INVICTUS: Vitamin K antagonists remain the standard of care for rheumatic heart disease-associated atrial fibrillation

Abstract

Study and Results: The INVICTUS trial was conducted to assess efficacy and safety of once-daily rivaroxaban compared with a dose-adjusted VKA for the prevention of cardiovascular events in patients with RHD-associated AF. A total of 4,531 patients (age: 50.5±14.6 years) were followed for 3.1±1.2 years in which 560/2292 patients in the rivaroxaban group and 446/2273 in the VKA group had a primary-outcome adverse event. The restricted mean survival time was 1599 days in the rivaroxaban group and 1675 days in the VKA group (difference, −76 days; 95% confidence interval [CI], −121 to −31; P<0.001). A higher incidence of death occurred in the rivaroxaban group than in the VKA group (restricted mean survival time, 1608 days vs. 1680 days; difference, −72 days; 95% CI, −117 to −28). No significant between-group difference in the rate of major bleeding was noted.