Efficacy and Safety of Clopidogrel Versus Ticagrelor as Part of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy in Acute Coronary Syndrome—A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

The efficacy and safety of clopidogrel compared with ticagrelor as part of dual antiplatelet therapy in patients, and in older patients, with acute coronary syndrome is reviewed. PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, and HTA databases were searched (September 2, 2020) for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Pooled risk differences (clopidogrel minus ticagrelor) were estimated using random-effects meta-analyses, and certainty of evidence was assessed according to Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation. In all, 29 RCTs were identified. The risk difference for all-cause mortality was 0.6% (-0.03% to 1.3%), cardiovascular (CV) mortality: 0.6% (95% confidence interval: 0.01% to 1.1%), myocardial infarction (MI): 0.9% (0.4% to 1.3%), stent thrombosis: 0.7% (0.4 to 1.1%), clinically significant bleeding: -1.9% (-3.7% to -0.2%), major bleeding: -0.9% (-1.6% to -0.1%), and dyspnea: -5.8% (-7.7% to -3.8%). In older patients, there were no differences between the comparison groups regarding all-cause mortality, CV mortality, and MI, whereas the risk of clinically significant bleeding and major bleeding was lower in the clopidogrel group, -5.9% (-11 to -0.9%, 1 RCT) and -2.4% (-4.4% to -0.3%), respectively. Compared with ticagrelor, clopidogrel may result in little or no difference regarding all-cause mortality. Although not evident in older patients, it cannot be excluded that clopidogrel may be slightly less efficient in reducing the risk of CV mortality and MI, whereas ticagrelor is probably more efficacious in reducing the risk of stent thrombosis. Clopidogrel results in a reduced risk of dyspnea and clinically significant bleeding and in older people probably in a reduced risk of major bleeding.