Clopidogrel vs aspirin in patients with established cardiovascular disease: Systematic review and meta-analysis

KEY TAKEAWAY

This systematic review and meta-analysis of 05 RCTs* compared clopidogrel monotherapy with aspirin monotherapy in patients with established CVD.
Clopidogrel monotherapy vs aspirin monotherapy was associated with:

17% relative risk reduction for nonfatal MI (P = 0.02).
Marginally decreased risk for MACE (P = 0.05).
Similar risks for ACM, ischemic stroke, and major bleeding events.

Clopidogrel monotherapy provides better or at least similar benefits in patients with established CVD vs aspirin monotherapy.

Overall, study findings might contribute toward future clinical practice recommendations for the choice of antiplatelet drugs in patients with established CVD.

WHY THIS MATTERS

Aspirin is recommended for secondary prevention of CVD, while clopidogrel is only used in cases of aspirin resistance.

The RCTs comparing aspirin and clopidogrel have reported heterogeneous results.

This systematic review compared clopidogrel monotherapy vs aspirin monotherapy to provide the best currently available evidence^† in patients with established CVD.

STUDY DESIGN

This systematic review and meta-analysis (CRD42021283866) was performed by applying
PICO strategy to define search question.

STUDIES INCLUDED

Peer-reviewed RCTs
Articles published in English
Articles comparing aspirin with clopidogrel monotherapies

STUDIES EXCLUDED

Studies in non-English language
Observational studies
Studies on aspirin + dipyridamole combinations
Meta-analyses
Systematic reviews
Editorials
Letters to the editor
Case series or case reports

	INTERVENTION ARM: Clopidogrel monotherapy.
	COMPARATOR ARM: Aspirin monotherapy.

ENDPOINTS ASSESSED

	Primary Outcome: ACM.
	Secondary Outcomes: IS, nonfatal MI, MACE^‡ and major bleeding events.

KEY RESULTS

Overall, 05 RCTs (26,855 adult patients) were eligible for the analysis.

BASELINE CHARACTERISTICS
	CLOPIDOGREL ARM	ASPIRIN ARM
MEAN AGE	62.7 years
MEAN FOLLOW-UP	19.9 months
NUMBER OF PATIENTS	13,426	13,429
FEMALES (n)	3,473	3,470

OUTCOMES

Outcome	Studies reported (Total number of patients)	Patients in clopidogrel arm	Patients in aspirin arm	OR (95% CI)	P-value	I²
PRIMARY OUTCOME
ACM	5 (26,855)	717	708	1.01 (0.91–1.13)	0.83	0.00%
SECONDARY OUTCOMES
IS	4 (26,671)	546	0.87 (0.71–1.06)	0.87 (0.71–1.06)	0.16	11.13%
Nonfatal MI*	5 (26,855)	305	367	0.83 (0.71–0.97)	0.02	0.00%
MACE	5 (26,855)	1,330	1,267	0.84 (0.71–1.00)	0.05	36.49%
Major bleeding events	4 (26,667)	181	223	0.77 (0.56–1.06)	0.11	34.77%
*RRR: 16.9%; ARR: 0.5%; NNT: 217 for a mean period of 20 months

CUMULATIVE STUDY RESULTS COMPARED WITH INDIVIDUAL STUDIES

Results were consistent for mortality, stroke and major bleeding events

No difference found for nonfatal MI

Results from individual studies varied considerably for nonfatal MI for MACE

For information on sensitivity analysis, please click on the hyperlink.

KEY LIMITATIONS

The included studies had great heterogeneity.
Aspirin dose varied between studies, which might have confounded study results.
All included studies were conducted in different countries, so populations studied may differ in terms of treatment response

For additional details, please refer the source publication Tasoudis PT, et al.
* Studies included in the analysis: CADET, WATCH, ASCET, CAPRIE and HOST-EXAM
^† In Terms of efficacy and safety
^‡ Defined differently between the studies.

ABBREVIATIONS:
ACM; all-cause-mortality; ARR, absolute risk reduction; CI, confidence interval; CVD, cardiovascular disease; I², heterogeneity; IS, ischemic stroke; MACE, major adverse cardiovascular events; MI, myocardial infraction; NNT, number needed to treat; OR, odds ratio; PICO, patient intervention control outcome; RCT, randomized controlled trial; RRR, relative risk reduction.

Disclaimer: The images depicted here are fictitious and meant for illustrative purpose only. Any resemblance to any person, living or dead is purely coincidental.

Tasoudis PT, Kyriakoulis IG, Sagris D, Diener HC, and Ntaios G. Clopidogrel monotherapy versus aspirin monotherapy in patients with established cardiovascular disease: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Thromb Haemost. 2022;122(11):1879-1887. doi: 10.1055/a-1853-2952. PMID: 35577054.