Outcomes After Warfarin Initiation in a Cohort of Hemodialysis Patients With Newly Diagnosed Atrial Fibrillation.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Although warfarin is indicated to prevent ischemic strokes in most patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), evidence supporting its use in hemodialysis patients is limited. Our aim was to examine outcomes after warfarin therapy initiation, relative to no warfarin use, following incident AF in a large cohort of hemodialysis patients who had comprehensive prescription drug coverage through Medicare Part D.

Study design

Retrospective observational cohort study.

Setting & participants

Patients in the US Renal Data System undergoing maintenance hemodialysis who had AF newly diagnosed in 2007 to 2011, with Medicare Part D coverage, who had no recorded history of warfarin use.

Predictor

Warfarin therapy initiation, identified by a filled prescription within 30 days of the AF event.

Outcomes

Death, ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, severe gastrointestinal bleeding, and composite outcomes.

Measurements

HRs estimated by applying Cox regression to an inverse probability of treatment and censoring-weighted cohort.

Results

Of 12,284 patients with newly diagnosed AF, 1,838 (15%) initiated warfarin therapy within 30 days; however, ∼70% discontinued its use within 1 year. In intention-to-treat analyses, warfarin use was marginally associated with a reduced risk of ischemic stroke (HR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.47-0.99), but not with the other outcomes. In as-treated analyses, warfarin use was associated with reduced mortality (HR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.73-0.97).

Limitations

Short observation period, limited number of nonfatal events, limited generalizability of results to more affluent patients.

Conclusions

In hemodialysis patients with incident AF, warfarin use was marginally associated with reduced risk of ischemic stroke, and there was a signal toward reduced mortality in as-treated analyses. These results support clinical equipoise regarding the use of warfarin in hemodialysis patients and underscore the need for randomized trials to fill this evidence gap.

SUBMITTER: Shen JI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4584203 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature