Antiplatelet Therapy After Noncardioembolic Stroke: An Individual Patient Data Network Meta-Analysis

Greving, Jacoba P.; Diener, Hans-Christoph; Reitsma, Johannes; Bath, Philip; Csiba, Laszlo; Hacke, Werner; Kappelle, L Jaap; Koudstaal, Peter; Leys, Didier; Mas, Jean-Louis; Sacco, Ralph; Algra, Ale

Abstract

© 2019 American Heart Association, Inc. Background and Purpose-We assessed the efficacy and safety of antiplatelet agents after noncardioembolic stroke or transient ischemic attack and examined how these vary according to patients' demographic and clinical characteristics. Methods-We did a network meta-analysis (NMA) of data from 6 randomized trials of the effects of commonly prescribed antiplatelet agents in the long-term (≥3 months) secondary prevention of noncardioembolic stroke or transient ischemic attack. Individual patient data from 43 112 patients were pooled and reanalyzed. Main outcomes were serious vascular events (nonfatal stroke, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or vascular death), major bleeding, and net clinical benefit (serious vascular event or major bleeding). Subgroup analyses were done according to age, sex, ethnicity, hypertension, qualifying diagnosis, type of vessel involved (large versus small vessel disease), and time from qualifying event to randomization. Results-Aspirin/dipyridamole combination (RRNMA-adj, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.74-0.94) significantly reduced the risk of vascular events compared with aspirin, as did clopidogrel (RRNMA-adj, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.78-0.98), and aspirin/clopidogrel combination (RRNMA-adj, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.71-0.96). Clopidogrel caused significantly less major bleeding and intracranial hemorrhage than aspirin, aspirin/dipyridamole combination, and aspirin/clopidogrel combination. Aspirin/clopidogrel combination caused significantly more major bleeding than aspirin, aspirin/dipyridamole combination, and clopidogrel. Net clinical benefit was similar for clopidogrel and aspirin/dipyridamole combination (RRNMA-adj, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.93-1.05). Subgroup analyses showed no heterogeneity of treatment effectiveness across prespecified subgroups. The excess risk of major bleeding associated with aspirin/clopidogrel combination compared with clopidogrel alone was higher in patients aged

Citation

Greving, J. P., Diener, H., Reitsma, J., Bath, P., Csiba, L., Hacke, W., …Algra, A. (2019). Antiplatelet Therapy After Noncardioembolic Stroke: An Individual Patient Data Network Meta-Analysis. Stroke, 50(7), 1812-1818. https://doi.org/10.1161/strokeaha.118.024497

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 29, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Jun 10, 2019
• Publication Date: 2019-07
• Deposit Date: May 7, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 11, 2019
• Journal: Stroke
• Print ISSN: 0039-2499
• Electronic ISSN: 1524-4628
• Publisher: American Heart Association
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 50
• Issue: 7
• Pages: 1812-1818
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1161/strokeaha.118.024497
• Keywords: Advanced and Specialised Nursing; Clinical Neurology; Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2026092
• Publisher URL: https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/STROKEAHA.118.024497