From CURE to MATCH: ADP Receptor Antagonists as the Treatment of Choice for High-Risk Atherothrombotic Patients

Patients with a clinical manifestation of atherothrombosis such as a recent ischaemic cerebrovascular event are at high risk of subsequent events. Atherothrombosis often reflects disseminated disease; thus, further events may occur not only in the same arterial distribution but also in other vascular beds. To achieve adequate secondary prevention in these patients, long-term antiplatelet therapy with consistent benefit across the atherothrombosis spectrum is required. In the CAPRIE (Clopidogrel versus Aspirin in Patients at Risk of Ischaemic Events) Trial, clopidogrel (clopidogrel bisulphate) was superior to acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) in reducing the combined risk of ischaemic stroke (IS), myocardial infarction (MI) or vascular death in patients with symptomatic atherosclerosis. Post hoc analyses demonstrated that the benefit of clopidogrel was amplified in high-risk patients, including patients with a history of previous ischaemic events, diabetic patients and patients with hypercholesterolaemia. The synergistic antiplatelet effect produced by using clopidogrel on top of ASA may be beneficial in high-risk patients. The benefit of dual antiplatelet therapy was recently examined in the CURE (Clopidogrel in Unstable Angina to Prevent Recurrent Events) Study, which demonstrated that long-term treatment with clopidogrel on top of standard therapy including ASA was superior to standard therapy alone in the prevention of major vascular ischaemic events in patients with unstable angina or non-Q-wave MI. The ongoing MATCH (Management of Atherothrombosis with Clopidogrel in High-risk Patients with Recent Transient Ischaemic Attack or Ischaemic Stroke) trial will evaluate the efficacy and safety of clopidogrel plus ASA versus clopidogrel alone in patients with recent transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or IS and with at least one additional risk factor. Approximately 7,600 patients will be enroled, with treatment and follow-up for each patient lasting 18 months. The primary combined efficacy endpoint will be the first occurrence of an event in the composite of IS, MI, vascular death or rehospitalization for an acute ischaemic event during the follow-up period. MATCH will explore the potential benefit of clopidogrel in high-risk stroke/TIA patients and together with CAPRIE and CURE could provide further evidence of the long-term benefit of clopidogrel in patients with major atherothrombotic manifestations.