Risk of inpatient epistaxis admission related to oral anticoagulation medication use

Abstract

Abstract We utilized a case control study to determine if novel oral anticoagulants were associated with a higher risk of inpatient epistaxis admission. Adult patients admitted with a principal diagnosis of epistaxis in 2019–2021 were identified as well as a control group of patients matched 1:1 for age, sex, race, and medical comorbidities. For both cohorts, the presence or absence of an oral anticoagulant, classified as vitamin K inhibitors, direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) or platelet inhibitors, was identified. 158 adult unique inpatient admissions with a principal diagnosis of epistaxis were identified. Vitamin K inhibition was present in 5.7% of cases versus 0.6% of controls (p = 0.02; OR 9.48, range 1.19‐75.77), DOACs in 4.4% of cases versus 5.1% of controls (p = 1.0) and platelet inhibitors in 2.5% of cases versus 3.8% of controls (p = 0.75). We concluded vitamin K inhibitors, compared to DOACs and platelet inhibitors, may be associated with higher likelihood of epistaxis admission.

Keywords

• admission
• anticoagulation
• aspirin
• clopidogrel
• DOAC
• epistaxis