DOACs in cirrhosis: Progress, pitfalls, and the path forward

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) were historically avoided in cirrhosis due to concerns regarding impaired hepatic metabolism, cumulative toxicity, and the systematic exclusion of patients with cirrhosis from pivotal randomized trials. However, over the past decade, a growing body of retrospective cohorts, meta-analyses, and small prospective studies - including limited randomized comparisons - have evaluated DOACs against vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) for management of venous thromboembolism (VTE), splanchnic vein thrombosis (SVT), and atrial fibrillation (AF) in cirrhosis. In Child-Pugh A and B disease, pharmacokinetic studies demonstrate predictable drug exposure, whereas advanced (Child-Pugh C) cirrhosis may alter metabolism and bleeding risk. Contemporary data increasingly support the use of DOACs in patients with Child-Pugh A or B cirrhosis and AF, with effectiveness comparable to vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) and potentially lower rates of major bleeding and intracranial hemorrhage. In SVT, both retrospective and prospective studies demonstrate that DOACs are associated with higher recanalization rates compared with VKAs, and have comparable, if not lower, bleeding risk. Data on DOAC use for VTE at other sites remains more limited, warranting individualized decision-making. Recent studies focused on DOAC use for primary prophylaxis in cirrhosis allude to favorable effects on portal hypertension-related complications and warrant further investigation of the risk and benefit of DOAC therapy in this context.