Persantine and aspirin in coronary heart disease. The Persantine-Aspirin Reinfarction Study Research Group

In the Persantine-Aspirin Reinfarction Study (PARIS) trial, 2026 persons who had recovered from myocardial infarction (MI) were randomized into three groups: Persantine plus aspirin (PR/A) (n = 810); aspirin alone (ASA) (n = 810); placebo (PLBO) (n = 406). The average length of follow-up study was 41 months. Results for the three specified primary end points were: total mortality 16% lower in PR/A and 18% lower in ASA compared with PLBO; coronary mortality 24% and 21% lower; incidence of nonfatal MI plus fatal coronary disease 25% and 24% lower. These differences were not satistically significant by the study criterion (Z greater than or equal to 2.6). By life-table analysis, the rates of coronary mortality and coronary incidence were about 50% lower in the PR/A group than in the PLBO group from 8-24 months, and for coronary incidence all Z values were greater than or equal to 2.6; ASA rates were about 30% lower than PLBO rates, and for coronary incidence, Z values were greater than or equal to 2.6 at two points. For these end points, from 8-20 months, PR/A rates were about 30% lower than ASA rates, but all Z values were less than 2.0 PR/A and ASA patients entering within 6 months of last MI showed the largest percentage reductions in mortality; only the difference between PR/A and PLBO groups for 3-year coronary mortality yielded a Z value of 2.6.