Arrhythmias & electrophysiologyCohort study

Different renal function estimation formulas for adverse outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation receiving direct oral anticoagulants

Heart RhythmPublished

  • retrospective
  • multicenter database in Taiwan

Authors' conclusion

The CG formula plays a crucial role in managing Asian patients with AF in the DOAC era, proving essential for both guiding dosing and predicting adverse clinical events.

Study context

Population
Patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) receiving direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) between June 2012 and December 2021patients enrolled
Participants
21,318 patients
Exposure
concordance and predictive performance of different renal function formulas regarding clinical outcomes

Main finding

As reported in the abstract

Normal renal function (≥60 mL/min/1.73 m² (or mL/min)) by formula

Observational data: associations, not effects.

Further findings

OutcomeValues
Concordance with CG (weighted Cohen's Kappa)MDRD K 0.512 (95% CI 0.493–0.530) · CKD-EPI K 0.481 (95% CI 0.462–0.500)
Discrimination for major adverse events (AUC)MDRD AUC 0.641 (95% CI 0.633–0.649) · CKD-EPI AUC 0.664 (95% CI 0.656–0.672) · CG AUC 0.707 (95% CI 0.700–0.714)

Concordance with Cockcroft-Gault (CG) (weighted Cohen's Kappa)

concordance only moderate

Risk of adverse composite outcomes by renal function

risk increases exponentially when renal function falls below 60 mL/min/1.73 m² (or mL/min) for the 8 formulas
for ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m² (or mL/min), the relationship diverged across the 8 formulas

Discrimination for major adverse events (AUC)

Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD), CKD-EPI and other renal function equations inferior to CG

Original publication

Different renal function estimation formulas for adverse outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation receiving direct oral anticoagulants. Heart Rhythm. Published 3 August 2026. doi:10.1016/j.hrthm.2026.07.040

Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it