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Aims: We aimed to analyze prevalence and predictors of NOAC off-label under-dosing in AF patients before and after the index stroke., Methods: The post hoc analysis included 1080 patients of the investigator-initiated, multicenter prospective Berlin Atrial Fibrillation Registry, designed to analyze medical stroke prevention in AF patients after acute ischemic stroke., Results: At stroke onset, an off-label daily dose was prescribed in 61 (25.5%) of 239 NOAC patients with known AF and CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score ≥ 1, of which 52 (21.8%) patients were under-dosed. Under-dosing was associated with age ≥ 80 years in patients on rivaroxaban [OR 2.90, 95% CI 1.05-7.9, P = 0.04; n = 29] or apixaban [OR 3.24, 95% CI 1.04-10.1, P = 0.04; n = 22]. At hospital discharge after the index stroke, NOAC off-label dose on admission was continued in 30 (49.2%) of 61 patients. Overall, 79 (13.7%) of 708 patients prescribed a NOAC at hospital discharge received an off-label dose, of whom 75 (10.6%) patients were under-dosed. Rivaroxaban under-dosing at discharge was associated with age ≥ 80 years [OR 3.49, 95% CI 1.24-9.84, P = 0.02; n = 19]; apixaban under-dosing with body weight ≤ 60 kg [OR 0.06, 95% CI 0.01-0.47, P < 0.01; n = 56], CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score [OR per point 1.47, 95% CI 1.08-2.00, P = 0.01], and HAS-BLED score [OR per point 1.91, 95% CI 1.28-2.84, P < 0.01]., Conclusion: At stroke onset, off-label dosing was present in one out of four, and under-dosing in one out of five NOAC patients. Under-dosing of rivaroxaban or apixaban was related to old age. In-hospital treatment after stroke reduced off-label NOAC dosing, but one out of ten NOAC patients was under-dosed at discharge., Clinical Trial Registration: NCT02306824., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Background: Idarucizumab is a monoclonal antibody fragment with high affinity for dabigatran reversing its anticoagulant effects within minutes. Thereby, patients with acute ischemic stroke who are on dabigatran treatment may become eligible for thrombolysis with recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA). In patients on dabigatran with intracerebral hemorrhage idarucizumab could prevent lesion growth., Aims: To provide insights into the clinical use of idarucizumab in patients under effective dabigatran anticoagulation presenting with signs of acute ischemic stroke or intracranial hemorrhage., Methods: Retrospective data collected from German neurological/neurosurgical departments administering idarucizumab following product launch from January 2016 to August 2018 were used., Results: One-hundred and twenty stroke patients received idarucizumab in 61 stroke centers. Eighty patients treated with dabigatran presented with ischemic stroke and 40 patients suffered intracranial bleeding (intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in n  = 27). In patients receiving intravenous thrombolysis with rt-PA following idarucizumab, 78% showed a median improvement of 7 points in National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale. No bleeding complications were reported. Hematoma growth was observed in 3 out of 27 patients with ICH. Outcome was favorable with a median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale improvement of 4 points and modified Rankin score 0-3 in 61%. Six out of 40 individuals (15%) with intracranial bleeding died during hospital stay., Conclusion: Administration of rt-PA after reversal of dabigatran activity with idarucizumab in case of acute ischemic stroke seems feasible, effective, and safe. In dabigatran-associated intracranial hemorrhage, idarucizumab appears to prevent hematoma growth and to improve outcome.

Aims: The Berlin Atrial Fibrillation Registry was designed to analyse oral anticoagulation (OAC) prescription in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and acute ischaemic stroke., Methods and Results: This investigator-initiated prospective multicentre registry enrolled patients at all 16 stroke units located in Berlin, Germany. The ongoing telephone follow-up is conducted centrally and will cover 5 years per patient. Within 2014 and 2016, 1080 patients gave written informed consent and 1048 patients were available for analysis. Median age was 77 years [interquartile range (IQR) 72-83], 503 (48%) patients were female, and 254 (24%) had a transient ischaemic attack (TIA). Overall, 470 (62%) out of 757 patients with known AF and a (pre-stroke) CHA2DS2-VASc ≥ 1 were anticoagulated at the time of stroke. At hospital discharge, 847 (81.3%) of 1042 patients were anticoagulated. Thereof 710 (68.1%) received a non-vitamin K-dependent oral anticoagulant (NOAC) and 137 (13.1%) a vitamin K antagonist (VKA). Pre-stroke intake of a NOAC [odds ratio (OR) 15.6 (95% confidence interval, 95% CI 1.97-122)] or VKA [OR 0.04 (95% CI 0.02-0.09)], an index TIA [OR 0.56 (95% CI 0.34-0.94)] rather than stroke, heart failure [OR 0.49 (95% CI 0.26-0.93)], and endovascular thrombectomy at hospital admission [OR 12.9 (95% CI 1.59-104)] were associated with NOAC prescription at discharge. Patients' age or AF type had no impact on OAC or NOAC use, respectively., Conclusion: About 60% of all registry patients with known AF received OAC at the time of stroke or TIA. At hospital discharge, more than 80% of AF patients were anticoagulated and about 80% of those were prescribed a NOAC., (Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author(s) 2019. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)