Prior antiplatelet use does not affect hemorrhage growth or outcome after ICH

To examine whether antiplatelet medication use at onset of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is associated with hemorrhage growth and outcome after spontaneous ICH using a large, prospectively collected database from a recent clinical trial.

The Cerebral Hemorrhage and NXY-059 Treatment trial was a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of NXY-059 after spontaneous ICH. We analyzed patients in the placebo arm, and correlated antiplatelet medication use at the time of ICH with initial ICH volumes, ICH growth in the first 72 hours, and modified Rankin Score at 90 days. Patients on oral anticoagulation were excluded.

There were 282 patients included in this analysis, including 70 (24.8%) who were taking antiplatelet medications at ICH onset. Use of antiplatelet medications at ICH onset had no association with the volume of ICH at presentation, growth of ICH at 72 hours, initial edema volume, or edema growth. In multivariable analysis, there was no association of use of antiplatelet medications with any hemorrhage expansion (relative risk [RR] 0.85 [upper limit of confidence interval (UCI) 1.03], p = 0.16), hemorrhage expansion greater than 33% (RR 0.77 [UCI 1.18], p = 0.32), or clinical outcome at 90 days (odds ratio 0.67, 95% confidence interval 0.39-1.14, p = 0.14).

Use of antiplatelet medications at intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) onset is not associated with increased hemorrhage volumes, hemorrhage expansion, or clinical outcome at 90 days. These findings suggest that attempts to reverse antiplatelet medications after ICH may not be warranted.