Meta-analysis Comparing Direct Oral Anticoagulants Versus Vitamin K Antagonists After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common co-morbidity in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), but whether direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) confer similar safety and efficacy compared with vitamin K antagonist (VKA) remains unclear in this population. The aim of our study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of DOACs compared with VKA in patients undergoing TAVI with concomitant indication of oral anticoagulation. PUBMED and EMBASE were searched through October 2019 for studies comparing DOACs versus VKA in patients undergoing TAVI with indication of oral anticoagulation. The main efficacy outcomes were all-cause mortality and stroke whereas the main safety outcome was major and/or life-threatening bleeding. Our search identified 5 eligible studies including 2,569 patients. Majority of patients had atrial fibrillation as indication of anticoagulation. There were no significant differences in all-cause mortality, major and/or life-threatening bleeding, and stroke in patients treated with DOACs versus VKA (odds ratio [OR] 1.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.73 to 1.57], p = 0.72, OR = 0.85, 95% CI [0.64 to 1.12], p = 0.24, OR 1.52, 95% CI [0.93 to 2.48], p = 0.09, respectively). In conclusion, in patients undergoing TAVI with concomitant indication for oral anticoagulation, all-cause mortality, major and/or life-threatening bleeding, and stroke were similar between DOACs and VKA. Further large scale randomized controlled trials are needed to search the optimal oral anticoagulation regimen in this population.