Physicians' Academy for Cardiovascular Education

DOAC monotherapy reduces total adverse events in AF and stable coronary artery disease

Rivaroxaban Monotherapy vs Combination Therapy With Antiplatelets on Total Thrombotic and Bleeding Events in Atrial Fibrillation With Stable Coronary Artery Disease: A Post Hoc Secondary Analysis of the AFIRE Trial

Literature - Naito R, Miyauchi K, Yasuda S, et al. - JAMA Cardiol. 2022 Jun 15. doi: 10.1001/jamacardio.2022.1561

Introduction and methods

Background

As primary efficacy and safety assessments in many clinical trials rely on time-to-first-event analyses, these studies fail to capture the true disease burden. In the recent AFIRE trial, rivaroxaban monotherapy was associated with a lower risk of first cardiovascular and major bleeding events in patients with AF and stable coronary artery disease (CAD) when compared to standard combination therapy [1]. To assess the incidence of all events in this trial, a post-hoc secondary analysis was undertaken.

Aim of the study

The aim of this secondary analysis was to compare the total number of thrombotic and/or bleeding events between rivaroxaban monotherapy and rivaroxaban and antiplatelet combination therapy in patients with AF and stable CAD.

Methods

The AFIRE trial was a multicenter, prospective, open-label study conducted in Japan in which patients with nonvalvular AF, stable CAD, and CHADS2 score ≥1 were randomized to monotherapy with rivaroxaban (10 or 15 mg once daily, based on patient’s creatinine clearance) or combination therapy with rivaroxaban and an antiplatelet agent (aspirin or P2Y12 inhibitor, at the treating physician’s discretion). Only patients who had undergone PCIor CABG ≥1 year earlier or who had angiographically confirmed CAD not requiring revascularization were enrolled. In the secondary analysis, a modified intention-to-treat analysis, 2215 patients were included.

Outcomes

The primary end point was the total number of first and subsequent events, including death from any cause, bleeding events, and thrombotic events. Bleeding events were a composite outcome of hemorrhagic stroke or major bleeding, defined according to the International Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis criteria. Thrombotic events were a composite outcome of ischemic stroke, systemic embolism, MI, or unstable angina requiring revascularization.

Main results

Conclusion

Rivaroxaban monotherapy was associated with lower risks of total thrombotic and/or bleeding events—both first and subsequent events—in patients with AF and stable CAD compared with rivaroxaban and antiplatelet combination therapy. According to the authors, tapering antithrombotic therapy should be considered in AF patients after PCI to minimize bleeding events. They also believe that “[e]valuating the total number of events may provide a more comprehensive estimate of the treatment benefit when the study medication has been shown to reduce the first occurrence of the end point.”

References

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Find this article online at JAMA Cardiol.

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