Sex-based differences in outcomes of oral anticoagulation in patients with atrial fibrillation

Background: Women with atrial fibrillation are at a higher risk of stroke, despite treatment with warfarin. It is unclear if women treated with direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have better clinical outcomes, especially when considering the quality of anticoagulation control of warfarin. / Objectives: This study compared the effectiveness and safety outcomes of DOACs versus warfarin in men and women with stratifications for anticoagulation control. / Methods: Patients newly diagnosed with atrial fibrillation and prescribed oral anticoagulants during 2010 to 2015 were identified using the Hong Kong clinical database. Propensity score matching was performed in men and women separately. Further analysis was conducted to stratify warfarin users according to their anticoagulation control. Cox regression was used to compare the risk of ischemic stroke or systemic embolism, intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), gastrointestinal bleeding, and all-cause mortality in the specific sex. / Results: There were 4,972 men and 4,834 women successfully matched in our cohort. Compared with warfarin, DOAC use was associated with a lower risk of ICH (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.16; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.06 to 0.40) and all-cause mortality (HR: 0.55; 95% CI: 0.39 to 0.77) in women but not in men. The treatment by sex interaction was significant for ICH only, and a significantly lower risk of ICH remained in the DOAC group when compared with warfarin users with good anticoagulation control (HR: 0.13; 95% CI: 0.02 to 1.00) among women only. The risks of ischemic stroke or systemic embolism and gastrointestinal bleeding with DOACs versus warfarin were comparable in both sexes. / Conclusions: DOACs were associated with a lower risk of ICH and all-cause mortality in women only, where the association of lower ICH risk remained when compared with warfarin users with good anticoagulation control

Rationale and design of the screening of pulmonary hypertension in systemic lupus erythematosus (SOPHIE) study

Current guideline-recommended screening for pulmonary hypertension in patients with systemic sclerosis has not been evaluated in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), which is disproportionately prevalent in Asians. This multicentre, cross-sectional screening study aims to study the prevalence of pulmonary hypertension among SLE patients using these guidelines, and identify independent predictors and develop a prediction model for pulmonary hypertension in SLE patients. SLE patients from participating centres will undergo an echocardiography- and biomarker-based pulmonary hypertension screening procedure as in the DETECT study. Standard right heart catheterisation will be provided to patients with intermediate or high echocardiographic probability of pulmonary hypertension. Those with low echocardiographic probability will rescreen within 1 year. The primary measure will be the diagnosis and types of pulmonary hypertension and prevalence of pulmonary hypertension in SLE patients. The secondary measures will be the predictors and prediction models for pulmonary hypertension in SLE patients. The estimated sample size is approximately 895 participants. The results of the SOPHIE study will be an important contribution to the literature of SLE-related pulmonary hypertension and may be immediately translatable to real clinical practice. Ultimately, this study will provide the necessary evidence for establishing universal guidelines for screening of pulmonary hypertension in SLE patients