Clinical outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation according to sex during anticoagulation with apixaban or warfarin: a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial

Eur Heart J. 2015 Dec 7;36(46):3268-75. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehv447. Epub 2015 Sep 14.

Abstract

Aim: To assess clinical outcomes, efficacy, and safety according to sex during anticoagulation with apixaban compared with warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Methods and results: Apixaban for Reduction in Stroke and Other Thromboembolic Events in Atrial Fibrillation (ARISTOTLE) was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre trial that included 11 785 (64.7%) men and 6416 (35.3%) women with atrial fibrillation or flutter randomized to receive either warfarin or apixaban. The primary efficacy endpoint was stroke or systemic embolism; secondary efficacy endpoints were death from any cause and cardiovascular death. The primary safety endpoint was major bleeding; secondary safety endpoints were a composite of major bleeding and non-major clinically relevant bleeding. The risk of stroke or systemic embolism was similar in women vs. men [adjusted hazard ratio (adjHR): 0.91; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.74-1.12; P = 0.38]. However, among patients with history of stroke or transient ischaemic attack, women had a lower risk of recurrent stroke compared with men (adjHR: 0.70; 95% CI: 0.50-0.97; P = 0.036). Women also had a lower risk of all-cause death (adjHR: 0.63; 95% CI: 0.55-0.73; P < 0.0001) and cardiovascular death (adjHR: 0.62; 95% CI: 0.51-0.75; P < 0.0001), and a trend towards less major bleeding (adjHR: 0.86; 95% CI: 0.74-1.01; P = 0.066) and major or non-major clinically relevant bleeding (adjHR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.80-1.00; P = 0.049). The efficacy and safety benefits of apixaban compared with warfarin were consistent regardless of sex.

Conclusion: In the ARISTOTLE trial, women had a similar rate of stroke or systemic embolism but a lower risk of mortality and less clinically relevant bleeding than men. The efficacy and safety benefits of apixaban compared with warfarin were consistent in men and women.

Trial registration: ARISTOTLE ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00412984.

Keywords: Anticoagulation; Apixaban; Atrial fibrillation; Sex; Stroke prevention; Warfarin.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Age Distribution
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Anticoagulants / therapeutic use*
  • Atrial Fibrillation / drug therapy*
  • Atrial Fibrillation / mortality
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pyrazoles / therapeutic use*
  • Pyridones / therapeutic use*
  • Risk Factors
  • Sex Distribution
  • Stroke / prevention & control
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Warfarin / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Anticoagulants
  • Pyrazoles
  • Pyridones
  • apixaban
  • Warfarin

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT00412984