What types of patients may benefit from factor XI-directed strategies?
Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and those with mechanical heart valves may benefit from factor XI-directed strategies. Patients with AF who are at high risk for bleeding, such as those with end-stage renal disease who are on hemodialysis, could potentially benefit from this approach. Data from a phase 2 trial of dabigatran in patients with mechanical heart valves demonstrated inferior efficacy and more bleeding, compared with warfarin, so factor XI-directed strategies may be effective in this setting.