Table 2. Characteristics of patients who started a VKA versus a DOAC in 2018 with a first OAC prescription by a GP.
| Starters OAC in 2018 | VKA | DOAC | P value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n | 57 (12%) | 419 (88%) | |||
| Mean age, years, SD | 79.4±8.9 | 75.1±7.9 | <0.01 | ||
| n | % | n | % | ||
| Sex | |||||
| Male | 24 | 42.1% | 207 | 49.4% | 0.30 |
| Female | 33 | 57.9% | 212 | 50.6% | 0.30 |
| Type of DOAC | |||||
| Apixaban | – | 123 | 29.4% | ||
| Dabigatran | – | 113 | 27.0% | ||
| Edoxaban | – | 36 | 8.6% | ||
| Rivaroxaban | – | 147 | 35.1% | ||
| Renal function (ml/min/1.73 m2) | – | <0.01 | |||
| eGFR ≥50 | 32 | 56.1% | 333 | 79.5% | |
| eGFR <50 and ≥30 | 15 | 26.3% | 37 | 8.8% | |
| eGFR <30 | 5 | 8.8% | 0 | – | |
| eGFR n.a. | 5 | 8.8% | 49 | 11.7% | |
| Comorbidity | |||||
| Previous thrombosis | 0 | – | 7 | 1.7% | 0.33 |
| Previous embolism | 0 | – | 0 | – | – |
| Prior stroke or TIA | 7 | 12.3% | 30 | 7.2% | 0.18 |
| Heart failure | 7 | 12.3% | 19 | 4.5% | 0.02 |
| Depression | 3 | 5.3% | 12 | 2.9% | 0.33 |
| Comedication | |||||
| No | 1 | 1.8% | 15 | 3.6% | 0.47 |
| Antidiabetic drugs | 11 | 19.3% | 61 | 14.6% | 0.35 |
| Cardiovascular drugs | 51 | 89.5% | 390 | 93.1% | 0.33 |
| Antidepressants | 12 | 21.1% | 44 | 10.5% | 0.02 |
| Benzodiazepines | 13 | 22.8% | 57 | 13.6% | 0.07 |
| Gastrointestinal drugs | 43 | 75.4% | 252 | 60.1% | 0.03 |
DOAC = direct oral anticoagulant. eGFR = estimated glomerular filtration rate. TIA = transient ischaemic attack. VKA = vitamin K antagonist.