Incidence and impact of atrial arrhythmias on thrombotic events in MPNs

Atrial arrhythmias (AA) induce a high rate of thromboses and require vitamin K antagonists (VKA) or direct anticoagulants (DOAC) prescriptions. Essential thrombocythemia (ET) and polycythemia vera (PV) are also pro-thrombotic diseases. The prevention of thromboses is based on the association of cytoreductive drug and low-dose aspirin (LDA). We studied the incidence and complications of AA among patients with ET or PV. We identified 96/713 patients (13.5%) carrying AA. These patients were older (median 72.1 vs. 61.3 years old, p < 0.0001). In a case-control analysis, we observed that patients with AA had a higher frequency of cardiovascular risk factors (77/96, 80% vs. 61/96, 61%; p = 0.01). A higher incidence of thromboses before and after myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) diagnosis was seen in this group: 26/96, 27.1% vs. 14/96, 14.6% (p = 0.03) and 34/96, 35% vs. 18/96, 18.8% (p = 0.009). Most of the events were arterial (82 vs. 61%, p = 0.09). This translates into a shorter thrombosis-free survival (11.0 vs. 21.6 years, p = 0.01). Continuation of LDA in this situation exposed patients to more thrombotic events (p = 0.04) but VKA did not seem to be good anticoagulant drugs either. The association of AA and MPN is more frequent than expected. AA clearly increased the thrombotic risk of these patients. Anticoagulant drugs should be carefully managed between cardiologists and hematologists. Association of LDA and VKA or the role of DOAC in such population should be rapidly discussed to reduce the thrombotic rate.