Dual versus single antiplatelet therapy for patients with long-term oral anticoagulation undergoing coronary...

The main aim of this meta-analysis is to compare the efficacy and safety of dual versus single antiplatelet therapy for patients taking oral anticoagulation (OAC) after coronary intervention.

The optimal regimen remains controversial for patients taking OAC after coronary intervention.

PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched for eligible studies including data of triple therapy (TT) versus OAC plus single antiplatelet therapy for patients requiring OAC after coronary intervention. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event (MACCE). The safety outcome was major bleeding.

Fourteen studies with 32,825 patients were included. Among prospective studies, patients with TT had a trend toward a higher risk of major bleeding [odds ratios (OR): 1.56, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.98-2.49, P = 0.06] and a markedly higher risk of all-cause death (OR; 2.11, 95% CI: 1.10-4.06 P = 0.02) compared with OAC plus clopidogrel. Meanwhile, TT was associated with decreased risks of MACCE (OR: 0.63, 95% CI: 051-0.77 P < 0.0001), all-cause death (OR: 0.45, 95% CI: 0.20-0.97, P = 0.04), and stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA)/peripheral embolism (PE) (OR: 0.29, 95% CI: 0.09-0.96, P = 0.04) compared with OAC plus aspirin.

For patients requiring OAC after coronary intervention, OAC plus clopidogrel may bring more clinical net benefit than TT, whereas OAC plus aspirin should be the last choice. More large-size randomized control trials are needed to confirm these findings.