Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39966253›Full record

SynthesisAmerican journal of cardiovascular drugs : drugs, devices, and other interventions2025

Safety and Efficacy of DOAC Versus VKA in Adult Congenital Heart Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Aamina Shakir, Jacinthe Khater, Fatima Iqbal, Erin Ware, George Mina, Khagendra Dahal, Kalgi Modi

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-AnalysisComparative Study
In one paragraph

Synthesis in American journal of cardiovascular drugs : drugs, devices, and other interventions, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Aamina ShakirSection of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9398-3047
Jacinthe KhaterFaculty of Medical Sciences, Rafic Hariri University Campus Hadath, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon.
Fatima IqbalDepartment of Internal Medicine, McGovern School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
Erin WareHealth Sciences Library, Lousiana State University Health Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0763-2046
George MinaSection of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1638-7620
Khagendra DahalCardiology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5335-0846
Kalgi ModiSection of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, USA. kalgi.modi@lsuhs.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8651-0826

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPatients with adult congenital heart disease (CHD) have various indications for anticoagulation (e.g., presence of Fontan circuit, atrial fibrillation due to surgical scar). Guidelines recommend vitamin K antagonists (VKA) for thromboprophylaxis in adult CHD, as trial data comparing safety/efficacy of direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) to VKA are not available in this population.

methodsPubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were searched for trials comparing DOAC with VKA in patients with ACHD. Outcomes of interest were efficacy endpoints (thromboembolic complications) and safety endpoints (bleeding complications). Results were meta-analyzed and sensitivity analyses were performed.

resultsA total of 4 retrospective studies comprising 6004 patients (2566 DOAC, 3438 VKA) were analyzed. Compared with VKA, DOAC did not cause a statistically significant difference in incidence of thromboembolism (risk ratio, RR, 0.76; 95% confidence intervals, CI, 0.28, 2.07); composite bleeding (RR 1.02, 95% CI 0.71, 1.47); major bleeding (RR 1.05, 95% CI 0.92, 1.21); minor bleeding (RR 1.12, 95% CI 0.51, 2.44); or intracranial bleeding (RR 0.86, 95% CI 0.50, 1.46). Numerically, the DOAC arm had fewer thromboembolisms/intracranial bleeds but more major/composite bleeds. However, upon removal of the largest study, the DOAC arm had fewer major/composite bleeds.

conclusionsDOAC did not confer a significant increase in either thromboembolic or bleeding risk as compared with VKA. Sensitivity analysis showed notable heterogeneity among studies. Large-scale trials comparing DOAC with VKA in patients with adult CHD are needed.

Indexed as

AnticoagulantsFactor Xa InhibitorsHeart Defects, CongenitalThromboembolismVitamin KAdministration, OralAdultHemorrhageHumansAnticoagulantsFactor Xa InhibitorsVitamin K

Identifiers

PMID39966253
PMCPMC12228665

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.