Questioning Medicine

Estimated 5-year incidence of recurrent VTE was similar in the reduced-dose and full-dose groups (2.2% and 1.8%). Estimated 5-year bleeding incidence was significantly lower with reduced-dose than with full-dose treatment (2.1% vs. 4.0% for major bleeding; 8.6% vs. 11.5% for clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding). Outcomes with apixaban and rivaroxaban were similar. Couturaud F et al. Extended treatment of venous thromboembolism with reduced-dose versus full-dose direct oral anticoagulants in patients at high risk of recurrence: A non-inferiority, multicentre, randomised, open-label, blinded endpoint trial. Lancet 2025 Mar 1; 405:725. (https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(24)02842-3)