Early antiplatelet therapy used for acute ischemic stroke and intracranial hemorrhage

In this editorial we comment on the article published by Zhang et al in the recent issue of World Journal of Clinical Cases.We evaluate their claims on the benefit of use of Aspirin in the early management of patients with ischemic stroke.We also comment on their contention of using aspirin in the early management of patients with intracranial hemorrhage,a practice not seen in modern medicine.Large clinical trials such as the International Stroke Trial and the Chinese Acute Stroke Trial have shown the benefit of Aspirin use within 48 h of patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke.The findings were corroborated in the open-label trial performed by Zhang et al in a smaller sample group of 25 patients where they showed improvement in functional scores at 90 days without an increase in adverse events.As such,this intervention is also recommended by the American Heart Association stroke guidelines from 2021.With regard to Intracranial hemorrhage,traditional practice has been to discontinue or avoid antiplatelet therapy in these patient groups.However,no studies have been done to evaluate this management strategy that is more borne out of the mechanism behind Aspirin’s effect on the coagulation pathway.Zhang et al evaluate the benefits of Aspirin on patients with low-volume intracranial hemorrhage,i.e.,less than 30 mL on computed tomo-graphy imaging,and show no increase in mortality.The caveat of this finding is that all outcomes were pooled into one group for results,and the number of patients was low.While more studies with larger patient groups are required,the data from Zhang et al suggests that patients with small-volume intracranial hemorrhages may benefit from Aspirin administration in the acute phase of management.

Prolonged dual antiplatelet therapy after drug-eluting stent implantation improves long-term prognosis for acute coronary syndrome:five-year results from a large cohort study

BACKGROUND:To investigate the most appropriate dual antiplatelet therapy(DAPT)duration for patients with acute coronary syndrome(ACS)after drug-eluting stent(DES)implantation in the largest cardiovascular center of China.METHODS:We enrolled 5,187 consecutive patients with ACS who received DES from January to December 2013.Patients were divided into four groups based on DAPT duration:standard DAPT group(11-13 months,n=1,568)and prolonged DAPT groups(13-18 months[n=308],18-24 months[n=2,125],and>24 months[n=1,186]).Baseline characteristics and 5-year clinical outcomes were recorded.RESULTS:Baseline characteristics were similar across the four groups.Among the four groups,those with prolonged DAPT(18-24 months)had the lowest incidence of major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events(MACCEs)(14.1%vs.11.7%vs.9.6%vs.24.2%,P<0.001),all-cause death(4.8%vs.3.9%vs.2.1%vs.2.6%,P<0.001),cardiac death(3.1%vs.2.6%vs.1.4%vs.1.9%,P=0.004),and myocardial infarction(MI)(3.8%vs.4.2%vs.2.5%vs.5.8%,P<0.001).The incidence of bleeding was not different among the four groups(9.9%vs.9.4%vs.11.0%vs.9.4%,P=0.449).Cox multivariable analysis showed that prolonged DAPT(18-24 months)was an independent protective factor for MACCEs(hazard ratio[HR]0.802,95%confidence interval[CI]0.729-0.882,P<0.001),all-cause death(HR 0.660,95%CI 0.547-0.795,P<0.001),cardiac death(HR 0.663,95%CI 0.526-0.835,P<0.001),MI(HR 0.796,95%CI 0.662-0.957,P=0.015),and target vessel revascularization(HR 0.867,95%CI 0.755-0.996,P=0.044).Subgroup analysis for high bleeding risk showed that prolonged DAPT remained an independent protective factor for all-cause death and MACCEs.CONCLUSION:For patients with ACS after DES,appropriately prolonging the DAPT duration may be associated with a reduced risk of adverse ischemic events without increasing the bleeding risk.

Efficacy and safety of aspirin antiplatelet therapy within 48 h of symptom onset in patients with acute stroke

BACKGROUND Aspirin is a widely used antiplatelet agent that reduces the risk of recurrent ischemic stroke and other vascular events.However,the optimal timing and dose of aspirin initiation after an acute stroke remain controversial.AIM To evaluate the efficacy and safety of aspirin antiplatelet therapy within 48 h of symptom onset in patients with acute stroke.METHODS We conducted a randomized,open-label,controlled trial in 60 patients with acute ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke who were admitted to our hospital within 24 h of symptom onset.Patients were randomly assigned to receive either aspirin 300 mg daily or no aspirin within 48 h of stroke onset.The primary outcome was the occurrence of recurrent stroke,myocardial infarction,or vascular death within 90 d.The secondary outcomes were functional outcomes at 90 d measured using the modified Rankin Scale(mRS),incidence of bleeding complications,and mortality rate.RESULTS The mean age of the patients was 67.8 years and 55%of them were male.The median time from stroke onset to randomization was 12 h.The baseline characteristics were well balanced between the two groups.The primary outcome occurred in 6.7%of patients in the aspirin group and 16.7%of patients in the no aspirin group(relative risk=0.40,95%confidence interval:0.12-1.31,P=0.13).The mRS score at 90 d was significantly lower in the aspirin group than in the no aspirin group(median,2 vs 3,respectively;P=0.04).The incidence of bleeding complications was similar between the groups(6.7%vs 6.7%,P=1.00).The mortality rates were also comparable between the two groups(10%vs 13.3%,P=0.69).CONCLUSION Aspirin use is associated with favorable functional outcomes but does not significantly reduce the risk of recurrent vascular events.Its acceptable safety profile is comparable to that of no aspirin.Further studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods are needed to confirm these findings.

Aspirin suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma progression by inhibiting platelet activity

BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is the most common malignant liver disease in the world.Platelets(PLTs)are known to play a key role in the maintenance of liver homeostasis and the pathophysiological processes of a variety of liver diseases.Aspirin is the most classic antiplatelet agent.However,the molecular mechanism of platelet action and whether aspirin can affect HCC progression by inhibiting platelet activity need further study.AIM To explore the impact of the antiplatelet effect of aspirin on the development of HCC.METHODS Platelet-rich plasma,platelet plasma,pure platelet,and platelet lysate were prepared,and a coculture model of PLTs and HCC cells was established.CCK-8 analysis,apoptosis analysis,Transwell analysis,and real-time polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)were used to analyze the effects of PLTs on the growth,metastasis,and inflammatory microenvironment of HCC.RT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect the effects of platelet activation on tumor-related signaling pathways.Aspirin was used to block the activation and aggregation of PLTs both in vitro and in vivo,and the effect of PLTs on the progression of HCC RESULTS PLTs significantly promoted the growth,invasion,epithelial-mesenchymal transition,and formation of an inflammatory microenvironment in HCC cells.Activated PLTs promoted HCC progression by activating the mitogenactivated protein kinase/protein kinase B/signal transducer and activator of transcription three(MAPK/AKT/STAT3)signaling axis.Additionally,aspirin inhibited HCC progression in vitro and in vivo by inhibiting platelet activation.CONCLUSION PLTs play an important role in the pathogenesis of HCC,and aspirin can affect HCC progression by inhibiting platelet activity.These results suggest that antiplatelet therapy has promising application prospects in the treatment and combined treatment of HCC.

Peripheral interventions and antiplatelet therapy: Role in current practice

Peripheral arterial disease(PAD) is a common disorder associated with a high risk of cardiovascular mortality and continues to be under-recognized. The major risk factors for PAD are similar to those for coronary and cerebrovascular disease. Management includes exercise program, pharmacologic therapy and revascularization including endovascular and surgical approach. The optimal revascularization strategy, endovascular or surgical intervention, is often debated due to the paucity of head to head randomized controlled studies. Despite significant advances in endovascular interventions resulting in increased utilization over surgical bypass, significant challenges still remain. Platelet activation and aggregation after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of atherosclerotic arteries are important risk factors for re-occlusion/restenosis and life-threatening thrombosis following endovascular procedures. Antiplatelet agents are commonly prescribed to reduce the risk of myocardial infarction, stroke and death from cardiovascular causes in patients with PAD. Despite an abundance of data demonstrating efficacy of antiplatelet therapy in coronary artery disease and cerebrovascular disease, there is a paucity of clinical information, clinical guidelines and randomized controlled studies in the PAD population. Hence, data on antiplatelet therapy in coronary interventions is frequently extrapolated to peripheral interventions. The aim of this review article is to elucidate the current data on revascularization and the role and duration of antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapy in re-vascularized lower limb PAD patients.

Association of α_(2A)-Adrenergic Receptor Genetic Variants with Platelet Reactivity in Chinese Patients on Dual Antiplatelet Therapy Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Objective The alpha 2A-adrenergic receptor gene （ADRA2A） polymorphism in individuals antiplatelet response to sympathetic stimulation. The aim of this study was to investigate ADRA2A variants on platelet reactivity in Chinese patients on dual antiplatelet therapy undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention （PCI）. modifies the the effect of （DAPT） after Methods From March 2011 to March 2013, 1,024 patients were enrolled in this prospective, single-center, observational study in China. Four single nucleotide polymorphisms （SNPs） of ADRA2A gene （rs11195419, rs3750625, rs13306146, and rs553668） and CYP2C19^＊2 were detected by ligase detection reaction （LDR）, and adenosine diphosphate （ADP） inhibition was detected by thromboelastography （TEG）. Results The minor allele frequencies of ADRA2A SNPs were common. Platelet ADP inhibition was significantly different among patients carrying rs11195419 （adjusted P = 0.022） and rs3750625 （adjusted P = 0.016）. The homozygous allele carriers had the lowest ADP inhibition. However, ADP inhibition was not significantly different in rs553668 and rs13306146. At the multivariate analysis, rs11195419 （P = 0.033）, rs3750625 （P = 0.020） and CYP2C19＂2 （P = 0.002） were independent predictors of ADP inhibition. Subgroups analysis based on sex showed rs11195419 （P = 0.003） and rs3750625 （P = 0.002） were significantly associated with ADP inhibition in males, but not in females. Conclusion ADRA2A genetic variations were associated with ADP-induced platelet aggregation during DAPT in Chinese patients undergoing PCI, and the effect was particularly more pronounced in males.

Safety and efficacy of dual antiplatelet therapy after percutaneous coronary interventions in patients with end-stage liver disease

The prevalence of coronary artery disease(CAD)increases in patients with endstage liver disease,with part of them receiving the percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)as a treatment option.Dual antiplatelet therapy(DAPT),a standard of care after PCI,could result in catastrophic consequences in this population.Before PCI and the start of DAPT,it is recommended to assess patient bleeding risk.Based on novel findings,liver cirrhosis does not necessarily lead to a significant increase in bleeding complications.Furthermore,conventional methods,such as the international normalized ratio,might not be appropriate in assessing individual bleeding risk.The highest bleeding risk among cirrhotic patients has a subgroup with severe thrombocytopenia(<50×10^(9)/L)and elevated portal pressure.Therefore,every effort should be made to maintain thrombocyte count above>50×10^(9)/L and prevent variceal bleeding.There is no solid evidence for DAPT in patients with cirrhosis.However,randomized trials investigating short(one month)DAPT duration after PCI with new drug-eluting stents(DES)in a high bleeding risk patient population can be implemented in patients with cirrhosis.Based on retrospective studies(with older stents and protocols),PCI and DAPT appear to be safe but with a higher risk of bleeding complications with longer DAPT usage.Finally,novel methods in assessing CAD severity should be performed to avoid unnecessary PCI and potential risks associated with DAPT.When indicated,PCI should be performed over radial artery using contemporary DES.Complementary medical therapy,such as proton pump inhibitors and beta-blockers,should be prescribed for lower bleeding risk patients.Novel approaches,such as thromboelastography and“preventive”upper endoscopies in PCI circumstances,warn clinical confirmation.

Study on the Guidance of Platelet Inhibition Rate Detected with Thrombelastogram in Antiplatelet Therapy for Acute Non-Cardiogenic Stroke

Objective:To investigate the application value of thrombelastogram(TEG)in the detection of platelet inhibition rate for antiplatelet therapy for acute non-cardiogenic stroke.Methods:A total of 100 patients with ischemic non-cardiogenic stroke were selected for this study from September 2020 to October 2021.Patients were randomly divided into experimental group and control group,with 50 cases for each group.Before and after 1 week of antiplatelet drug treatment,the platelet inhibition rate in the experimental group was measured with arachidonic acid(AA)and adenosine diphosphate(ADP)by TEG;no platelet inhibition rates detection was conducted for the control group.The dose and type of drugs were adjusted for the experimental group according to the platelet functions and medication based on the clinical experience conducted for the control group.The neurological deficits of the discharged patients were scored with NIHSS score,mRS score,stroke recurrence,hemorrhage,and other events were followed up at the 3rd month of discharge.Results:In the experimental group,the inhibition rates of AA and ADP were significantly higher than those before treatment(both P<0.05).After treatment,the inhibition rates of AA and ADP in dual antiplatelet patients were higher than those of monoclonal antiplatelets(both P<0.05).The NIHSS score at discharge and the mRS score at the 3rd-month-follow-up in the experimental group were lower than those in the control group(both P<0.05).The incidences of stroke recurrence and hemorrhage events in the experimental group were lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion:The application of a thrombelastogram in the detection of platelet inhibition rate to guide antiplatelet therapy in patients with acute non-cardiogenic stroke reduces the recurrences of cerebral infarction and the risk of hemorrhage and improves patients’clinical prognosis.

In-Stent Thrombosis after Antiplatelet Therapy Conversion while Awaiting Coronary Bypass

In-stent thrombosis(IST)is a rare yet dangerous complication that may occur despite optimized coronary intervention in the cardiac catheterization laboratory.This is a case of an 81-year-old man who presented with ST-elevation myocardial infarction.Right coronary artery(RCA)occlusion was suspected.RCA angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention were performed.Complicated left coronary artery disease was subsequently discovered.Per cardiothoracic surgeon request,the patient was transitioned from ticagrelor to clopidogrel therapy in preparation for coronary artery bypass grafting.The patient experienced IST the day before surgery while receiving clopidogrel.We examine this case,which highlights the complexity of antiplatelet therapy choice and the role of genetic testing in evaluation of IST risk.

Shortened dual antiplatelet therapy in contemporary percutaneous coronary intervention era

Percutaneous coronary intervention with stenting is followed by a duration of dual antiplatelet therapy(DAPT)to reduce stent thrombosis and avoid target lesion failure.The period of DAPT recommended in international guidelines following drug-eluting stent implantation is 12 mo for most patients with acute coronary syndrome,and 6 mo for patients with chronic coronary syndrome or high bleeding risk.The new generation of drug-eluting stents have metallic platforms with thinner struts,associated with significantly less stent thrombosis.Shortened DAPT has been investigated with these stents,with evidence from randomised clinical trials for some individual stents showing non-inferior safety and efficacy outcomes.This has to be balanced by the effect of DAPT on secondary prevention of systemic cardiovascular disease especially in high-risk populations.This review will outline the current evidence for individual stents with regards to DAPT duration for both acute coronary syndrome and chronic coronary syndrome and discuss further directions for research and personalised medicine in this contemporary percutaneous coronary intervention era.

Restenosis of a drug eluting stent on the previous bioresorbable vascular scaffold successfully treated with a drug-coated balloon: A case report

BACKGROUND The in-stent restenosis(ISR)rates are reportedly inconsistent despite the increased use of second-generation drug eluting stent(DES).Although bioresorbable vascular scaffold(BVS)have substantial advantages with respect to vascular restoration,the rate of scaffold thrombosis is higher with BVS than with DES.Optimal treatment strategies have not been established for DES-ISR to date.CASE SUMMARY We report on a case of a 60-year-old man patient with acute coronary syndrome.He had a history of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction associated with very late scaffold thrombosis and treated with a DES.Coronary angiography revealed significant stenosis,suggesting DES-ISR on the previous BVS.Optical coherence tomography(OCT)identified a plaque rupture and a disrupted scaffold strut in the neointimal proliferation of DES.To treat the DES-ISR on the previous BVS,we opted for a drug-coated balloon(DCB)after a balloon angioplasty using a semi-compliant and non-compliant balloon.The patient did not experience adverse cardiovascular events on using a DCB following the use of intensive dual antiplatelet therapy and statin for 24 mo.CONCLUSION This case highlights the importance of OCT as an imaging modality for characterizing the mechanism of target lesion failure.The use of a DCB following the administration of optimal pharmacologic therapy may be an optimal strategy for the treatment and prevention of recurrent BVS thrombosis and DES-ISR.

Fondaparinux:A cornerstone drug in acute coronary syndromes

In acute coronary syndrome(ACS),the use of anticoagulants in conjunction with antiplatelet agents in the acute phase has resulted in reduced ischemic events and is more effective than either class of drug used alone.Though parenteral anticoagulation is essential at the time of diagnosis,a balance must be made between ischemic benefit and the increased risk of bleeding when prescribing anticoagulants.Adverse events associated with anticoagulants,such as heparin-induced thrombocytopenia,bleeding problems,and the need for close monitoring of anticoagulant activity,have contributed to finding agents that reduce these limitations.Studies like the Organization to Assess Strategies in Ischemic Syndromes 5 and 6 and their meta-analysis have proven the efficacy of Fondaparinux over the entire ACS spectrum.The convenience of administration(once daily),lack of monitoring,reduction in mortality,and better safety profile make Fondaparinux a simple and effective anti-coagulant for the management of ACS.

Effectiveness and safety of antithrombotic strategies in elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND Elderly patients represent a rapidly growing part of the population more susceptible to acute coronary syndromes and their complications.However,literature evidence is lacking in this clinical setting.AIM To describe the clinical features,in-hospital management and outcomes of“elderly”patients with myocardial infarction treated with antiplatelet and/or anticoagulation therapy.METHODS This study was a retrospective analysis of all consecutive patients older than 80 years admitted to the Division of Cardiology of St.Andrea Hospital of Vercelli from January 2018 to December 2018 due to ST-elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI)or non-ST elevation myocardial infarction(NSTEMI).Clinical and laboratory data were collected for each patient,as well as the prevalence of previous or in-hospital atrial fibrillation(AF).In-hospital management,consisting of an invasive or conservative strategy,and the anti-thrombotic therapy used are described.Outcomes evaluated at 1 year follow-up included an efficacy ischemic endpoint and a safety bleeding endpoint.RESULTS Of the 105 patients enrolled(mean age 83.9±3.6 years,52.3%males),68(64.8%)were admitted due to NSTEMI and 37(35.2%)due to STEMI.Among the STEMI patients,34(91.9%)underwent coronary angiography and all of them were treated with percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI);among the NSTEMI patients,42(61.8%)were assigned to an invasive strategy and 16(38.1%)of them underwent a PCI.No significant difference between the groups was found concerning the prevalence of previous or in-hospital de-novo AF.10.5%of the whole population received triple antithrombotic therapy and 9.5%single antiplatelet therapy plus oral anticoagulation(OAC),with no significant difference between the subgroups,although a higher number of STEMI patients received dual antiplatelet therapy without OAC as compared with NSTEMI patients.A low rate of in-hospital death(5.7%)and 1-year cardiovascular death(3.3%)was registered.Seven(7.8%)patients experienced major adverse cardiovascular events,while the rate of minor and major bleeding at 1-year follow-up was 10%and 2.2%,respectively,with no difference between NSTEMI and STEMI patients.CONCLUSION In this real-world study,a tailored evaluation of an invasive strategy and antithrombotic therapy resulted in a low rate of adverse events in elderly patients hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction.

Revaluation of Clopidogrel:Let the Data Speak for Themselves

Clopidogrel was believed to be superior to aspirin by the well-known CAPRIE trial.However,no other large clinical trials demonstrated the same results,but all focused on the combination use of clopidogrel with aspirin,and combination therapy in CREDO was called the 'Emperor’s New Clothes'.However,no one overturned the results of these clinical trials by quantitatively analyzing them.We reviewed ten large-scale clinical trials about clopidogrel.On the basis of results of CAPRIE,CREDO and CHARISMA trials,we re-estimated their minimal sample sizes and their powers by three well-established statistical methodologies.From the results of CAPRIE,we inferred that the minimal sample size should be 85 086 or 84 968 but its power was only 30.70%.A huge gap existed.The same was also true of CREDO and CHARISMA trials.Moreover,in CAPRIE trial,0 was included in the 95% confidence interval and 1 was included in the 95% confidence interval for the relative risk.There were some paradoxical data in CAPRIE trial.We are led to conclude that the results in CAPRIE,CREDO,and from the subgroup analysis in CHARISMA trials were questionable.These results failed to demonstrate that clopidogrel was superior to aspirin or that clopidogrel used in combination with aspirin was better than aspirin alone.The cost-effectiveness analyses by some previous studies were not reliable.

Safety of pancreatic surgery with special reference to antithrombotic therapy:A systematic review of the literature

BACKGROUND Postpancreatectomy hemorrhage(PPH)is the most severe type of complication after pancreatic surgery,although the effect of antithrombotic therapy(ATT)on PPH is largely unknown.The safety and efficacy of chemical thromboprophylaxis for venous thromboembolism(VTE)remains controversial.AIM To elucidate the effect of ATT on PPH.METHODS Published articles between 2013 and 2020 were searched from PubMed and Google Scholar,and after careful reviewing of all studies,studies concerning ATT and pancreatic surgery were included.Data such as study design,type of surgical procedures,type of antithrombotic drugs,and surgical outcome were extracted from the studies.RESULTS Nineteen published articles with a total of 37863 patients who underwent pancreatic surgery were included in the systematic review.Fourteen were cohort studies,with only three being prospective in nature.Two studies demonstrated that in patients receiving chronic ATT,which were mostly managed by heparin bridging,the risk of PPH was higher compared with those without ATT,and one study showed that patients with direct-acting oral anticoagulants managed by heparin bridging had significantly higher postoperative bleeding rates than others.The remaining six studies reported that pancreatic surgery can be safely performed in patients receiving chronic ATT,even under preoperative aspirin continuation.Concerning chemical thromboprophylaxis for VTE,most studies have shown a potentially high risk of PPH in patients undergoing chemical thromboprophylaxis;however,its effectiveness against VTE has not been statistically demonstrated,particularly among Asian patients.CONCLUSION Pancreatic surgery in chronically ATT-received patients can be safely performed without an increase in the occurrence of PPH,although the safety and efficacy of chemical thromboprophylaxis for VTE during pancreatic surgery is still controversial.Further investigation using reliable studies with good design is required to establish definite protocols or guidelines.

Recurrent Ischemic Stroke Revealing Polycythemia Vera

Background: Polycythemia vera is a possible cause of recurrent ischemic stroke which can be prevented. Aim: Describe a junctional ischemic stroke without large arterial trunks stenosis associated with an acute coronary syndrome. Case Presentation: A 66-years-old man was admitted for abrupt recurrent right hemiparesis related to bilateral and junctional ischemic stroke lesions. He had a medical history of a vertebrobasilar ischemic stroke concurrent with an acute coronary syndrome with normal coronary arteries. Transthoracic echocardiogram showed small apical akinesia. Hemoglobin level was 18.9 g/dl with a hematocrit of 57.6%. The endogenous erythropoietin was 1.3 mIU/ml with JAK2 V617F mutation positivity (37%). After eight months of treatment (hydroxycarbamide + aspirin + allopurinol) hemoglobin was 12.5 g/dL. Conclusion: This case illustrates the most suggestive features of PV particularly the ischemic stroke junctional topography.

Efficacy and safety of different dual antiplatelet strategies in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention:A systematic review and network meta-analysis

Background:Dual antiplatelet therapy(DAPT)is key for preventing ischaemic events post-percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI).Various DAPT modifications like the shortened duration or P2Y12 inhibitor(P2Y12i)de-escalation are implemented to reduce bleeding risk.However,these strategies lack direct comparative studies.This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of such DAPT strategies,including de-escalated and short DAPT,in patients undergoing PCI.Methods:We searched PubMed,Embase,Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials,and ClinicalTrials.gov databases for relevant randomized controlled trials(RCTs).We performed a network meta-analysis(NMA)to estimate risk ratios(RRs)and 95%confidence intervals(CIs).The primary efficacy endpoint was major adverse cardiac events(MACEs),and the primary safety endpoint was major bleeding.Secondary endpoints included individual components of MACEs and net adverse clinical events(NACEs).Results:A total of 17 RCTs comprising 53,156 patients(median age,62.0 years,24.8%female)were included.NMA suggested that de-escalation DAPT was associated with a significantly lower risk of MACEs(risk ratio[RR]=0.79,95%confidence interval[CI]=0.64-0.98),bleeding(RR=0.63,95%CI=0.49-0.82),and NACEs(RR=0.69,95%CI=0.60-0.79)compared with standard DAPT.Short DAPT followed by P2Y12i monotherapy exhibited a significantly decreased risk of major bleeding(RR=0.63,95%CI=0.46-0.86)compared with standard DAPT.Conclusions:De-escalation DAPT was the most effective strategy for preventing the risk of MACEs without increasing bleeding events,while short DAPT followed by P2Y12i monotherapy was the most effective strategy for reducing the risk of bleeding among patients undergoing PCI.

Efficacy of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy Combined with Naoxintong Capsules(脑心通胶囊) Following Coronary Microembolization Induced by Homologous Microthrombi in Rats

Objective： To evaluate the efficacy of dual antiplatelet therapy combined with Naoxintong Capsule （脑心通胶囊, NXTC） in a rat model of coronary microembolization （CME）. Methods： A total of 95 rats were randomly divided into 6 groups： control, sham-operation, CME model, NXTC, dual antiplatelet （clopidogrel and aspirin） intervention （DA）, and NXTC combined with DA （NDA） groups. The complete data in 69 rats were obtained. The number of CME, myocardial apoptosis rate, bleeding time, clotting time, and adensosine diphosphate （ADP）-induced platelet aggregation were assessed. Results： Compared with the CME group, the number of CME and myocardial apoptosis rates were significantly decreased in the NXTC, DA, and NDA groups （P〈0.01）. Compared with other intervention groups, the number of CME and myocardial apoptosis rates were the least in the NDA group （P〈0.01）, and the incidence of surgical bleeding was the highest in the DA group （P〈0.01）. Compared with the CME group, ADP-induced maximum platelet aggregation rate was significantly inhibited in the NXTC, DA, and NDA groups （P〈0.01）, both bleeding time and clotting time were significantly increased in the NXTC, DA, and NDA groups （P〈0.01）, while the above parameters were the highest in the DA group （P〈0.05）. Conclusion： The combination therapy of NXTC and DA enhanced the anti-CME effect of either therapy alone and reduced the risk of the DA therapy-associated bleeding, demonstrating an improved benefit/ risk ratio in the rat model of CME.

Shorter- versus Longer-duration Dual Antiplatelet Therapy in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus Undergoing Drug-eluting Stents Implantation： A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Background： Patients with diabetes mellitus （DM） have a higher risk of thromboembolic events： however, the optimal duration of dual antiplatelet therapy （DAPT） remains unclear. The goal of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of various DAPT durations in patients with DM undergoing drug-eluting stent implantation. Methods： We conducted a literature search for randomized controlled trials （RCTs）. We searched databases including EMBASE, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Scopus up to June 2016. Investigators extracted data independently, including outcomes, characteristics, and study quality. A random-effect model was used to pool odds ratios （ORs） with 95% confidence intervals （C/s） of the clinical outcomes. Results： Six RCTs totaling 6040 patients with DM were included in the study. Shorter-duration DAPT resulted in an increased rate of stent thrombosis （ST） （OR, 1.83, 95% CI： 1.03-3.26, P = 0.04）, but did not increase the risk of myocardial inihrction （OR. 1.33, 95% CI： 0.71 2.47, P=0.37）, stroke （OR, 0.96, 95% CI： 0.52-1.77, P 0.90）, target vessel revascularization （OR, 1.19, 95% CI： 0.46-3.07, P = 0.71 ）, all-cause death （OR： 0.72, 95% CI： 0.48-1.09, P = 0.12）, or cardiac death （OR, 0.82, 95% CI： 0.49-1.36, P= 0.44） significantly. Shorter-duration DAPT was associated with a decreased risk of major bleeding （OR. 0.60, 95% CI： 0.38-0.94, P = 0.02）. Conclusion： In patients with DM, longer-duration DAPT had a lower risk of ST, but was associated with an increased bleeding risk.

Triple antithrombotic therapy versus double antiplatelet therapy after percutaneous coronary intervention with stent implantation in patients requiring chronic oral anticoagulation： a meta-analysis

Background Whether an addition of OAC to double antiplatelet therapy for patients with an indication of chronic oral anticoagulation undergoing PCI-S may improve clinical outcomes is still debated. This meta-analysis aimed to update and re-compare the benefits and risks of triple antithrombotic therapy （TT） with double anti-platelet therapy （DAPT） after in patients who requiring oral anticoagulation after percutaneous coronary interventions with stenting （PCI-s）. Methods Ten reports of observational retrospective or prospective studies were retrieved, including a total of 6296 patients, follow-up period ranging from 1 year to 2 years. Results Baseline characteristics were similar in both groups. The main finding of this study is the overall incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events （MACE）, myocardial infarction （MI） and stent thrombosis was comparable between two groups. Patients with TT was associated with significant reduction in ischemic stroke （OR： 0.27; 95% CI： 0.13-0.57; P=0.0006） as compared to DAPT. We reaffirmed triple therapy significantly increased the risk of major bleeding （OR： 1.47; 95% CI： 1.22-1.78; P 〈0.0001） and minor bleeding （OR： 1.55; 95% CI： 1.07-2.24; P=-0.02）. Conclusions Triple therapy is more efficacious in reducing the occurrence of ischemic stroke in PCI-s patients with an indication of chronic oral anticoagulation （OAC）, compared with DAPT. However, it significantly increased major and minor risk of bleeding. It is imperative that further prospective randomized controlled trials are required to define the best therapeutic strateav for patients with an indication of chronic OAC underaoina PCI-s.