the efficacy and safety of DOACs are not well established.Objective
We performed a meta-analysis comparing available data regarding the efficacy and safety of DOACs vs vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) in cancer patients with non-valvular AF.Methods
An online search of Pubmed and EMBASE libraries (from inception to May, 1 2020) was performed, in addition to manual screening. Nine studies were considered eligible for the meta-analysis involving 46,424 DOACs users and 182,797 VKA users.Results
The use of DOACs was associated with reduced risks of systemic embolism or any stroke (RR 0.65; 95% CI 0.52-0.81; p 0.001), ischemic stroke (RR 0.84; 95% CI 0.74-0.95; p 0.007) and hemorrhagic stroke (RR 0.61; 95% CI 0.52-0.71; p 0.00001) as compared to VKA group. DOAC use was associated with significantly reduced risks of major bleeding (RR 0.68; 95% CI 0.50-0.92; p 0.01) and intracranial or gastrointestinal bleeding (RR 0.64; 95% CI 0.47-0.88; p 0.006). Compared to VKA, DOACs provided a non-statistically significant risk reduction of the outcomes major bleeding or non-major clinically relevant bleeding (RR 0.94; 95% CI 0.78-1.13; p 0.50) and any bleeding (RR 0.91; 95% CI 0.78-1.06; p 0.24).Conclusions
In comparison to VKA, DOACs were associated with a significant reduction of the rates of thromboembolic events and major bleeding complications in patients with AF and cancer. Further studies are needed to confirm our results.
SUBMITTER: Mariani MV
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7886836 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Mariani Marco Valerio MV Magnocavallo Michele M Straito Martina M Piro Agostino A Severino Paolo P Iannucci Gino G Chimenti Cristina C Mancone Massimo M Rocca Domenico Giovanni Della DGD Forleo Giovanni Battista GB Fedele Francesco F Lavalle Carlo C
Journal of thrombosis and thrombolysis 20201012 2
<h4>Background</h4>Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are recommended as first-line anticoagulants in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, in patients with cancer and AF the efficacy and safety of DOACs are not well established.<h4>Objective</h4>We performed a meta-analysis comparing available data regarding the efficacy and safety of DOACs vs vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) in cancer patients with non-valvular AF.<h4>Methods</h4>An online search of Pubmed and EMBASE libraries (from inc ...[more]