Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42415975›Full record

SynthesisNeurosciences (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)2026

Cerebrovascular and Bleeding Outcomes of Warfarin versus Direct Oral Anticoagulants Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Abeer A Alomairi, Rana Alduhaysh, Alaa Samandar, Abeer Alshehri, Ghada AlAbdullah, Saud Almutairi, Faisal Althekair

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Neurosciences (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia), 2026. 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.

Abeer A AlomairiCollege of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.ORCID 0009-0000-4553-9550
Rana AlduhayshCollege of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Alaa SamandarAl-Qunfudah College of Medicine, Umm AlQura University, Mecca, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Abeer AlshehriCollege of Medicine, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Ghada AlAbdullahCollege of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Saud AlmutairiCollege of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Faisal AlthekairDivision of Neurology, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objectives: To compare the effects on cerebral health in atrial fibrillation patients receiving either warfarin or direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). Atrial fibrillation is linked to a higher likelihood of both stroke and cognitive impairment. While warfarin has historically served as the leading anticoagulant treatment, DOACs are now more frequently viewed as alternatives with an improved safety profile. Methods: The methodology involved an extensive search of multiple databases, completed up to June 2024. This search yielded randomized controlled trials, which together enrolled over 60,000 participants between the ages of 70 and 84. The DOACs studied were dabigatran, rivaroxaban, apixaban, and edoxaban, given in various dosages. Warfarin was administered with dose adjustments to keep the international normalized ratio within a target range of 2.0 to 3.0. Results: With a relative risk of 0.81 (95% CI, p < 0.00001; I Conclusion: The DOACs are frequently more efficacious than warfarin in avoiding stroke and systemic embolism in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation. A significant decline in hemorrhagic stroke was the main cause of the pooled data's 19% relative risk reduction in stroke or systemic embolism. While bleeding outcomes varied among the individual DOACs, the overall findings support their favorable risk-benefit profile. Compared to warfarin, DOACs consistently showed fewer intracranial hemorrhages and a more favorable bleeding profile. These results support prioritizing DOACs in clinical practice, given their enhanced safety and reduced mortality rates. However, due to differences in bleeding risks among DOACs, treatment decisions should be tailored to individual patient factors.

Indexed as

AnticoagulantsAtrial FibrillationHemorrhageStrokeWarfarinAdministration, OralHumansRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicAnticoagulantsWarfarinApixabanBleedingDabigatranStrokeWarfarin

Identifiers

PMID42415975
PMCPMC13340607

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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.