Identifying the risks of anticoagulation in patients with substance abuse

Missed opportunities: the detection and management of at-risk drinking and illicit drug use in acutely hospitalized patients

At-risk alcohol and illicit drug use are risk factors for disease and in-hospital complications. This study investigated whether clinicians document substance use in the electronic records of acutely hospitalized internal medicine patients. Alcohol and illicit drug positive patients were identified using prospectively gathered substance use data from a study sample comprising 2,872 patients included from November 2016 to December 2017 at an internal medicine hospital in Oslo, Norway. These data were unknown to hospital staff. Whether physicians recorded quantitative substance use assessments and interventions was examined in patients with study-verified alcohol use in excess of low-risk guidelines (Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test-4 scores [AUDIT-4] of ≥5 for women and ≥7 for men) and/or illicit drug use (one or more illicit drug detected by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry [LC-MS] analysis). Among 548 study-verified alcohol-positive patients, physicians documented quantity and frequency (QF) of use in 43.2% (n = 237) and interventions in 22.0% (n = 121). Alcohol interventions were associated with harmful drinking (AUDIT-4 ≥9 points; adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 4.87; 95% CI: 2.54-9.31; p < 0.001) and QF assessments (AOR = 3.66; 95% CI: 1.13-11.84; p = 0.02). Among 157 illicit-positive patients, drug use was described quantitatively in 34.4% (n = 54) and interventions in 26.0% (n = 40). The rate of quantitative alcohol and illicit drug use assessment by hospital physicians is poor, with a correspondingly low intervention rate. Important opportunities for attenuating or intervening in at-risk alcohol and illicit drug use are missed.

Alcohol use disorder and initiation of oral anticoagulant therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation: A nationwide cohort study

OBJECTIVE

Patients with alcohol use disorders (AUD) often receive inferior care for somatic comorbidities. Our objective was to explore whether AUDs influence oral anticoagulant (OAC) initiation for stroke prevention among atrial fibrillation (AF) patients, using a nationwide dataset to assess treatment disparities.

METHODS

The Finnish AntiCoagulation in Atrial Fibrillation registry includes data on all 229,565 patients diagnosed with incident AF in Finland during 2007-2018, identified from national registries covering all levels of care. The main outcome was OAC initiation compared between patients with and without AUD.

RESULTS

The patients' mean age was 72.7 years, 50 % were female, 85.0 % were eligible for OAC therapy (CHA2DS2-VA score ≥ 1), and 4.7 % had AUD. OAC therapy was initiated in a smaller proportion of patients with AUD compared to those without (52.5 % vs. 71.4 %, p < 0.001). This disparity remained significant even after adjusting for comorbidities, socioeconomic status, and laboratory values influencing OAC initiation (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.68; 95 % confidence interval [0.66-0.71]). The absolute difference in OAC initiation between groups stayed consistent at approximately 20 % throughout the study period. Interaction analyses indicated that the association between AUD and lower OAC initiation was stronger in patients with lower income, lower educational attainment, and lower thrombocyte levels, but there was no significant interaction with sex, bleeding history, or hemoglobin levels.

CONCLUSIONS

AUDs are associated with a significantly lower rate of OAC initiation even after accounting for comorbidities that influence OAC initiation.

Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Interactions between Food or Herbal Products and Oral Anticoagulants: Evidence Review, Practical Recommendations, and Knowledge Gaps

Interactions between food and oral anticoagulants (OACs), particularly vitamin K antagonists such as warfarin, are widely recognized and may also be clinically relevant for direct OACs. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interactions with food or herbs can lead to anticoagulation potentiation, increased risk of bleeding, or reduced drug efficacy, all compromising patient safety. We conducted a systematic search for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on PubMed for assessments of interactions between OACs and various ingestants. Since the RCT evidence was slim, we also reviewed prospective longitudinal studies, case series, and case reports to identify possible associations between foods and anticoagulation therapy. We referred to basic or translational studies that shared putative explanations for such interactions, but we failed to identify high-quality evidence in most cases. The limited evidence, small sample size of the studies, conflicting results, and possible heterogeneity in the contents of herbal products prevent a conclusive assessment of these interactions. Existing evidence suggests that (1) cranberry juice consumption (up to 240 mL/d and probably even more) with warfarin is safe; (2) use of green leafy vegetables with a high daily content (more than 250 µg) of vitamin K should be cautioned for patients receiving warfarin, because it may decrease warfarin efficacy. It is also advisable for patients to maintain highly constant intake of green leafy vegetables to ensure stable warfarin effectiveness; (3) ginger, even in small quantities (excluding commercial ginger-flavored beverages, which contain only negligible amounts of ginger), and mango (more than one fruit) can both potentiate warfarin effects; (4) patients taking OACs should avoid St. John's wort due to diminished anticoagulant effect; and (5) consumption of less than 240 mL of grapefruit juice daily is unlikely to interact with OACs. Future longitudinal observational cohort studies and RCTs with larger sample sizes are needed to study specific interactions between food or herbal products and OACs.

Prognostic Importance of Atrial Fibrillation and Anticoagulation in Alcoholic Versus Dilated Cardiomyopathy

AIMS

Limited data exist to describe the prognostic impact of atrial fibrillation (AF) and oral anticoagulation on patients with alcoholic cardiomyopathy (ACM) compared with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and were investigated in this study.

METHODS

Using Danish nationwide registries, a cohort analysis was conducted to assess the prognostic differences for patients with a first diagnosis of ACM versus DCM with and without AF 1994-2018 (followed until end 2019). Our study also assessed differences in mortality following initiation of anticoagulation in both populations.

RESULTS

Totally, 1237 patients with ACM (33% with AF) and 17,211 individuals with DCM (33% with AF) were included. Those with ACM were more often men (89 versus 71%) and younger than patients with DCM (mean age 56 versus 64 years). Cumulative 5-year mortality was greater among patients with ACM, compared with DCM, regardless of AF (ACM with AF 49% [95% CI: 44-54%], ACM without AF 48% [45-53%], DCM with AF 41% [39-42%], DCM without AF 30% [29-31%], P < 0.0001). The prognosis associated with AF was statistically significantly different in people with ACM and DCM (adjusted hazards ratio 0.85 [95% CI: 0.74-0.98] versus 1.04 [1.00-1.09] in ACM and DCM, P < 0.0001). The mortality associated with oral anticoagulation was similar in ACM and DCM (hazards ratio 0.81 [0.61-1.07] versus 0.87 [0.80-0.94], P = 0.49).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with ACM had a worse prognosis when compared with patients with DCM, but this did not appear to be driven by AF. Patients with ACM were observed to have similar associated risk benefits of oral anticoagulation as DCM.

Prescribing Patterns of Direct-Acting Oral Anticoagulants in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation and Chronic Kidney Disease: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis

BACKGROUND

The association of patient and prescriber characteristics with use of warfarin versus direct-acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) is not well studied.

METHODS

The 20% Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Parts A, B, and D claims data from 2010 to 2017 were used to identify patients with stage 3, 4, or 5 CKD and AF who received a DOAC (apixaban, dabigatran, rivaroxaban) or warfarin. Prescribers were categorized as cardiologists, primary care providers (PCPs), and others. Using logistic regression, we estimated odds ratios (ORs) for the association of baseline characteristics and prescriber specialty with first use of a DOAC, relative to warfarin.

RESULTS

We identified 22,739 individuals with CKD who were newly initiated on oral anticoagulation for AF. New DOAC prescriptions increased from 490 in 2011 to 3261 in 2017, and displaced warfarin over time (1849, 2011; 945, 2017). By Q4 of 2014, cardiologists prescribed DOACs as initial treatment more frequently than warfarin, but non-cardiologists did not do so until 2015. As of 2017, apixaban was the most widely prescribed anticoagulant, comprising 56% and 50% of prescriptions by cardiologists and non-cardiologists, respectively. PCPs (OR 0.54, 0.51-0.58) and other providers (OR 0.55, 0.51-0.59) were less likely than cardiologists to prescribe DOACs.

CONCLUSIONS

DOAC prescriptions, particularly apixaban, increased over time and gradually displaced warfarin. The total number of patients with AF and CKD receiving anticoagulation increased over time. Cardiologists increased DOAC prescriptions more rapidly than non-cardiologists.

The effect of mental health conditions on the use of oral anticoagulation therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation: The FinACAF Study

Aims

Little is known about the effects of mental health conditions (MHCs) on the utilization of oral anticoagulation (OAC) therapy in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. We aimed to assess whether MHCs affect initiation of OAC therapy among AF patients with special focus on non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs).

Methods and results

The Finnish AntiCoagulation in Atrial Fibrillation (FinACAF) registry included all 239 222 patients diagnosed with incident AF during 2007–18 in Finland identified from national registries covering primary to tertiary care and drug purchases. Patients with previous depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, or schizophrenia diagnosis or a fulfilled psychiatric medication prescription within the year preceding the AF diagnosis were classified to have any MHC. The main outcome was OAC initiation, defined as first fulfilled OAC prescription after AF diagnosis. The patients’ mean age was 72.7 years and 49.8% were female. The prevalence of any MHC was 19.9%. A lower proportion of patients with any MHC compared with those without MHCs were initiated on OAC therapy (64.9% vs. 73.3%, P < 0.001). Any MHC was associated with lower incidence of OAC initiation [adjusted subdistribution hazard ratio (aSHR) 0.867; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.856–0.880], as were depression (aSHR 0.868; 95% CI 0.856–0.880), bipolar disorder (aSHR 0.838; 95% CI 0.824–0.852), anxiety disorder (aSHR 0.840; 95% CI 0.827–0.854), and schizophrenia (aSHR 0.838; 95% CI 0.824–0.851), during the entire follow-up. Any MHC remained associated with impaired incidence of OAC initiation also in the NOAC era during 2015–18 (aSHR 0.821; 95% CI 0.805–0.837).

Conclusion

MHCs are common among AF patients, and they are associated with a lower rate of OAC initiation even during the NOAC era.

The impact of mental health conditions on oral anticoagulation therapy and outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation: A systematic review and meta-analysis

One third of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) are estimated to suffer from mental health conditions (MHCs). We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the impact of MHCs on the prevalence and quality of oral anticoagulation (OAC) therapy and outcomes in patients with AF. Medline database was searched for studies published before March 1st 2021 evaluating AF patients with comorbid MHCs reporting on the prevalence of OAC therapy, time in therapeutic range (TTR) in warfarin-receiving patients, adherence to OAC therapy or adverse outcomes (ischemic stroke, hemorrhage or mortality). Studies reporting on outcome events were included in the meta-analysis. The literature search yielded 17 studies including 977,535 patients that fulfilled the inclusion criteria of this review. AF patients with MHCs had a lower prevalence of OAC use and poorer TTR compared with patients without MHCs. Evidence on OAC quality in patients receiving direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) was minimal and inconclusive. A decrease in depression-associated deficit in OAC prevalence was observed after the introduction of DOACs. Pooled analysis of five studies reporting on outcomes showed that MHCs were an independent risk factor for both stroke (RR 1.25, 95%CI 1.08-1.45, I² 0%) and major bleeding (RR 1.17, 95%CI 1.08-1.27, I² 27%). Data on mortality were lacking and therefore not included in the meta-analysis. Evidence on the impact of specific MHCs on the outcomes were inadequate. In conclusion, MHCs are independent risk factors for stroke and major bleeding in patients with AF. Future studies are needed to confirm the findings of this meta-analysis, to evaluate the prognostic impact of different MHCs and to clarify whether the introduction of DOACs might have improved the outcomes of these patients.

Derivation and validation of predictors of oral anticoagulant-related adverse events in seniors transitioning from hospital to home

INTRODUCTION

Oral anticoagulant (OAC)-related adverse events are high post-hospitalization. We planned to develop and validate a prediction model for OAC-related harm within 30 days of hospitalization.

METHODS

We undertook a population-based study of adults aged ≥66 years who were discharged from hospital on an OAC from September 2010 to March 2015 in Ontario, Canada. The primary outcome was a composite of time to first hospitalization or emergency department visit for a hemorrhagic or thromboembolic event, or mortality within 30 days of hospital discharge. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to build the model.

RESULTS

We included 120,721 patients of which 5423 experienced the outcome. Most patients were aged ≥75 years (59.5%) and were female (55.6%). Sixty percent of the cohort had a follow-up visit with a healthcare provider within 7 days of discharge. Patients discharged on a direct acting OAC versus warfarin (apixaban: Hazard Ratio [HR] 0.82, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.71-0.94; dabigatran: HR 0.73, 95% CI 0.63-0.84; rivaroxaban: HR 0.79, 95% CI 0.71-0.88), were prevalent users of the dispensed OAC versus incident users (HR 0.82, 95% CI 0.69-0.96), had a joint replacement in the past 35 days (HR 0.40, 95% CI 0.33-0.50) or major surgery during index hospital stay (HR 0.69, 95% CI 0.60-0.80) had a lower risk for the outcome. The Cox model was stable with acceptable discrimination but poor goodness-of-fit.

CONCLUSIONS

A model for OAC-related harm in the early post-discharge period was developed. External validation studies are required to understand the model's poor calibration.

Oophorectomy and risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and primary liver cancer in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink

Incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and liver cancer are 2-3 times higher in males than females. Hormonal mechanisms are hypothesized, with studies suggesting that oophorectomy may increase risk, but population-based evidence is limited. Thus, we conducted a study within the Clinical Practice Research Datalink, with controls matched to cases of NAFLD (n = 10,082 cases/40,344 controls) and liver cancer (n = 767 cases/3068 controls). Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using conditional logistic regression. Effect measure modification by menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) was examined, using likelihood ratio tests and relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI). Oophorectomy was associated with a 29% elevated NAFLD risk (OR = 1.29, 95% CI 1.18-1.43), which was more pronounced in women without diabetes (OR = 1.41, 95% CI 1.27-1.57) and in women who had oophorectomy prior to age 50 (OR = 1.37, 95% CI 1.22-1.52). Compared to women without oophorectomy or MHT use, oophorectomy and MHT were each associated with over 50% elevated risk of NAFLD. However, the combination of oophorectomy and MHT showed evidence of a negative interaction on the multiplicative (p = 0.003) and additive scales (RERI = - 0.28, 95% CI - 0.60 to 0.03, p = 0.08). Oophorectomy, overall, was not associated with elevated liver cancer risk (OR = 1.16, 95% CI 0.79-1.69). These findings suggest that oophorectomy may increase the risk of NAFLD, but not liver cancer.

Risk factors for intrahepatic and extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in the United States: A population-based study in SEER-Medicare

Objectives

Intrahepatic (ICC) and extrahepatic (ECC) cholangiocarcinomas are rare tumors that arise from the epithelial cells of the bile ducts, and the etiology of both cancer types is poorly understood. Thus, we utilized the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare resource to examine risk factors and novel preexisting medical conditions that may be associated with these cancer types.

Methods

Between 2000 and 2011, 2,092 ICC and 2,981 ECC cases and 323,615 controls were identified using the SEER-Medicare database. Logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease was associated with approximately 3-fold increased risks of ICC (OR = 3.52, 95% CI: 2.87–4.32) and ECC (OR = 2.93, 95% CI: 2.42–3.55). Other metabolic conditions, including obesity and type 2 diabetes, were also associated with increased risks of both cancer types. Smoking was associated with a 46% and 77% increased ICC and ECC risk, respectively. Several autoimmune/inflammatory conditions, including type 1 diabetes and gout, were associated with increased risks of ICC/ECC. As anticipated, viral hepatitis, alcohol-related disorders, and bile duct conditions were associated with both cancer types. However, thyrotoxicosis and hemochromatosis were associated with an increased risk of ICC but not ECC, but did not remain significantly associated after Bonferroni correction.

Conclusions

In this study, risk factors for ICC and ECC were similar, with the exceptions of thyrotoxicosis and hemochromatosis. Notably, metabolic conditions were associated with both cancer types. As metabolic conditions are increasing in prevalence, these could be increasingly important risk factors for both types of cholangiocarcinoma.

Predictive validity of clinical AUDIT-C alcohol screening scores and changes in scores for three objective alcohol-related outcomes in a Veterans Affairs population

AIMS

To evaluate the association between Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C) alcohol screening scores, collected as part of routine clinical care, and three outcomes in the following year (Aim 1), and the association between changes in AUDIT-C risk group at 1-year follow-up and the same outcomes in the subsequent year (Aim 2).

DESIGN

Cohort study.

SETTING

Twenty-four US Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare systems (2004-07), before systematic implementation of brief intervention.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 486 115 out-patients with AUDIT-Cs documented in their electronic health records (EHRs) on two occasions ≥ 12 months apart ('baseline' and 'follow-up').

MEASUREMENTS

Independent measures were baseline AUDIT-C scores and change in standard AUDIT-C risk groups (no use, low-risk use and mild, moderate, severe misuse) from baseline to follow-up. Outcome measures were (1) high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), (2) alcohol-related gastrointestinal hospitalizations ('GI hospitalizations') and (3) physical trauma, each in the years after baseline and follow-up.

FINDINGS

Baseline AUDIT-C scores had a positive association with outcomes in the following year. Across AUDIT-C scores 0-12, mean HDL ranged from 41.4 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 41.3-41.5] to 53.5 (95% CI = 51.4-55.6) mg/l, and probabilities of GI hospitalizations from 0.49% (95% CI = 0.48-0.51%) to 1.8% (95% CI = 1.3-2.3%) and trauma from 3.0% (95% CI = 2.95-3.06%) to 6.0% (95% CI = 5.2-6.8%). At follow-up, patients who increased to moderate or severe alcohol misuse had consistently higher mean HDL and probabilities of subsequent GI hospitalizations or trauma compared with those who did not (P-values all < 0.05). For example, among those with baseline low-risk use, in those with persistent low-risk use versus severe misuse at follow-up, the probabilities of subsequent trauma were 2.65% (95% CI = 2.54-2.75%) versus 5.15% (95% CI = 3.86-6.45%), respectively. However, for patients who decreased to lower AUDIT-C risk groups at follow-up, findings were inconsistent across outcomes, with only mean HDL decreasing in most groups that decreased use (P-values all < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

When AUDIT-C screening is conducted in clinical settings, baseline AUDIT-C scores and score increases to moderate-severe alcohol misuse at follow-up screening appear to have predictive validity for HDL cholesterol, alcohol-related gastrointestinal hospitalizations and physical trauma. Decreasing AUDIT-C scores collected in clinical settings appear to have predictive validity for only HDL.

Population attributable fractions of risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma in the United States

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) incidence has been increasing in the United States for several decades; and, as the incidence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection declines and the prevalence of metabolic disorders rises, the proportion of HCC attributable to various risk factors may be changing.

METHODS

Data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare linkage were used to calculate population attributable fractions (PAFs) for each risk factor over time. Patients with HCC (n = 10,708) who were diagnosed during the years 2000 through 2011 were compared with a 5% random sample of cancer-free controls (n = 332,107) residing in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results areas. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and PAFs were calculated for HCV, hepatitis B virus (HBV), metabolic disorders, alcohol-related disorders, smoking, and genetic disorders.

RESULTS

Overall, the PAF was greatest for metabolic disorders (32%), followed by HCV (20.5%), alcohol (13.4%), smoking (9%), HBV (4.3%), and genetic disorders (1.5%). The PAF for all factors combined was 59.5%. PAFs differed by race/ethnicity and sex. Metabolic disorders had the largest PAF among Hispanics (PAF, 39.3%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 31.9%-46.7%) and whites (PAF, 34.8%; 95% CI, 33.1%-36.5%), whereas HCV had the largest PAF among blacks (PAF, 36.1%; 95% CI, 31.8%-40.4%) and Asians (PAF, 29.7%; 95% CI, 25.9%-33.4%). Between 2000 and 2011, the PAF of metabolic disorders increased from 25.8% (95% CI, 22.8%-28.9%) to 36% (95% CI, 33.6%-38.5%). In contrast, the PAFs of alcohol-related disorders and HCV remained stable.

CONCLUSIONS

Among US Medicare recipients, metabolic disorders contribute more to the burden of HCC than any other risk factor, and the fraction of HCC caused by metabolic disorders has increased in the last decade. Cancer 2016;122:1757-65. Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA..

Alcohol misuse, genetics, and major bleeding among warfarin therapy patients in a community setting

PURPOSE

Little is known about the impact of alcohol consumption on warfarin safety, or whether demographic, clinical, or genetic factors modify risk of adverse events. We conducted a case-control study to assess the association between screening positive for moderate/severe alcohol misuse and the risk of major bleeding in a community sample of patients using warfarin.

METHODS

The study sample consisted of 570 adult patients continuously enrolled in Group Heath for at least 2 years and receiving warfarin. The main outcome was major bleeding validated through medical record review. Cases experienced major bleeding, and controls did not experience major bleeding. Exposures were Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test Consumption Questionnaire (AUDIT-C) scores and report of heavy episodic drinking (≥5 drinks on an occasion). The odds of major bleeding were estimated with multivariate logistic regression models. The overall sample was 55% male, 94% Caucasian, and had a mean age of 70 years.

RESULTS

Among 265 cases and 305 controls, AUDIT-C scores indicative of moderate/severe alcohol misuse and heavy episodic drinking were associated with increased risk of major bleeding (OR = 2.10, 95% CI = 1.08-4.07; and OR = 2.36, 95% CI = 1.24-4.50, respectively). Stratified analyses demonstrated increased alcohol-related major bleeding risk in patients on warfarin for ≥1 year and in those with a low-dose genotype (CYP2C9*2/*3, VKORC1(1173G>A), CYP4F2*1), but not in other sub-groups evaluated.

CONCLUSIONS

Alcohol screening questionnaires, potentially coupled with genetic testing, could have clinical utility in selecting patients for warfarin therapy, as well as refining dosing and monitoring practices.