Edoxaban, a factor Xa inhibitor, is used to prevent stroke or systemic thromboembolism
(SSE) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). In elderly patients, the post-hoc
analysis of the Effective Anticoagulation with Factor Xa Next Generation in Atrial
Fibrillation-Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction 48 (ENGAGE AF-TIMI 48) trial showed
that a low-dose edoxaban regimen (LDER, 30 mg daily) reduced the risk of major bleeding
compared to the standard-dose edoxaban regimen (SDER, 60 mg daily), without an offsetting
increase in SSE risk. Furthermore, the Edoxaban Low-Dose for Elder Care Atrial
Fibrillation Patients (ELDERCARE AF) trial demonstrated that a very-low-dose edoxaban
regimen (VLDER, 15 mg daily) was more effective than placebo for elderly patients where
standard anticoagulant intensity posed safety concerns. Although both LDER and VLDER
appear suitable for the elderly population, data comparing these two regimens are
lacking.
Specific purpose:
To investigate whether VLDER (15 mg daily) achieves similar edoxaban concentrations as
LDER (30 mg daily), while maintaining a comparable risk of clinical outcomes and reducing
major bleeding in elderly patients with AF and a history of ischemic stroke (IS) or
transient ischemic attack (TIA) through a pragmatic randomized trial.
Study design:
The Very Low-Dose Edoxaban in Elderly Atrial Fibrillation Patients with a History of
Stroke (LEAVE-Stroke) trial is a prospective, multicenter, randomized trial. Elderly
patients aged ≥ 80 years with AF, a history of IS/TIA and concerns about the bleeding
risk of standard anticoagulant intensity will be enrolled. Participants will be
randomized to either the VLDER or LDER group.
Participant number: 120 patients (60 patients in each group). YEAR 1: Participant
enrollment for the LEAVE-Stroke trial. YEAR 2: Continued participant enrollment, followed
by a comparison of edoxaban concentration and clinical outcomes between two dose groups.
Study outcomes:
Primary outcome: The proportion of patients achieving edoxaban concentrations within the
expected range from the ENGAGE-AF TIMI 48 trial (12-43 ng/mL at trough) at 1 month.
Secondary outcome: Major bleeding at 3 months, a composite of major bleeding, SSE or
death at 3 months.
Significance: This pragmatic randomized trial will be the first to report real-world
edoxaban concentrations in the VLDER group and to determine whether they are comparable
to those in the LDER group. Furthermore, the study will provide insights into the
short-term outcomes of VLDER in elderly patients with AF, a history of IS/TIA, and
concerns about increased bleeding risk. These findings will not only inform edoxaban
dosing strategies in clinical practice but also serve as a foundation for future
large-scale, long-term studies to evaluate the feasibility and safety of using VLDER in
this high-risk population.
Keywords: very low-dose edoxaban, elderly, drug concentration, major bleeding, atrial
fibrillation