Cilostazol plus Aspirin vs. Clopidogrel plus Aspirin in Acute Minor Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack

AIM: This study compared the effectiveness, safety, and mortality risks between cilostazol plus aspirin and clopidogrel plus aspirin treatment for patients with acute minor ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). METHODS: This retrospective cohort study employed a new-user design and utilized data from the nationwide Health and Welfare Database in Taiwan. Patients were included if they were discharged with newly initiated cilostazol plus aspirin or clopidogrel plus aspirin after primary acute minor ischemic stroke or TIA hospitalization between 2009 and 2018. Inverse probability of treatment weighting was applied to balance covariats between study groups. Effectiveness outcomes were the risks of acute ischemic stroke, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), TIA, and composite cardiovascular events; Safety outcomes were the risks of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), gastrointestinal bleeding, and composite bleeding events; Mortality outcomes were the risks of fatal stroke, cardiovascular mortality, and all-cause mortality. RESULTS: A total of 3,403 patients were included, of which 578 were treated with cilostazol plus aspirin and 2,825 were treated with clopidogrel plus aspirin. Cilostazol plus aspirin was associated with a higher risk of ICH (HR: 1.82; 95% CI: 1.16-2.84) compared to clopidogrel plus aspirin. No significant differences in the risks of effectiveness or mortality outcomes between the two groups were found. CONCLUSIONS: The effectiveness and mortality of the two groups were similar for patients with acute minor ischemic stroke or TIA. However, cilostazol plus aspirin was associated with a higher risk of ICH compared to clopidogrel plus aspirin. Patients treated with cilostazol plus aspirin among this population should be monitored carefully to ensure their safety.