Table 2

Baseline characteristics of OAC experienced patients

 All study populationApixabanRivaroxabanDabigatranVKA
N=2861N=482N=1576N=814N=106
Gender (n, %)
 Male152353.2%24150.0%83753.1%44354.4%5551.9%
 Female133846.8%24150.0%73946.9%37145.6%5148.1%
Country (n, %)
 England209573.2%31565.4%110970.4%67582.9%8580.2%
 Scotland42614.9%7515.6%31119.7%384.7%1211.3%
 Northern Ireland1535.3%5711.8%684.3%313.8%54.7%
Age (years) at index dateN*=2978
 Median (IQR)77.0 (69.0–84.0)77.0 (69.0–83.0)78.0 (70.0–84.0)76.0 (68.0–82.0)75.0 (68.0–80.0)
Time (months) between AF diagnosis and index dateN*=2978
 Median (IQR)46.1 (13.8–98.9)44.2 (13.8–91.9)54.2 (18.2–109.0)40.7 (11.5–89.4)5.4 (1.7–19.1)
History of stroke risk factors on or ever prior to index date (n, %)N*=2978
 Stroke or transient ischaemic attack81227.3%14630.3%41526.3%22928.1%2220.8%
 Congestive heart failure59920.1%10321.4%31419.9%16420.1%1817.0%
 Vascular disease90530.4%15732.6%50632.1%21426.3%2826.4%
 Hypertension185262.2%29861.8%98562.5%50061.4%6965.1%
 Diabetes64121.5%11022.8%35222.3%15218.7%2725.5%
CHA2DS2-VASc score at index date (n, %)N*=2978
 <232310.8%479.8%1569.9%10613.0%1413.2%
 ≥2265589.2%43590.2%142090.1%70887.0%9286.8%
History of events on or ever prior to index date (n, %)N*=2978
 Gastrointestinal bleeding37712.7%6212.9%19112.1%11614.3%87.5%
 Other bleeding†78626.4%14830.7%41626.4%20024.6%2220.8%
 Any bleeding†105835.5%18538.4%55935.5%28635.1%2826.4%
HAS-BLED score‡ at index date (n, %)N*=2978
 <361920.8%9319.3%33321.1%17221.1%2119.8%
 ≥3235979.2%38980.7%124378.9%64278.9%8580.2%
Concomitant therapy§ (n, %)N*=2978
 Antiplatelet2959.9%5010.4%1449.1%8310.2%1817.0%
  Aspirin2217.4%387.9%1117.0%607.4%1211.3%
  Other antiplatelet therapy¶862.9%153.1%392.5%253.1%76.6%
 Antiarrhythmic2608.7%449.1%1257.9%809.8%1110.4%
 Beta-blocker176659.3%28258.5%91958.3%50061.4%6561.3%
 Statin154051.7%25552.9%83052.7%40649.9%4946.2%
 Antidiabetic agent38813.0%6313.1%21513.6%9711.9%1312.3%
 Antihypertensive agent258786.9%41285.5%136686.7%71387.6%9690.6%
 Proton pump inhibitor114038.3%18438.2%60738.5%31038.1%3936.8%
 Anticonvulsant enzymatic inducer421.4%91.9%231.5%101.2%00.0%
  • Please note the following characteristics are not presented due to low numbers (<5) in one or more of the OAC cohorts: Wales (n=4), thromboembolism (n=16), GI ulceration (n=188), intracranial bleeding (n=74), liver disease (n=20), parenteral anticoagulants (n=17), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (n=296), rifampicin (no events) and cytochrome P450 inhibitor (n=25).

  • ‘N*’ represents the number of OAC exposures as patients could have multiple OAC exposures during the study period and be in multiple cohorts. However, gender and country do not vary across exposures and are therefore reported once for each patient (ie, ‘N’ represents the number of patients).

  • †Other bleeding includes intraocular, pericardial, urinary, intra-articular and lung bleedings. Any bleeding includes gastrointestinal, intracranial and other bleeding.

  • ‡Labile international normalised ratio is also a component of the HAS-BLED score but was not included as there is incomplete international normalised ratio recording in CPRD. The HAS-BLED score therefore ranges from 0 to 8.

  • §Concomitant therapy: prescribed on index date or within 3 months after index date.

  • ¶Other antiplatelet therapy includes abciximab, clopidogrel, dipyridamole, prasugrel, ticagrelor, ticlopidine and tirofiban.

  • CPRD, Clinical Practice Research Datalink; OAC, oral anticoagulants.