Key result
Short-term (≤1 month) aspirin plus clopidogrel significantly reduced the risk of recurrent ischemic stroke compared to aspirin alone (RR 0.53; 95% CI 0.37-0.78).
Why the study?
The optimal period of efficacy and safety for aspirin plus clopidogrel compared with aspirin monotherapy in acute ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack remains uncertain.
Does aspirin plus clopidogrel reduce recurrent ischemic stroke compared to aspirin monotherapy in patients with acute ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack?
Meta-Analysis (n=15,434)
Does aspirin plus clopidogrel reduce recurrent ischemic stroke compared to aspirin monotherapy in patients with acute ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack?
Relative Risk: 0.53 (95% CI 0.37–0.78)
Short-term (≤1 month) dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and clopidogrel is more effective and equally safe compared to aspirin alone for secondary prevention after acute ischemic stroke or TIA, whereas longer durations increase bleeding and mortality risks.
Supports short-term dual antiplatelet therapy after ischemic stroke; confirms duration-dependent benefit in secondary prevention.
Background and Purpose- The role of aspirin plus clopidogrel (A+C) therapy compared with aspirin monotherapy in patients presenting with acute ischemic stroke (IS) or transient ischemic attack remains uncertain. We conducted this study to determine the optimal period of efficacy and safety of A+C compared with aspirin monotherapy. Methods- Ten randomized controlled trials (15 434 patients) were selected using MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (inception June 2018) comparing A+C with aspirin monotherapy in patients with transient ischemic attack or IS. The primary efficacy outcome was recurrent IS, and the primary safety outcome was major bleeding. The secondary outcomes were major adverse cardiovascular events (composite of stroke, myocardial infarction, and cardiovascular mortality) and all-cause mortality. We stratified analysis based on the short- (≤1 month), intermediate- (≤3 month), and long-term (>3 month) A+C therapy. Effects were estimated as relative risk (RR) with 95% CI. Results- A+C significantly reduced the risk of recurrent IS at short-term (RR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.37-0.78) and intermediate-term (RR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.58-0.90) durations. Similarly, major adverse cardiovascular event was significantly reduced by short-term (RR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.60-0.78) and intermediate-term (RR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.61-0.94) A+C therapy. However, long-term A+C did not yield beneficial effect in terms of recurrent IS (RR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.63-1.04) and major adverse cardiovascular events (RR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.71-1.07). Intermediate-term (RR, 2.58; 95% CI, 1.19-5.60) and long-term (RR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.36-2.56) A+C regimens significantly increased the risk of major bleeding as opposed to short-term A+C (RR, 1.82; 95% CI, 0.91-3.62). Excessive all-cause mortality was limited to long-term A+C (RR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.10-1.93). Conclusions- Short-term A+C is more effective and equally safe in comparison to aspirin alone in patients with acute IS or transient ischemic attack.
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Rahman et al. (2019) conducted a meta-analysis in Acute ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (n=15,434). Aspirin plus clopidogrel vs. Aspirin monotherapy was evaluated on Recurrent ischemic stroke (RR 0.53, 95% CI 0.37-0.78). Short-term (≤1 month) aspirin plus clopidogrel significantly reduced the risk of recurrent ischemic stroke compared to aspirin alone (RR 0.53; 95% CI 0.37-0.78).
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