Switching warfarin to direct oral anticoagulants in atrial fibrillation: Insights from the NCDR PINNACLE registry.

Sciria CT, Maddox TM, Marzec L, Rodwin B, Virani SS, Annapureddy A, Freeman JV, O'Hare A, Liu Y, Song Y, Doros G, Zheng Y, Lee JJ, Daggubati R, Vadlamani L, Cannon C, Desai NR. Switching warfarin to direct oral anticoagulants in atrial fibrillation: Insights from the NCDR PINNACLE registry. Clinical Cardiology. 2020 Jul 1; 43(7):743-751.

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Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Previous studies examining the use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in atrial fibrillation (AF) have largely focused on patients newly initiating therapy. Little is known about the prevalence/patterns of switching to DOACs among AF patients initially treated with warfarin. HYPOTHESIS: To examine patterns of anticoagulation among patients chronically managed with warfarin upon the availability of DOACs and identify patient/practice-level factors associated with switching from chronic warfarin therapy to a DOAC. METHODS: Prospective cohort study of AF patients in the NCDR PINNACLE registry prescribed warfarin between May 1, 2008 and May 1, 2015. Patients were followed at least 1?year (median length of follow-up 375?days, IQR 154-375) through May 1, 2016 and stratified as follows: continued warfarin, switched to DOAC, or discontinued anticoagulation. To identify significant predictors of switching, a three-level multivariable hierarchical regression was developed. RESULTS: Among 383?008 AF patients initially prescribed warfarin, 16.3% (n = 62?620) switched to DOACs, 68.8% (n = 263?609) continued warfarin, and 14.8% (n = 56?779) discontinued anticoagulation. Among those switched, 37.6% received dabigatran, 37.0% rivaroxaban, 24.4% apixaban, and 1.0% edoxaban. Switched patients were more likely to be younger, women, white, and have private insurance (all P? < .001). Switching was less likely with increased stroke risk (OR, 0.92; 95%CI, 0.91-0.93 per 1-point increase CHA DS -VASc), but more likely with increased bleeding risk (OR, 1.12; 95%CI, 1.10-1.13 per 1-point increase HAS-BLED). There was substantial variation at the practice-level (MOR, 2.33; 95%CI, 2.12-2.58) and among providers within the same practice (MOR, 1.46; 95%CI, 1.43-1.49). CONCLUSIONS: Among AF patients treated with warfarin between October 1, 2010 and May 1, 2016, one in six were switched to DOACs, with differences across sociodemographic/clinical characteristics and substantial practice-level variation. In the context of current guidelines which favor DOACs over warfarin, these findings help benchmark performance and identify areas of improvement.