Recurrent Stroke With Rivaroxaban Compared With Aspirin According to Predictors of Atrial Fibrillation Journal Articles uri icon

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abstract

  • IMPORTANCE: The NAVIGATE ESUS randomized clinical trial found that 15 mg of rivaroxaban per day does not reduce stroke compared with aspirin in patients with embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS); however, it substantially reduces stroke risk in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). OBJECTIVE: To analyze whether rivaroxaban is associated with a reduction of recurrent stroke among patients with ESUS who have an increased risk of AF. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Participants were stratified by predictors of AF, including left atrial diameter, frequency of premature atrial contractions, and HAVOC score, a validated scheme using clinical features. Treatment interactions with these predictors were assessed. Participants were enrolled between December 2014 and September 2017, and analysis began March 2018. INTERVENTION: Rivaroxaban treatment vs aspirin. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Risk of ischemic stroke. RESULTS: Among 7112 patients with a mean (SD) age of 67 (9.8) years, the mean (SD) HAVOC score was 2.6 (1.8), the mean (SD) left atrial diameter was 3.8 (1.4) cm (n = 4022), and the median (interquartile range) daily frequency of premature atrial contractions was 48 (13-222). Detection of AF during follow-up increased for each tertile of HAVOC score: 2.3% (score, 0-2), 3.0% (score, 3), and 5.8% (score, >3); however, neither tertiles of the HAVOC score nor premature atrial contractions frequency impacted the association of rivaroxaban with recurrent ischemic stroke (P for interaction = .67 and .96, respectively). Atrial fibrillation annual incidence increased for each tertile of left atrial diameter (2.0%, 3.6%, and 5.2%) and for each tertile of premature atrial contractions frequency (1.3%, 2.9%, and 7.0%). Among the predefined subgroup of patients with a left atrial diameter of more than 4.6 cm (9% of overall population), the risk of ischemic stroke was lower among the rivaroxaban group (1.7% per year) compared with the aspirin group (6.5% per year) (hazard ratio, 0.26; 95% CI, 0.07-0.94; P for interaction = .02). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The HAVOC score, left atrial diameter, and premature atrial contraction frequency predicted subsequent clinical AF. Rivaroxaban was associated with a reduced risk of recurrent stroke among patients with ESUS and moderate or severe left atrial enlargement; however, this needs to be independently confirmed before influencing clinical practice.

authors

  • Healey, Jeffrey Sean
  • Gladstone, David J
  • Swaminathan, Balakumar
  • Eckstein, Jens
  • Mundl, Hardi
  • Epstein, Andrew E
  • Haeusler, Karl Georg
  • Mikulik, Robert
  • Kasner, Scott E
  • Toni, Danilo
  • Arauz, Antonio
  • Ntaios, George
  • Hankey, Graeme J
  • Perera, Sashi
  • Pagola, Jorge
  • Shuaib, Ashfaq
  • Lutsep, Helmi
  • Yang, Xiaomeng
  • Uchiyama, Shinichiro
  • Endres, Matthias
  • Coutts, Shelagh B
  • Karlinski, Michal
  • Czlonkowska, Anna
  • Molina, Carlos A
  • Santo, Gustavo
  • Berkowitz, Scott D
  • Hart, Robert G
  • Connolly, Stuart J

publication date

  • July 1, 2019