Impact of heart failure on the clinical profile and outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation treated with rivaroxaban. Data from the EMIR study

• Published in: Cardiology journal Vol. 29; no. 6; pp. 936 - 947
• Main Authors: Anguita Sánchez, Manuel, Marín, Francisco, Masjuan, Jaime, Cosín-Sales, Juan, Vázquez Rodríguez, José Manuel, Barrios, Vivencio, Barón-Esquivias, Gonzalo, Lekuona, Iñaki, Pérez-Cabeza, Alejandro I, Freixa-Pamias, Román, Parra Jimenez, Francisco Javier, Monzer Khanji Khatib, Mohamed, Rafols Priu, Carles, Sanmartín Fernández, Marcelo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Poland Wydawnictwo Via Medica 13.12.2022; Via Medica
• Subjects: Adult; Anticoagulants - adverse effects; Atrial Fibrillation - complications; Atrial Fibrillation - diagnosis; Atrial Fibrillation - drug therapy; Cardiac arrhythmia; Cardiovascular disease; Clinical Cardiology; Heart failure; Heart Failure - diagnosis; Heart Failure - drug therapy; Heart Failure - epidemiology; Hemorrhage - chemically induced; Hemorrhage - epidemiology; Humans; Risk Factors; Rivaroxaban - adverse effects; Stroke - epidemiology; Stroke - etiology; Stroke - prevention & control; Thromboembolism; Thromboembolism - complications; EMIR; heart failure; atrial fibrillation; bleeding; MACE; rivaroxaban; stroke
• ISSN: 1897-5593; 1898-018X
• DOI: 10.5603/CJ.a2022.0091

The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of the presence of heart failure (HF) on the clinical profile and outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) anticoagulated with rivaroxaban. Observational and non-interventional study that included AF adults recruited from 79 Spanish centers, anticoagulated with rivaroxaban ≥ 6 months before inclusion. Data were analyzed according to baseline HF status. Out of 1,433 patients, 326 (22.7%) had HF at baseline. Compared to patients without HF, HF patients were older (75.3 ± 9.9 vs. 73.8 ± 9.6 years; p = 0.01), had more diabetes (36.5% vs. 24.3%; p < 0.01), coronary artery disease (28.2% vs. 12.9%; p < 0.01), renal insufficiency (31.7% vs. 22.6%; p = 0.01), higher CHA2DS2-VASc (4.5 ± 1.6 vs. 3.2 ± 1.4; p < 0.01) and HAS-BLED (1.8 ± 1.1 vs. 1.5 ± 1.0; p < 0.01). After a median follow-up of 2.5 years, among HF patients, annual rates of stroke/systemic embolism/transient ischemic attack, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) (non-fatal myocardial infarction, revascularization and cardiovascular death), cardiovascular death, and major bleeding were 1.2%, 3.0%, 2.0%, and 1.4%, respectively. Compared to those patients without HF, HF patients had greater annual rates of MACE (3.0% vs. 0.5%; p < 0.01) and cardiovascular death (2.0% vs. 0.2%; p < 0.01), without significant differences regarding other outcomes, including thromboembolic or bleeding events. Previous HF was an independent predictor of MACE (odds ratio 3.4; 95% confidence interval 1.6-7.3; p = 0.002) but not for thromboembolic events or major bleeding. Among AF patients anticoagulated with rivaroxaban, HF patients had a worse clinical profile and a higher MACE risk and cardiovascular mortality. HF was independently associated with the development of MACE, but not with thromboembolic events or major bleeding.