Quality of life, adherence and satisfaction of patients with auricular fibrillation treated with dabigatran or vitamin K antagonists

• Published in: Revista clínica espanõla (English edition) 2019-08, Vol.219 (6), p.285-292
• Main Authors: Barrios, V., Escobar, C., Barón Esquivias, G., Gómez Doblas, J.J., Recalde del Vigo, E., Segura Martínez, L., Alvarez Garcia, P., Alonso Valladares, F., Toril Lopez, J., Chopo Alcubilla, J.M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adherence; Adherencia; Antagonistas de la vitamina K; Atrial fibrillation; Calidad de vida; Dabigatran; Dabigatrán; Fibrilación auricular; Quality of life; Satisfacción; Satisfaction; Vitamin K antagonists
• ISSN: 2254-8874; 2254-8874
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rceng.2018.12.012

To analyze the quality of life, adherence and satisfaction of patients with nonvalvular auricular fibrillation (NVAF) treated with dabigatran versus vitamin K antagonists (VKA) in cardiology consultations in Spain. We conducted an observational, comparative, prospective and multicentre study of patients with NVAF treated in cardiology departments, who started treatment with dabigatran or VKA in the month prior to the baseline visit. The follow-up lasted 6 months. We analyzed quality of life (using the validated AF-QoL 18 questionnaire [0, minimum; 100, maximum]), adherence (using the Morisky-Green test) and the cardiologist's perception (using a specific questionnaire [0, completely dissatisfied; 10, completely satisfied]). We analyzed 1015 patients (mean age, 73.3±9.4 years; 57% men; CHA2DS2VASc, 3.4±1.5; HAS-BLED, 1.5±1.0) who were treated with dabigatran (74.7%) or with VKA (25.3%). The total quality-of-life scores remained constant throughout the follow-up (47.9±23.5 and 48.6±24.4 at baseline and at 6 months, respectively; p=NS) but were higher at 6 months for the dabigatran group (50.6±24.7 vs. 42.8±22.5; p