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Aspirin to prevent growth of vegetations and cerebral emboli in infective endocarditis

T H Taha1, S S Durrant, P K Mazeika

  • 1Department of Medicine (Clinical Cardiology), Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK.

Journal of Internal Medicine
|May 1, 1992
PubMed

Insights

Low-dose aspirin may prevent embolic complications in infective endocarditis. Patients receiving aspirin showed reduced vegetation size and no stroke events, unlike the control group.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Neurology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Infective endocarditis poses a risk of embolic complications, including stroke.
  • Current treatment strategies aim to prevent these serious adverse events.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the potential role of low-dose aspirin in preventing embolic events in patients with infective endocarditis.
  • To assess the effect of aspirin on vegetation size and platelet half-life.

Main Methods:

  • A preliminary observational study involving nine patients with infective endocarditis.
  • Patients were randomized to receive either low-dose aspirin (75 mg/day) or no aspirin.
  • Cranial computed tomography (CT) and echocardiography were used to monitor stroke incidence and vegetation area.
  • Platelet half-life was measured using Indium-111 radiolabelling.

Main Results:

  • No embolic events (stroke, myocardial infarct) occurred in the aspirin group (n=4) compared to three events in the control group (n=5).
  • The mean vegetation area decreased in the aspirin group (mean change = -0.24 cm2) but increased in the control group (mean change = +0.35 cm2).
  • Platelet half-life tended to be lower in the control group.

Conclusions:

  • Adjunctive low-dose aspirin therapy may be beneficial in preventing embolic complications in infective endocarditis.
  • Further research is warranted to confirm these preliminary findings.

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