Effectiveness and safety of edoxaban therapy in daily-care patients with atrial fibrillation. Results from the DRESDEN NOAC REGISTRY.

BACKGROUND

Edoxaban is a non-vitamin K dependent oral anticoagulant (NOAC) licensed for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (SPAF). Outcome data on clinical effectiveness and safety in routine care are increasing.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

In the prospective, non-interventional DRESDEN NOAC REGISTRY a network of 230 physicians enrolled >5000 NOAC patients who received prospective central follow. All reported outcome events (stroke/transient ischemic attack/systemic embolism; ISTH bleeding; death) were adjudicated using standard definitions.

RESULTS

Between 2016 and 2021, 1258 SPAF patients receiving edoxaban were followed for 927.1 ± 562.2 days with a mean edoxaban exposure of 790.3 ± 577.2 days. Edoxaban was discontinued by 274 patients (10.1/100 patient-years; 95% CI 8.9-11.3). The combined endpoint of stroke/TIA/systemic embolism occurred at a rate of 1.7/100 patient-years (95% CI 1.3-2.3) in the intention-to-treat analysis and at 1.3/100 patient-years (95% CI 0.9-1.9) in the on-treatment analysis (censored 3 days after last edoxaban intake). On-treatment rates of ISTH major bleeding were comparable for patients receiving edoxaban 30 mg OD (3.6/100 patient-years; 95% CI 2.2-5.5) or 60 mg OD (2.5/100 patient-years; 95% CI 1.8-3.2). A total of 151 patients (12.0%) died (4.7/100 patient-years; 95% CI 4.0-5.5), with non-stroke cardiovascular events (n = 50), infection/sepsis (n = 40) and terminal malignant disease (n = 31) being the leading causes of death.

CONCLUSION

Overall rates of effectiveness and safety outcomes were in line with latest real-world data (such as ETNA-AF registry) and confirm findings of the phase-III ENGAGE-AF trial. Non-thrombotic cardiovascular events and infectious diseases were the leading causes of death, whereas fatal stroke and fatal bleeding were rare.