Following marketing authorization (MA) of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) for nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) in France, regulatory authorities requested data from MA holders on the characteristics of patients receiving DOACs.

To describe the characteristics of NVAF patients treated with DOACs or VKAs in France.

This was an observational, nationwide, cross-sectional study conducted among 177 French cardiologists who included 2026 NVAF patients initiating anticoagulation therapy within 3 months before study visit. Characteristics associated with apixaban initiation were identified using univariate logistic regression.

Patients had a mean age of 74 years and 43.4% were women; the proportion aged ≥75 years was highest in the VKA and apixaban groups, and proportion of women was similar across groups. Moderate to severe renal disease (creatinine clearance <50mL/min) and type 2 diabetes were most prevalent among VKA and apixaban patients. The Charlson comorbidity index was highest in VKA and apixaban patients. Thromboembolic risk assessed by a CHA₂DS₂-VASc score ≥3 (overall 66.9%) and bleeding risk assessed by a HAS-BLED score ≥3 (overall 6.3%) were highest for patients treated by VKA and similar across all DOACs (Table 1).

The patient characteristics of the study population were consistent with those expected in NVAF patients treated with anticoagulants. Patients treated by apixaban were older and had more comorbidities than patients treated by other DOACs but had similar thromboembolic and bleeding risk scores. Patients treated with VKA had the most severe risk profiles.