Real world time trends in antithrombotic treatment for newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation in China: reports from the GLORIA-AF Phase III registry: Trends in antithrombotic therapy use in China

BACKGROUND: Stroke prevention with oral anticoagulant (OAC) therapy, including non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs), is recommended in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). This analysis describes the antithrombotic prescription patterns for Chinese patients enrolled post-dabigatran approval during Phase II and III of the Global Registry on Long-Term Oral Antithrombotic Treatment in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation (GLORIA-AF) program in China. METHODS: Patients aged ≥ 18 years with newly diagnosed (< 3 months before baseline visit) nonvalvular AF at risk of stroke (CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc score ≥ 1) were consecutively enrolled in the GLORIA-AF registry. This cross-sectional analysis provides descriptive comparison of Chinese patients in Phase III (2015–2016) with those enrolled in Phase II (2013–2014). RESULTS: Overall, 1,018 and 1,911 Chinese patients were eligible for analysis in Phase II and III, respectively. Most patients (69.6% and 69.1%, respectively) had high stroke risk (CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc score ≥ 2 for males and ≥ 3 for females). High bleeding risk (HAS-BLED score ≥ 3) rates were similar (17.3% for Phase II, 17.6% for Phase III). In Phase II, 5.8%, 15.2%, 36.7% and 42.2% of patients were prescribed NOACs, vitamin K antagonists (VKAs), antiplatelet therapies or no antithrombotic treatment, respectively. The corresponding figures were 17.2%, 23.5%, 37.4% and 21.8% for patients in Phase III, with an overall increase in OAC prescriptions (NOACs or VKAs). In patients with high stroke risk, the prescription patterns in Phase II were 5.6%, 14.4%, 41.0% and 38.9% for NOACs, VKAs, antiplatelets or no antithrombotic treatment, respectively. The respective proportions in Phase III were 15.1%, 23.5%, 40.9% and 20.5%. CONCLUSIONS: Since the availability of dabigatran in China, the overall trend of OAC, including NOAC, prescriptions in Chinese patients with nonvalvular AF has increased over time, albeit with VKAs as the most common antithrombotic treatment. Most patients, including those at high stroke risk, remain undertreated according to best practice guidelines. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01468701. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12959-023-00527-x.