Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41265923›Full record

SynthesisOpen heart2025

Efficacy and safety of direct oral anticoagulants versus warfarin in patients with a left ventricular thrombus: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

Thomaz Alexandre Costa, Gabriel Cavalcante Lima Chagas, Luma Maria Tavares de Sousa, Bruno Lins de Souza, Nicole Felix, Josephine Harrington, Bruno Bezerra Lima

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Open heart, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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.

Thomaz Alexandre CostaDepartment of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1789-6694
Gabriel Cavalcante Lima ChagasDepartment of Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7398-9070
Luma Maria Tavares de SousaDepartment of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Ceara Faculdade de Medicina, Fortaleza, Brazil.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0008-9019-0130
Bruno Lins de SouzaDepartment of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Ceara Faculdade de Medicina, Fortaleza, Brazil.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0002-3188-6900
Nicole FelixDepartment of Medicine, Federal University of Campina Grande, Campina Grande, Brazil.
Josephine HarringtonDepartment of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA.
Bruno Bezerra LimaDepartment of Medicine, Cardiology Division, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA bruno.lima@vumc.org.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundLeft ventricular (LV) thrombus is a complication of myocardial infarction and dilated cardiomyopathy and is associated with a high thromboembolic risk. Although warfarin has traditionally been used, direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) offer a more convenient alternative. With the addition of the RIVAWAR trial, we conducted an updated systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the efficacy and safety of DOACs compared with warfarin in patients with LV thrombus.

methodsA systematic search of electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane and clinicaltrials.gov) from inception to April 2025 identified randomised clinical trials (RCTs) comparing DOACs with warfarin for the treatment of LV thrombus. The main outcome of interest was thrombus resolution at 3 months. Risk ratios (RRs) with 95% CIs were calculated using random-effects models.

resultsSeven RCTs comprising 554 patients were included. Non-contrast transthoracic echocardiography was used for LV thrombus assessment in all RCTs. There was no difference between DOACs and warfarin in thrombus resolution at 3 months (RR 1.02; 95% CI 0.95 to 1.09), major adverse cardiovascular events (RR 0.50; 95% CI 0.16 to 1.54), all-cause mortality (RR 0.92; 95% CI 0.36 to 2.31), stroke/systemic embolism (RR 0.76; 95% CI 0.12 to 4.68), rehospitalisation (RR 1.36; 95% CI 0.47 to 3.94) or major bleeding (RR 0.54; 95% CI 0.20 to 1.48). Subgroup and sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of these results.

conclusionsDOACs demonstrated similar efficacy and safety to warfarin for LV thrombus management in this meta-analysis, supporting their use for the treatment of LV thrombus. However, large-scale RCTs with longer follow-up periods and using diagnostic modalities with higher sensitivity and specificity for detecting LV thrombus resolution are warranted to confirm these findings and clarify long-term outcomes. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD420251023513.

Indexed as

AnticoagulantsHeart DiseasesHeart VentriclesThrombosisWarfarinAdministration, OralFactor Xa InhibitorsHumansRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicTreatment OutcomeAnticoagulantsFactor Xa InhibitorsWarfarinAcute Coronary SyndromeHeart FailureMeta-AnalysisMyocardial InfarctionPharmacology, Clinical

Identifiers

PMID41265923
PMCPMC12636967

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.