Uninterrupted anticoagulation during catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation: no difference in major bleeding and stroke between direct oral anticoagulants and vitamin K antagonists in an updated meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Issue 3 (4th May 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Brockmeyer, Maximilian; Lin, Yingfeng; Parco, Claudio; Karathanos, Athanasios; Krieger, Torben; Schulze, Volker; Heinen, Yvonne; Bejinariu, Alexandru; Müller, Patrick; Makimoto, Hisaki; Kelm, Malte; Wolff, Georg
• Is Part Of: Acta cardiologica. Volume 76:Issue 3(2021)
• Page Start: 288
• Page End: 295
• Publication Date: 2021-05-04
• Subjects: Atrial fibrillation -- catheter ablation -- direct oral anticoagulant -- vitamin K antagonist -- uninterrupted anticoagulation; Cardiology -- Periodicals; Cardiology; Cardiologie -- Périodiques; Cardiology; Cardiologie; Periodicals; Periodicals; 616.12005
• DOI: 10.1080/00015385.2020.1724689
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0001-5385

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Periprocedural uninterrupted anticoagulation for catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) became standard after positive results of vitamin K antagonist (VKA) trials. Previous studies of uninterrupted direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) vs. VKA have given controversial results. We thus aimed to elucidate the risk/benefit ratio of uninterrupted DOAC vs. VKA during catheter ablation of AF in an updated meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Methods: Online databases were searched for RCTs comparing uninterrupted DOAC to VKA in patients undergoing catheter ablation of AF. Data from retrieved studies were analysed in a comprehensive meta-analysis. Primary safety outcome was major bleeding; primary efficacy outcome was stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA). Secondary outcomes included a composite of major bleeding and stroke or TIA, minor bleeding, acute cerebral lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and mortality. Results: Six eligible RCTs comprising 2, 369 patients were included. There were no significant differences in DOAC vs. VKA concerning the rates of major bleeding (2.2% vs. 3.8%; odds ratio (OR) 0.69, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.30–1.56; p = .37) and stroke or TIA (0.2% vs. 0.2%; OR 0.97, CI 0.20–4.72; p = .97). Pooled meta-analysis of secondary outcomes revealed no significant differences (OR 0.73, p = .49 for composite of major bleeding and stroke or TIA; OR 1.08, p = .52 for minor bleeding; OR 1.12, p = .59 for acute cerebral lesions on MRI; and OR 0.60, p = .64 for all-cause mortality). Conclusion: Our meta-analysis suggests that uninterrupted DOAC is not superior to VKA in patients undergoing catheter ablation of AF with comparable rates of major bleeding and stroke.