Emanuele Valeriani1, Ettore Porreca1, Jeffrey I Weitz2, Sam Schulman2,3, Matteo Candeloro1, Marcello Di Nisio4,5. 1. Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, "G. D'Annunzio" University, Chieti, Italy. 2. Department of Medicine, McMaster University and the Thrombosis and Atherosclerosis Research Institute, Hamilton, ON, Canada. 3. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First I.M. Sechenov Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia. 4. Department of Vascular Medicine, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. 5. Department of Medicine and Ageing Sciences, "G. D'Annunzio" University, Chieti-Pescara, Italy.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are recommended over vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) for the treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Concomitant antiplatelet therapy may potentiate the antithrombotic effects of DOACs. OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the impact of concomitant antiplatelet therapy on the efficacy and safety of DOACs. PATIENTS/ METHODS: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Clinicaltrial.gov were searched for randomized controlled trials of DOACs for the treatment of acute VTE. The efficacy outcome was symptomatic recurrent VTE and VTE-related death; the primary safety outcome was major bleeding. RESULTS: Six randomized controlled trials included 26 924 patients of whom 3550 (13.2%) received concomitant antiplatelet therapy, mainly aspirin (67.7%). Concomitant antiplatelet therapy did not reduce the incidence of recurrent VTE and VTE-related death with any oral anticoagulant (odds ratio [OR] 1.17; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.92-1.48), with DOACs (OR 1.21; 95% CI, 0.86-1.71), or VKAs alone (OR 1.16; 95% CI, 0.77-1.73). Compared with no antiplatelet therapy, concomitant antiplatelet therapy was associated with a higher risk of major bleeding in patients with any oral anticoagulant (OR 1.79; 95% CI, 1.22-2.63), DOACs (OR 1.89; 95% CI, 1.04-3.44), or VKAs (OR 1.73; 95% CI, 1.16-2.59). In patients receiving concomitant antiplatelet therapy, there were no statistically significant differences in efficacy or safety outcomes with DOACs or VKAs (OR 0.99; 95% CI, 0.64-1.51, and OR 0.68; 95% CI, 0.32-1.45, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Concomitant use of antiplatelet therapy with oral anticoagulants does not appear to affect the risk of recurrent VTE and increases the risk of major bleeding.
BACKGROUND: Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are recommended over vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) for the treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Concomitant antiplatelet therapy may potentiate the antithrombotic effects of DOACs. OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the impact of concomitant antiplatelet therapy on the efficacy and safety of DOACs. PATIENTS/ METHODS: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Clinicaltrial.gov were searched for randomized controlled trials of DOACs for the treatment of acute VTE. The efficacy outcome was symptomatic recurrent VTE and VTE-related death; the primary safety outcome was major bleeding. RESULTS: Six randomized controlled trials included 26 924 patients of whom 3550 (13.2%) received concomitant antiplatelet therapy, mainly aspirin (67.7%). Concomitant antiplatelet therapy did not reduce the incidence of recurrent VTE and VTE-related death with any oral anticoagulant (odds ratio [OR] 1.17; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.92-1.48), with DOACs (OR 1.21; 95% CI, 0.86-1.71), or VKAs alone (OR 1.16; 95% CI, 0.77-1.73). Compared with no antiplatelet therapy, concomitant antiplatelet therapy was associated with a higher risk of major bleeding in patients with any oral anticoagulant (OR 1.79; 95% CI, 1.22-2.63), DOACs (OR 1.89; 95% CI, 1.04-3.44), or VKAs (OR 1.73; 95% CI, 1.16-2.59). In patients receiving concomitant antiplatelet therapy, there were no statistically significant differences in efficacy or safety outcomes with DOACs or VKAs (OR 0.99; 95% CI, 0.64-1.51, and OR 0.68; 95% CI, 0.32-1.45, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Concomitant use of antiplatelet therapy with oral anticoagulants does not appear to affect the risk of recurrent VTE and increases the risk of major bleeding.
Authors: Paul L den Exter; Scott C Woller; Helia Robert-Ebadi; Camila Masias; Pierre-Emmanuel Morange; David Castelli; John-Bjarne Hansen; Geert-Jan Geersing; Deborah M Siegal; Kerstin de Wit; Frederikus A Klok Journal: J Thromb Haemost Date: 2022-06-23 Impact factor: 16.036