Adherence to dabigatran therapy and longitudinal patient outcomes: Insights from the Veterans Health Administration

作者：Shore Supriya; Carey Evan P; Turakhia Mintu P; Jackevicius Cynthia A; Cunningham Fran; Pilote Louise; Bradley Steven M; Maddox Thomas M; Grunwald Gary K; Baron Anna E; Rumsfeld John S; Varosy Paul D; Schneider Preston M; Marzec Lucas N; Ho P Michael^*

来源：American Heart Journal, 2014, 167(6): 810-817.

DOI：10.1016/j.ahj.2014.03.023

Background Dabigatran is a novel oral anti-coagulant (NOAC) that reduces risk of stroke in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). It does not require routine monitoring with laboratory testing which may have an adverse impact on adherence. We aimed to describe adherence to dabigatran in the first year after initiation and assess the association between non-adherence to dabigatran and clinical outcomes in a large integrated healthcare system.
Methods We studied a national cohort of 5,376 patients with NVAF, initiated on dabigatran between October-2010 and September-2012 at all Veterans Affairs hospitals. Adherence to dabigatran was calculated as proportion of days covered (PDC) and association between PDC and outcomes was assessed using standard regression techniques.
Results Mean age of the study cohort was 71.3 +/- 9.7 years; 98.3% were men and mean CHADS(2) score was 2.4 +/- 1.2 (mean CHA(2)DS(2)VASc score 3.2 +/- 1.4). Median PDC was 94% (IQR 76%-100%; mean PDC 84% +/- 22%) over a median follow-up of 244 days (IQR 140-351). A total of 1,494 (27.8%) patients had a PDC <80% and were classified as non-adherent. After multivariable adjustment, lower adherence was associated with increased risk for combined all-cause mortality and stroke (HR 1.13, 95% CI 1.07-1.19 per 10% decrease in PDC). Adherence to dabigatran was not associated with non-fatal bleeding or myocardial infarction.
Conclusions In the year after initiation, adherence to dabigatran for a majority of patients is very good. However, 28% of patients in our cohort had poor adherence. Furthermore, lower adherence to dabigatran was associated with increased adverse outcomes. Concerted efforts are needed to optimize adherence to NOACs.

• 出版日期2014-6
• 单位McGill