Guided and unguided de-escalation from potent P2Y(12) inhibitors among patients with acute coronary syndrome: a meta-analysis

Anne H Tavenier, Roxana Mehran, Mauro Chiarito, Davide Cao, Carlo A Pivato, Johny Nicolas, Frans Beerkens, Matteo Nardin, Samantha Sartori, Usman Baber, Dominick J Angiolillo, Davide Capodanno, Marco Valgimigli, Renicus S Hermanides, Arnoud W J van 't Hof, Jur M Ten Berg, Kiyuk Chang, Annapoorna S Kini, Samin K Sharma, George Dangas*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

AIM: Optimal dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) intends to balance ischemic and bleeding risks. Various DAPT de-escalation strategies, defined as switching from a full-dose potent to a reduced dose or less potent P2Y12 inhibitor, have been evaluated in several ACS-PCI trials. We aimed to compare DAPT de-escalation to standard DAPT with full dose potent P2Y12 inhibitors in ACS patients who underwent PCI.

METHODS & RESULTS: PubMed, Google Scholar and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched for eligible randomised controlled trials. Aspirin monotherapy trials were excluded. Five randomised trials (n = 10,779 patients) that assigned DAPT de-escalation (genetically guided to clopidogrel n = 1,242; platelet function guided to clopidogrel n = 1,304; unguided to clopidogrel n = 1,672; unguided to lower dose n = 1,170) versus standard DAPT (control group n = 5,391) were included in this analysis. DAPT de-escalation was associated with a significant reduction in Bleeding Academic Research Consortium ≥ 2 bleeding (HR 0.57, 95% CI 0.42-0.78; I2 = 77%) as well as major adverse cardiac events, represented in most trials by the composite of cardiovascular mortality, myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis and stroke (HR 0.77, 95% CI 0.62-0.96; I2 = 0%). Notwithstanding the limited power, consistency was noted across various de-escalation strategies.

CONCLUSION: De-escalation of DAPT after PCI for ACS, both unguided and guided by genetic or platelet function testing, was associated with lower rates of clinically relevant bleeding and ischemic events as compared to standard DAPT with potent P2Y12 inhibitors based on five open-label RCTs reviewed.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)492-502
Number of pages11
JournalEuropean Heart Journal-Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy
Volume8
Issue number5
Early online date30 Aug 2021
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 11 Aug 2022

Keywords

  • De-escalation
  • Dual antiplatelet therapy
  • Acute coronary syndrome
  • P2Y(12) inhibitor
  • Ticagrelor
  • Prasugrel
  • Clopidogrel
  • DUAL ANTIPLATELET THERAPY
  • OPEN-LABEL
  • ELDERLY-PATIENTS
  • DOSE PRASUGREL
  • CLOPIDOGREL
  • TICAGRELOR
  • INTERVENTION
  • ASPIRIN
  • POLYMORPHISMS
  • GENE

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