Table 1. Baseline characteristics of patients who were prescribed warfarin and NOACs.
| Inverse probability of treatment weighting | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before | After1,2) | |||||||||||
| Apixaban (n = 10,548) | Warfarin (n = 8,648) | Dabigatran (n = 11,414) | Warfarin (n = 8,648) | Rivaroxaban (n = 17,779) | Warfarin (n = 8,648) | Apixaban | Warfarin | Dabigatran | Warfarin | Rivaroxaban | Warfarin | |
| Age (years), mean | 73.89 | 68.73 | 72.23 | 68.73 | 73.27 | 68.73 | 71.64 | 71.64 | 70.68 | 70.78 | 71.83 | 71.85 |
| Female, % | 48.81 | 37.44 | 43.16 | 37.44 | 45.95 | 37.44 | 43.93 | 44.11 | 41.01 | 40.84 | 43.15 | 43.47 |
| Insurance, % | ||||||||||||
| National health insurance | 93.32 | 92.45 | 92.10 | 92.45 | 92.33 | 92.45 | 92.63 | 92.85 | 92.22 | 92.28 | 92.38 | 92.45 |
| Medical aid | 6.68 | 7.55 | 7.90 | 7.55 | 7.67 | 7.55 | 7.37 | 7.15 | 7.78 | 7.72 | 7.62 | 7.55 |
| CHADS2, mean | 3.15 | 2.75 | 3.05 | 2.75 | 3.00 | 2.75 | 3.02 | 3.01 | 2.95 | 2.96 | 2.94 | 2.98 |
| CHA2DS2-VASc, mean | 4.78 | 4.06 | 4.58 | 4.06 | 4.60 | 4.06 | 4.52 | 4.51 | 4.40 | 4.41 | 4.45 | 4.49 |
| HAS-BLED, mean | 3.65 | 3.34 | 3.58 | 3.34 | 3.58 | 3.34 | 3.54 | 3.53 | 3.50 | 3.50 | 3.52 | 3.53 |
| CCI, mean | 4.33 | 4.04 | 4.05 | 4.04 | 4.11 | 4.04 | 4.25 | 4.25 | 4.10 | 4.09 | 4.11 | 4.16 |
| Medical history, % | ||||||||||||
| Heart failure | 43.82 | 41.00 | 40.96 | 41.00 | 43.90 | 41.00 | 43.19 | 42.94 | 41.18 | 41.11 | 43.07 | 43.36 |
| Hypertension | 88.49 | 80.80 | 89.18 | 80.80 | 89.81 | 80.80 | 85.72 | 85.34 | 85.74 | 85.81 | 87.10 | 87.12 |
| Diabetes | 56.74 | 51.57 | 54.89 | 51.57 | 54.61 | 51.57 | 55.27 | 55.21 | 53.92 | 54.19 | 53.99 | 54.82 |
| Ischemic stroke | 36.73 | 32.15 | 37.69 | 32.15 | 31.37 | 32.15 | 36.09 | 35.91 | 36.59 | 36.73 | 32.38 | 33.38 |
| Vascular disease | 29.69 | 29.24 | 29.16 | 29.24 | 30.06 | 29.24 | 29.47 | 29.70 | 29.46 | 29.29 | 29.95 | 30.28 |
| Renal disease (CKD3/4) | 2.17 | 2.45 | 0.91 | 2.45 | 1.45 | 2.45 | 2.31 | 2.30 | 1.83 | 1.58 | 1.83 | 1.83 |
| Bleeding | 12.80 | 13.54 | 8.73 | 13.54 | 10.25 | 13.54 | 13.15 | 13.23 | 11.16 | 10.90 | 11.52 | 11.59 |
| Cancer | 11.24 | 7.96 | 9.46 | 7.96 | 10.42 | 7.96 | 11.04 | 8.15 | 9.80 | 7.55 | 10.48 | 7.80 |
| Medication history, % | ||||||||||||
| NSAIDs | 80.93 | 76.38 | 81.21 | 76.38 | 82.20 | 76.38 | 78.92 | 78.80 | 78.84 | 79.01 | 80.17 | 80.18 |
| Antiplatelets | 75.44 | 70.06 | 75.67 | 70.06 | 76.80 | 70.06 | 73.21 | 73.34 | 73.64 | 73.72 | 74.58 | 74.53 |
| Antiarrhythmics | 52.25 | 48.60 | 47.30 | 48.60 | 42.62 | 48.60 | 50.54 | 50.58 | 48.09 | 47.82 | 44.48 | 44.52 |
| Statins | 59.74 | 51.41 | 61.47 | 51.41 | 55.75 | 51.41 | 56.94 | 56.77 | 57.50 | 57.79 | 54.80 | 55.45 |
| PPI | 45.05 | 42.77 | 42.89 | 42.77 | 42.50 | 42.77 | 44.32 | 44.40 | 42.79 | 42.88 | 42.71 | 42.86 |
| H2RA | 68.89 | 66.27 | 68.71 | 66.27 | 67.45 | 66.27 | 68.04 | 67.83 | 68.04 | 67.83 | 67.17 | 67.41 |
| Digoxin | 23.79 | 27.56 | 25.03 | 27.56 | 26.01 | 27.56 | 25.80 | 25.68 | 26.13 | 26.24 | 26.56 | 26.78 |
CCI, Charlson Comorbidity Index; CHADS2, score based on congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥75 years, diabetes mellitus, prior stroke or transient ischemic attack; CHA2DS2-VASc, score based on congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥75 years, diabetes mellitus, stroke, vascular disease, age 65–74 years and sex; CKD, chronic kidney disease; HAS-BLED, score based on hypertension, abnormal renal and liver function, stroke, bleeding, labile international normalized ratio, elderly, drugs or alcohol; H2RA, H2-receptor antagonists; PPI, proton pump inhibitors.
1) P values were not significant for all the comparisons (apixaban vs. warfarin; dabigatran vs. warfarin and rivaroxaban vs. warfarin) for variables used to derive propensity score.
2) Absolute standardized differences were <10% for all the comparisons (apixaban vs. warfarin; dabigatran vs. warfarin and rivaroxaban vs. warfarin) for variables used to derive propensity score.