An-Hua Wei1, Zhi-Chun Gu2, Chi Zhang3, Yu-Feng Ding1, Dong Liu1, Juan Li1, Xiao-Yan Liu3, Hou-Wen Lin3, Jun Pu4. 1. Department of Pharmacy, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China. 2. Department of Pharmacy, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200127, China. Electronic address: guzhichun213@163.com. 3. Department of Pharmacy, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200127, China. 4. Department of Cardiology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200127, China.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The question of whether the use of dabigatran etexilate is associated with a high risk of myocardial infarction (MI) remains unanswered owing to the lack of critical evidences. METHODS: A comprehensive search of databases (Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library databases, and ClinicalTrials.gov Website) was performed for RCTs that reported MI events and observational nationwide database studies that reported adjusted hazard ratio (HR) with dabigatran treatment. Summary HRs and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated using random-effects models. Cumulative meta-analysis was conducted for evaluating the results as a continuum, and subgroup analyses were undertaken on the basis of study type, indication, controls, and dosage. RESULTS: Finally, 24 studies including 588,047 patients (44,856 patients in 14 RCTs and 543,191 patients in 10 observational database studies) met the inclusion criteria, among which 222,352 (37.8%) patients receiving dabigatran and 365,695 (62.2%) patients receiving placebo/other anticoagulants. In comparison to controls, no significant association was detected between the use of dabigatran and the higher risk of MI (HR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.87-1.06; I2 for heterogeneity: 26.3%, P = 0.089). The results were consistent across the key subgroups (indication, controls, and dosage, Pinteraction > 0.05 for each), with the exception of study type (RCTs or database studies, Pinteraction = 0.046). Cumulative meta-analysis was not suggestive of a temporal trend in the effect of dabigatran on MI. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis confirms a low risk of MI in patients exposed to dabigatran, which seems to be validated when pooling over 580,000 patients from RCTs and real-world studies.
BACKGROUND: The question of whether the use of dabigatran etexilate is associated with a high risk of myocardial infarction (MI) remains unanswered owing to the lack of critical evidences. METHODS: A comprehensive search of databases (Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library databases, and ClinicalTrials.gov Website) was performed for RCTs that reported MI events and observational nationwide database studies that reported adjusted hazard ratio (HR) with dabigatran treatment. Summary HRs and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated using random-effects models. Cumulative meta-analysis was conducted for evaluating the results as a continuum, and subgroup analyses were undertaken on the basis of study type, indication, controls, and dosage. RESULTS: Finally, 24 studies including 588,047 patients (44,856 patients in 14 RCTs and 543,191 patients in 10 observational database studies) met the inclusion criteria, among which 222,352 (37.8%) patients receiving dabigatran and 365,695 (62.2%) patients receiving placebo/other anticoagulants. In comparison to controls, no significant association was detected between the use of dabigatran and the higher risk of MI (HR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.87-1.06; I2 for heterogeneity: 26.3%, P = 0.089). The results were consistent across the key subgroups (indication, controls, and dosage, Pinteraction > 0.05 for each), with the exception of study type (RCTs or database studies, Pinteraction = 0.046). Cumulative meta-analysis was not suggestive of a temporal trend in the effect of dabigatran on MI. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis confirms a low risk of MI in patients exposed to dabigatran, which seems to be validated when pooling over 580,000 patients from RCTs and real-world studies.