Abstract Body (Do not enter title and authors here): Introduction: The utilization of direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) agents for atrial fibrillation (AF) in individuals with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) has increased despite a lack of robust supportive data from randomized controlled trials. We planned to assess the outcomes associated with rivaroxaban versus warfarin in the ESRD population with AF.

Methods: We utilized the TriNetX Global Collaborative Network, which includes 114 Healthcare organizations to perform a propensity-score matched retrospective cohort study. We used ICD-10 codes to identify individuals with ESRD and AF, over 18 years of age, excluding those with prosthetic valves and apixaban or edoxaban use. Data were collected from 2011 to 2024. We evaluated the incidence of ischemic stroke (I63), intracranial hemorrhage (I62.9), cardiac arrest (I46), mortality, gastrointestinal (GI) hemorrhage (K92.2), systemic embolism and thrombosis (I74.3, I74.2), and other cardiac arrythmias (I49). We performed propensity-score matching (PSM) on age, sex, race, BMI, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, tobacco use, heart failure, stroke, or acute myocardial infarction.

Results: We identified 25,092 individuals in the warfarin group and 2,391 individuals in the rivaroxaban group. After PSM, 2,381 individuals remained in each group. The average age was 72.9, predominantly male (59.8%), with 62.9% white, 14.7% African American, and 6.5% Hispanic individuals. Compared to those treated with warfarin, individuals treated with rivaroxaban demonstrated a lower risk of a composite outcome (Infarct, intracranial hemorrhage, mortality) (RR 0.823, 95% CI 0.765-0.885), mortality (RR 0.830, 95% CI 0.775-0.888), GI hemorrhage (RR 0.566, 95% CI 0.439-0.730), and cardiac arrest (RR 0.696, 95% CI 0.531-0.911). We found no significant difference in the risk of ischemic stroke (RR 1.024, 95% CI 0.744-1.408), intracranial hemorrhage (RR 0.587, 95% CI 0.270-1.280), systemic embolism (RR 0.828 (95% CI 0.512-1.339), or other cardiac arrythmias (RR 0.973, 95% CI 0.804-1.179).

Conclusion: In individuals with AF and ESRD the use of rivaroxaban, in comparison to warfarin, was associated with a reduction in the risk of mortality, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, and cardiac arrest. We found no difference in other clinically relevant outcomes, including ischemic stroke. These findings suggest an extension of the safety benefits previously observed with DOACs to the ESRD population, however further research is needed to guide management.