Rivaroxaban and apixaban in orthopaedics: is there a difference in their plasma concentrations and anticoagulant effects?

The aim of this study was to improve knowledge of what happens in the coagulation of orthopaedic patients under rivaroxaban and apixaban, in order to finalize and cross-validate effective measurement methods and to provide arguments for helping to reference one or the other drug in our central pharmacy. One hundred and two patients undergoing total hip or knee replacement were included. Half of them received rivaroxaban and the other half received apixaban. Blood samples (n = 244 with each drug) were taken at Cmax preoperatively and twice a week, apart from the day of the patientʼs discharge, when Ctrough concentration was targeted. Routine coagulation parameters, and functional and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry assays for measurement of circulating concentrations were studied. The LC-MS/MS assay and the functional assays carried out in patients under routine conditions were highly correlated, apart from low concentrations (