The Use Pattern and Clinical Impact of New Antiplatelet Agents Including Prasugrel and Ticagrelor on 30-day Outcomes after Acute Myocardial Infarction in Korea: Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Data

Trends in dual antiplatelet therapy regimens and clinical outcomes among patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stents: A multicenter real-world study

Background

The patterns of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) use and the associated clinical outcomes in current practice remain limited. This study evaluates DAPT regimen patterns and clinical outcomes among acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods

This multicenter retrospective cohort study included ACS patients treated with PCI from January 2017 to February 2022 at five tertiary hospitals in Thailand. DAPT was categorized as nonpotent (NP-DAPT) or potent (P-DAPT). We described DAPT trends, with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) and major bleeding, as primary efficacy and safety outcomes. Outcomes were assessed using inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW) with Cox's proportional hazards model.

Results

The study included 1877 patients with ACS undergoing PCI. The mean age was 64.51 years (standard deviation 11.34), with 639 (34.04%) female patients and 1159 (61.75%) presenting ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Of these, 924 (49.23%) received NP-DAPT, and 953 (50.77%) were prescribed P-DAPT. Crude MACE incidence was lower in the P-DAPT compared to the NP-DAPT group (6.82% vs. 10.28%). After applying IPTW and conducting Cox's proportional hazard analysis, no significant differences in MACE were observed between groups (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.85, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.58-1.25, p = 0.408), nor in major bleeding (HR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.37-1.70, p = 0.555). P-DAPT was associated with any higher bleeding risk (HR: 1.52, 95% CI: 1.13-2.03, p = 0.005).

Conclusion

Standard DAPT remains predominant among Thai ACS patients, with NP-DAPT prescriptions approaching those of P-DAPT. Despite similar rates of MACE and major bleeding between the groups, P-DAPT was associated with a higher risk of any bleeding.

Potent P2Y12 Inhibitor Monotherapy for Acute Coronary Syndrome

Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT), consisting of aspirin and a P2Y12inhibitor, has been the principal antiplatelet therapy after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and chronic coronary disease. Particularly in patients with ACS, which presents a higher ischemic risk than chronic coronary artery disease, DAPT for up to 12 months is the recommended standard treatment. However, to decrease bleeding events related to the potency of P2Y12inhibitors and a prolonged duration of DAPT, recent studies have suggested P2Y12inhibitor monotherapy after short-term DAPT (1-3 months), which decreased the bleeding risk without an increased ischemic risk. In this article, we discuss the evidence related to the efficacy of a P2Y12inhibitor as single-antiplatelet therapy after short-term DAPT compared with standard DAPT, with a focus on patients with ACS treated with DES.

Ticagrelor Versus Clopidogrel in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome and on Dialysis: A Meta-Analysis

This study aims to compare the safety and efficacy of clopidogrel and ticagrelor in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and undergoing dialysis. This study was conducted per the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). A comprehensive search was performed using electronic databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science, to identify relevant studies comparing clopidogrel and ticagrelor in patients undergoing dialysis. To ensure the inclusion of all relevant articles, a combination of the following keywords, along with medical subject heading (MeSH) terms, was used: "clopidogrel," "ticagrelor," "acute coronary syndrome," and "dialysis." The primary endpoint of this meta-analysis was the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), which consisted of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke, and revascularization. The secondary endpoint was all-cause mortality. The occurrence of any bleeding events (including major and nonmajor bleeding events) and major bleeding events was chosen as the safety endpoints. A total of four studies were included in the pooled analysis. The pooled sample size was 5,417 patients, including 892 in the ticagrelor group and 4525 in the clopidogrel group. The findings indicate that ticagrelor, compared to clopidogrel, is associated with a significantly higher risk of MACEs, all-cause death, and major bleeding events. The findings suggest that clopidogrel may be a better choice for individuals with ACS undergoing dialysis due to its lower risk of MACE, all-cause death, and major bleeding events compared to ticagrelor.

Real-world evidence of switching P2Y12 receptor-inhibiting therapies to prasugrel after PCI in patients with ACS: results from EFF-K registry

BACKGROUND

Potent P2Y12 inhibitors are recommended for up to 12 months after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). However, the prescription pattern is diverse in real world practice, which includes various switching between antiplatelet regimens. In this study, we analyzed the prescription patterns of prasugrel, and assessed the safety and effectiveness of P2Y12 inhibitors switching patterns in a real world registry of patients subjected to PCI after ACS.

METHODS

The EFF-K study included 3077 ACS patients receiving prasugrel-based dual antiplatelet therapy. The cohort was divided into those who were administered with prasugrel as the primary antiplatelet treatment (naïve cohort) or as a substitute agent after clopidogrel or ticagrelor pre-treatment (switch cohort). The primary endpoint was a net adverse clinical event (NACE; a composite of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke, or TIMI major bleeding unrelated to coronary-artery bypass grafting).

RESULTS

A total of 3077 patients diagnosed with ACS were included in the analysis. Among the total population, 726 patients (23.6%) were classed as the naïve cohort and 2351 patients (76.4%) as the switch cohort. Baseline characteristics showed that the switch cohort had more comorbidities, such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, heart failure and previous PCI. The major cause of switching to prasugrel in the switch cohort was the necessity for a more potent antiplatelet agent (56.3%). During a 12-month follow-up period, 51 patients (1.7%) experienced at least one NACE. The incidence of NACE did not differ between the naïve and switch cohort (1.5% vs. 1.7%, Hazard ratio 1.17, 95% Confidence interval 0.56-2.43, P = 0.677). In subgroup analysis, no significant interaction was observed between the treatment strategy and the incidence of NACE across various subgroups.

CONCLUSIONS

Dual antiplatelet therapy with prasugrel seems to be safe and effective both as a primary treatment and as a substitute for other P2Y12 inhibitors in a real world registry of Asian ACS patients receiving PCI.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

KCT0002356, registered June 13, 2017.

A randomised comparison of coronary stents according to short or prolonged durations of dual antiplatelet therapy in patients with acute coronary syndromes: a pre-specified analysis of the SMART-DATE trial

BACKGROUND

Data on direct comparison between various drug-eluting stents with short duration dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) are limited, especially in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

AIMS

We sought to compare biodegradable polymer biolimus-eluting stents (BP-BES) with durable polymer everolimus-eluting (DP-EES) and zotarolimus-eluting stents (DP-ZES) in patients with ACS according to different durations of DAPT.

METHODS

In the SMART-DATE trial, 2,712 patients with ACS underwent randomisation for allocation of DAPT (6 months [n=1,357] or 12 months or longer [n=1,355]) and type of stent (BP-BES [n=901]), DP-EES [n=904], or DP-ZES [n=907]). The primary endpoint was a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, or stent thrombosis.

RESULTS

At 18 months, the primary endpoint was attained by 2.6% with BP-BES, 2.0% with DP-EES, and 2.1% with DP-ZES (HR 1.29, 95% CI: 0.70-2.39, p=0.42 for BP-BES vs DP-EES and HR 1.23, 95% CI: 0.67-2.26, p=0.50 for BP-BES vs DP-ZES). The treatment effect of BP-BES for the primary endpoint was consistent among patients receiving 6-month DAPT as well as those receiving 12-month or longer DAPT (BP-BES vs. DP-EES, pinteraction=0.48 and BP-BES vs DP-ZES, pinteraction=0.87). After excluding 179 patients (101 in the BP-BES group) who did not receive allocated DES, the per-protocol analysis showed similar results.

CONCLUSIONS

The risk of a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, or stent thrombosis was not significantly different between patients receiving BP-BES versus DP-EES or DP-ZES across a short or prolonged duration of DAPT after ACS.

Prasugrel versus ticagrelor in patients with myocardial infarction undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention

OBJECTIVE

The comparative efficacy and safety of prasugrel and ticagrelor in patients with myocardial infarction (MI) treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remain unclear. We aimed to investigate the association of treatment with clinical outcomes.

METHODS

In the SWEDEHEART (Swedish Web-system for enhancement and development of evidence-based care in heart disease evaluated according to recommended therapies) registry, all patients with MI treated with PCI and discharged on prasugrel or ticagrelor from 2010 to 2016 were included. Outcomes were 1-year major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE, death, MI or stroke), individual components and bleeding. Multivariable adjustment, inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) and propensity score matching (PSM) were used to adjust for confounders.

RESULTS

We included 37 990 patients, 2073 in the prasugrel group and 35 917 in the ticagrelor group. Patients in the prasugrel group were younger, more often admitted with ST elevation MI and more likely to have diabetes. Six to twelve months after discharge, 20% of patients in each group discontinued the P2Y12 receptor inhibitor they received at discharge. The risk for MACCE did not significantly differ between prasugrel-treated and ticagrelor-treated patients (adjusted HR 1.03, 95% CI 0.86 to 1.24). We found no significant difference in the adjusted risk for death, recurrent MI or stroke alone between the two treatments. There was no significant difference in the risk for bleeding with prasugrel versus ticagrelor (2.5% vs 3.2%, adjusted HR 0.92, 95% CI 0.69 to 1.22). IPTW and PSM analyses confirmed the results.

CONCLUSION

In patients with MI treated with PCI, prasugrel and ticagrelor were associated with similar efficacy and safety during 1-year follow-up.

Trends of prescribing adherence of antiplatelet agents in Hong Kong patients with acute coronary syndrome: a 10-year retrospective observational cohort study

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study is to examine the temporal trend of antiplatelet prescribing pattern during index hospitalisation discharge in Hong Kong (HK) acute coronary syndrome (ACS) population.

DESIGN

The study is a retrospective observational cohort study.

SETTING

The study retrieved data from electronic health record from Hospital Authority (HA), HK.

PARTICIPANTS

The study included patients aged 18 years old or above, who were admitted to seven institutions under HA with diagnosis of ACS during 2008-2017.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome was the frequency of antiplatelet therapy prescription at the point of index hospitalisation discharge each year during 2008-2017. Association between demographics, baseline comorbidities, procedures and antiplatelet prescription were examined as secondary outcome using multivariate logistic regression model, with commonly used antiplatelet groups selected for comparison.

RESULTS

Among the included 14 716 patients, 5888 (40.0%) discharged with aspirin alone, 6888 (46.8%) discharged with dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with clopidogrel, and 973 (6.6%) discharged with DAPT with prasugrel/ticagrelor. Prescribing rate of aspirin alone decreased substantially from 56.8% in 2008 to 27.5% in 2017. Utilisation of DAPT with clopidogrel increased from 33.7% in 2008 to 52.7% in 2017. Use of DAPT with prasugrel/ticagrelor increased from 0.3% in 2010 to 15.3% in 2017. Compared with those prescribed with DAPT with clopidogrel, male patients (adjusted OR (aOR) 1.34, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.65), patients with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (aOR 2.50, 1.98 to 3.16) or ST-elevation myocardial infarction (aOR 3.26, 2.59 to 4.09), use of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa (aOR 3.03, 2.48 to 3.68) or undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (aOR 3.85, 3.24 to 4.58) or coronary artery bypass graft (aOR 6.52, 4.63 to 9.18) during index hospitalisation, concurrent use of histamine-2 receptor antagonists (aOR 1.35, 1.10 to 1.65) or proton pump inhibitors (aOR 3.57, 2.93 to 4.36) during index hospitalisation discharge were more likely to be prescribed with DAPT with prasugrel/ticagrelor. Patients with older age (aOR 0.97, 0.96 to 0.97), diabetes (aOR 0.68, 0.52 to 0.88), chronic kidney disease (aOR 0.43, 0.22 to 0.85) or concurrent use of oral anticoagulant (aOR 0.16, 0.07 to 0.42) were more likely to received DAPT with clopidogrel.

CONCLUSIONS

Use of DAPT with prasugrel/ticagrelor was suboptimal yet improving during 2008-2017 in HK patients with ACS. Considering DAPT, predictors for clopidogrel prescription, compared with prasugrel/ticagrelor, were consistent with identified risk factors of bleeding.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of young adults with first myocardial infarction: Results from Gulf COAST

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CVD risk factors are common in young Gulf-Arabs presenting with first AMI.

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Older AMI patients receive less potentially lifesaving therapies than young adults.

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In-hospital adverse CVD events and mortality were low in young adults with AMI.

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Mortality up to 12-months post-AMI was lower in young adults than in older adults.

Introduction

Limited data exists on the risk factor profile and outcomes of young patients suffering their first acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods

We examined 1562 Gulf-Arabs without prior cardiovascular disease presenting with first AMI enrolled in the Gulf COAST prospective cohort. Clinical characteristics were compared in patients ≤50 years of age (young) vs. >50 years (older). Associations between age group and in-hospital adverse events (re-infarction, heart failure, cardiogenic shock, cardiac arrest, stroke, and in-hospital death) or post-discharge mortality were estimated using logistic regression.

Results

Young patients represented 26.1% (n = 407) of first AMI cases and were more likely to be men (82.8% vs. 66.5%), current smokers (49.9% vs 19.0%), obese (38.3% vs 28.0%), and have family history of premature coronary artery disease (21.4% vs 10.4%) compared with older patients (all P < 0.001). Young patients were more likely to receive β-blockers (83.0% vs 74.4%; P < 0.001), clopidogrel (82.3% vs 76.0%; P = 0.009) and primary reperfusion therapy (85.6% vs. 75.6%; P = 0.003). Young adults had lower in-hospital death (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.37; 95%CI = 0.16–0.86) or any in-hospital adverse cardiovascular events (aOR = 0.53; 95%CI = 0.34–0.83). Young adults had lower likelihood of cumulative death at 12-month post-discharge (aOR = 0.34; 95%CI = 0.19–0.59) after adjusting for potential confounders.

Conclusion

Young patients with first AMI were more likely to be obese, smokers and have family history of premature coronary artery disease compared to older adults. Young patients were more likely to receive guideline-proven therapies and have better in-hospital and post-discharge mortality. These data highlight important age-related care gaps in patients suffering AMI for the first time.

Ethnic Differences in Oral Antithrombotic Therapy

Oral antithrombotic therapy (antiplatelet therapy and anticoagulation therapy) is a key element of pharmacotherapy in patients with cardiovascular (CV) disease. Several reports of ethnic differences have suggested that there may be difference therapeutic requirements and response to therapy for antithrombotic therapy. In particular for East Asians, there seems to be a lower incidence of ischemic outcomes and a higher incidence of bleeding outcomes compared to Westerners. The purpose of this review is to describe the ethnicity-related differences in antithrombotic therapy for CV disease and to discuss the need to establish a more effective and targeted antithrombotic treatment strategy in East Asians.

2020 Focused Update of the 2012 Guidelines of the Taiwan Society of Cardiology for the Management of ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

One of the major missions of the Taiwan Society of Cardiology is to publish practice guidelines that are suitable for local use in Taiwan. The ultimate purpose is to continuously improve cardiovascular health care from the implementation of the recommendations in the guidelines. Despite recent improvement of medical care, patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) still carry a high morbidity and mortality. There have been many changes in the concepts of STEMI diagnosis and treatment in recent years. The 2020 focused update of the 2012 guidelines of the Taiwan Society of Cardiology for the management of STEMI is an amendment of the 2012 guidelines based on the newest published scientific data. The recommendations in this focused update provide the diagnosis and treatment strategy for STEMI that should be generally implemented in Taiwan. Nevertheless, guidelines never completely replace clinical judgment and medical decision still should be determined individually.

One-year clinical outcomes of ticagrelor compared with clopidogrel after percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with acute myocardial infarction: From Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Data

BACKGROUND

Ticagrelor has been widely accepted in clinical practice for treatment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), however its clinical safety and efficacy have not been revealed sufficiently in Asian populations.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Among a total 20,270 patients (age <75 years) with AMI undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention who received dual antiplatelet therapy for at least 30 days, clinical outcomes at 1 year were assessed from the database of Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service in Korea between 2013 and 2014. Ticagrelor showed a significant effect on reduction of all-cause death [stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighted (sIPTW)-adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.57, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.42-0.77, p<0.001]. Stroke was also reduced by using ticagrelor (sIPTW-aOR 0.58, 95% CI 0.41-0.82, p=0.002). Bleeding risk was not increased by ticagrelor use. There were nearly 30% of patients who switched from ticagrelor to different P2Y12 inhibitors. Switching P2Y12 inhibitors was associated with clinical adverse events including MI, stroke, and bleeding.

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients aged younger than 75 years, ticagrelor was associated with lower incidence of all-cause mortality. Stroke risk was also reduced in patients with a prescription for ticagrelor without an increase in bleeding risk.

Comparison of Shear Stress-Induced Thrombotic and Thrombolytic Effects Among 3 Different Antithrombotic Regimens in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome

Shear stress (SS)-induced platelet activation is suggested as an essential mechanism of the acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We aimed to compare SS-induced thrombotic and thrombolytic activities among 3 treatment regimens in patients with ACS who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Patients were nonrandomly enrolled and treated with one of 3 regimens (TICA: ticagrelor 180 mg/d; RIVA: clopidogrel 75 mg/d and rivaroxaban 5 mg/d; CLP: clopidogrel 75 mg/d), administered in addition to aspirin (100 mg/d) for 30 days. The global thrombosis test was applied to measure SS-induced thrombotic (occlusion time [OT]) and thrombolytic activity (lysis time [LT]) at day 2 and 30. Aspirin reaction unit (ARU) and P2Y12 reaction unit (PRU) were simultaneously measured using VerifyNow. Group differences in the OT, LT, ARU, and PRU were evaluated. Seventy-five patients (25 patients in each group) finished 30 days of follow-up. Clinical and angiographic characteristics did not differ among the 3 groups, except ACS subtype and pre-PCI coronary flow. No major adverse cardiovascular events occurred in any group during follow-up. The OT and LT did not differ among the 3 groups at day 30 (OT: TICA, 447.2 ± 87.1 vs RIVA, 458.5 ± 70.3, vs CLP, 471.9 ± 90.7, LT: 1522.3 ± 426.5 vs 1734.6 ± 454.3 vs 1510.2 ± 593.9) despite significant differences in the PRU among the 3 groups. Shear stress-induced thrombotic and thrombolytic activities did not differ among the 3 investigated antithrombotic treatments.

Prescription Patterns of Clopidogrel, Prasugrel, and Ticagrelor After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Stent Implantation (from the NCDR PINNACLE Registry)

The use of prasugrel and ticagrelor as part of dual antiplatelet therapy is increasing in patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Accordingly, we aimed to evaluate their prescription patterns in the National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR) Practice Innovation and Clinical Excellence (PINNACLE) registry. We analyzed patients enrolled in NCDR PINNACLE registry from January 2013 to March 2015 who underwent PCI with drug-eluting stent and were prescribed dual antiplatelet therapy. All patients received aspirin. The primary study outcome was a 3-level variable denoting the second antiplatelet agent prescribed: (1) clopidogrel, (2) prasugrel, or (3) ticagrelor. Baseline characteristics were compared among the 3 groups. Odds ratios and 95% credible intervals were calculated from a nested hierarchical Bayesian logistic regression models to identify independent predictors of prescription of antiplatelet medications, incorporating practice and provider as random effects. Our study cohort consisted of 26,710 patients during our study period January 2013 to March 2015. Seventy nine percent of patients were prescribed clopidogrel, 12% prasugrel, and 11% ticagrelor. Patients aged ≥75 years, women, history of tobacco use, Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD), hypertension, diabetes, previous vascular complication, heart failure, and stroke/transient ischemic attack were more likely to be on clopidogrel than prasugrel or ticagrelor. The relative percentages of ticagrelor and prasugrel were higher in patients with history of myocardial infarction, compared with those without myocardial infarction. In summary, our study highlights the prescription patterns associated with prescription of antiplatelet agents after PCI. We found that both ticagrelor and prasugrel were mostly prescribed per the current practice guidelines, thus reflecting appropriate guideline adherence by practices in NCDR PINNACLE registry.

The Current Status of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Korea: Based on Year 2014 & 2016 Cohort of Korean Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (K-PCI) Registry

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

In this second report from Korean percutaneous coronary intervention (K-PCI) registry, we sought to describe the updated information of PCI practices and Korean practice pattern of PCI (KP3).

METHODS

In addition to K-PCI registry of 2014, new cohort of 2016 from 92 participating centers was appended. Demographic and procedural information, as well as in-hospital outcomes, of PCI was collected using a web-based reporting system. KP3 class C was defined as any strategy with less evidence from randomized trials and more aggressive for PCI than medical therapy or bypass-surgery.

RESULTS

In 2016, total 48,823 PCI procedures were performed at 92 participating centers. Mean age of the patients was 65.7±11.6 years, and 71.7% were males. Overall patient characteristics and PCI practices in 2016 were similar to those in 2014. The biggest change was the decrease in the in-hospital occurrence of myocardial infarction (MI;1.6%→0.7%, p<0.001). Many associations between PCI volumes and demographic/procedural characteristics observed in 2014 have disappeared. The median of door-to-balloon time was 62 minutes, and 83.3% of ST-elevation MI patients received primary PCI within 90 minutes, while the median of total ischemic time was 168 minutes and patients who had total ischemic time within 120 and 180 minutes were 29.1% and 54.1%, respectively. The proportion of KP3 class C cases in non-acute coronary syndrome patients decreased from 13.5% in 2014 to 12.1% in 2016 (p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

In this second report from K-PCI registry, we described the current practices of PCI and changes from 2014 to 2016 in Korea.

Prasugrel vs. Ticagrelor for Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

The newer P2Y₁₂ inhibitors have better efficacy than clopidogrel. However, whether ticagrelor or prasugrel have a better comparative safety and efficacy profile, especially in the long-term, remains inconclusive.

OBJECTIVE

We compared prasugrel and ticagrelor in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

METHODS

MEDLINE and the Cochrane library were queried for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or observational studies comparing prasugrel with ticagrelor in patients with ACS undergoing PCI. Random-effects pooling was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Analyses were stratified by duration of follow-up (short term [≤ 3 months] and long term [≥ 1 year]) and study design.

RESULTS

In total, 14 studies (six RCTs, eight observational studies), including 40,188 patients, met eligibility criteria. Pooled analysis did not indicate that prasugrel significantly decreased all-cause mortality compared with ticagrelor in the short term (OR 0.49; 95% CI 0.20-1.20; p = 0.11) or long term (OR 0.74; 95% CI 0.48-1.15; p = 0.38). Pooled observational studies showed significantly lower long-term all-cause mortality (OR 0.63; 95% CI 0.43-0.92; p = 0.02) and short-term stent thrombosis (OR 0.46; 95% CI 0.28-0.75; p = 0.002) with prasugrel. No significant difference was observed in the risk of nonfatal myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, bleeding, or repeat revascularization between the two groups. Results remained similar after stratification according to follow-up and study design.

CONCLUSIONS

The present analysis suggests that prasugrel might have a better efficacy profile than ticagrelor in patients with ACS undergoing PCI. However, this advantage was only seen in pooled observational studies and is likely to be affected by selection bias.

Efficacy and Safety of Ticagrelor Compared with Clopidogrel in Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease with Acute Myocardial Infarction

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated the efficacy and safety of ticagrelor compared with clopidogrel in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

METHODS

We retrospectively enrolled patients who had received regular dialysis and had undergone percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for AMI at our hospital between January 2013 and December 2016. Outcomes analyzed included cardiovascular death, death from any cause, MI, stroke, and bleeding events.

RESULT

Patients were allocated to the ticagrelor group (N = 74) or the clopidogrel group (N = 116) according to the treatment they had received. No statistically significant differences were found between the groups in terms of in-hospital primary endpoint (composite of cardiovascular death, MI, and stroke: 12.2% and 15.5% for ticagrelor and clopidogrel, respectively; p = 0.518), secondary endpoint, or any bleeding events (39.2 vs. 34.5%; p = 0.511). No statistically significant differences were found for the 1-year primary endpoint (p = 0.424), secondary endpoint, and any bleeding events (p = 0.663). Risk factors for in-hospital cardiovascular death were shock and cardiopulmonary resuscitation at initial AMI presentation, lack of beta-blocker use, and in-hospital gastrointestinal bleeding. Risk factors for 1-year cardiovascular death were shock at initial AMI presentation and lack of beta-blocker use. Only respiratory failure was a risk factor for in-hospital and 1-year gastrointestinal bleeding.

CONCLUSION

In patients with ESRD and AMI, ticagrelor resulted in numerically fewer but statistically nonsignificant rates of in-hospital and 1-year cardiovascular events with no significant increase in bleeding events compared with clopidogrel.

Clinical efficacy of ticagrelor in patients undergoing emergency intervention for acute myocardial infarction and its impact on platelet aggregation rate

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to investigate the clinical efficacy of ticagrelor in patients who underwent emergency percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and its impact on platelet aggregation rate.

METHODS

A total of 257 AMI patients who underwent emergency PCI in our hospital were included in the present study. These patients were randomly divided into two groups: ticagrelor group (n = 129), patients took 180 mg of ticagrelor (qd) before the intervention, and subsequently took 90 mg of ticagrelor (bid) for maintenance; clopidogrel group (n = 128), patients took 300 mg of clopidogrel (qd) before PCI, and subsequently took 75 mg of clopidogrel (qd) for maintenance. Patients in both groups took 100 mg of aspirin. The major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) within one year, changes in LVEF and LVEDD, platelet aggregation rate and drug safety before PCI and at one week and 30 days after PCI were observed in these two groups.

RESULTS

The differences in baseline data between these two groups were not statistically significant. Within one year after the intervention, in the ticagrelor group, the total incidence of MACE was lower (P < 0.05), LVEF and LVEDD was improved (P < 0.05), and the decrease in platelet aggregation rate after the intervention was more significant (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the incidence of bleeding events was higher in the ticagrelor group than in the clopidogrel group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with clopidogrel, ticagrelor decreases the incidence of adverse cardiovascular events in AMI patients who underwent emergency PCI, does better in improving the fluctuation level of LVEF and LVEDD, and strongly inhibits platelet aggregation. Some patients encountered adverse drug events, but drug withdrawal or medication change did not occur.

Randomized Comparison of Strut Coverage between Ticagrelor and Clopidogrel in Acute Myocardial Infarction at 3-Month Optical Coherence Tomography

PURPOSE

This study aimed to compare the effects of ticagrelor and clopidogrel on early neointimal healing assessed with optical coherence tomography (OCT) after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

AMI patients were randomly assigned to either the ticagrelor or clopidogrel arm. After DES implantation, OCT was performed to assess the percentages of uncovered struts immediately after procedure and 3 months later.

RESULTS

Due to early termination, 83 patients out of 106 initially enrolled patients (24% of planned participants) underwent 3-month OCT. Differences in vascular healing patterns between the two groups, including percentage of uncovered struts on 3-month OCT (9.6% vs. 11.7% in ticagrelor vs. clopidogrel, respectively; p=0.867), neointimal thickness, percentage of malapposed struts, and healing scores did not reach statistical significance. The predictors of uncovered strut on 3-month OCT included greater reference vessel diameter [odds ratio (OR)=1.96, p<0.001] and more malapposed struts (OR=1.12, p=0.003).

CONCLUSION

The current study did not explore favorable effect of ticagrelor on 3-month vascular healing after DES implantation. Our findings should only be considered for generating hypothesis, due to insufficient power.

6-month versus 12-month or longer dual antiplatelet therapy after percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with acute coronary syndrome (SMART-DATE): a randomised, open-label, non-inferiority trial

BACKGROUND

Current guidelines recommend dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) of aspirin plus a P2Y12 inhibitor for at least 12 months after implantation of drug-eluting stents (DES) in patients with acute coronary syndrome. However, available data about the optimal duration of DAPT in patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention are scant. We aimed to investigate whether a 6-month duration of DAPT would be non-inferior to the conventional 12-month or longer duration of DAPT in this population.

METHODS

We did a randomised, open-label, non-inferiority trial at 31 centres in South Korea. Patients were eligible if they had unstable angina, non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, or ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, and underwent percutaneous coronary intervention. Enrolled patients were randomly assigned, via a web-based system by computer-generated block randomisation, to either the 6-month DAPT group or to the 12-month or longer DAPT group, with stratification by site, clinical presentation, and diabetes. Assessors were masked to treatment allocation. The primary endpoint was a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, or stroke at 18 months after the index procedure in the intention-to-treat population. Secondary endpoints were the individual components of the primary endpoint; definite or probable stent thrombosis as defined by the Academic Research Consortium; and Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) type 2-5 bleeding at 18 months after the index procedure. The primary endpoint was also analysed per protocol. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01701453.

FINDINGS

Between Sept 5, 2012, and Dec 31, 2015, we randomly assigned 2712 patients; 1357 to the 6-month DAPT group and 1355 to the 12-month or longer DAPT group. Clopidogrel was used as a P2Y12 inhibitor for DAPT in 1082 (79·7%) patients in the 6-month DAPT group and in 1109 (81·8%) patients in the 12-month or longer DAPT group. The primary endpoint occurred in 63 patients in the 6-month DAPT group and in 56 patients in the 12-month or longer DAPT group (cumulative event rate 4·7% vs 4·2%; absolute risk difference 0·5%; upper limit of one-sided 95% CI 1·8%; p_{non-inferiority}=0·03 with a predefined non-inferiority margin of 2·0%). Although all-cause mortality did not differ significantly between the 6-month DAPT group and the 12-month or longer DAPT group (35 [2·6%] patients vs 39 [2·9%]; hazard ratio [HR] 0·90 [95% CI 0·57-1·42]; p=0·90) and neither did stroke (11 [0·8%] patients vs 12 [0·9%]; 0·92 [0·41-2·08]; p=0·84), myocardial infarction occurred more frequently in the 6-month DAPT group than in the 12-month or longer DAPT group (24 [1·8%] patients vs ten [0·8%]; 2·41 [1·15-5·05]; p=0·02). 15 (1·1%) patients had stent thrombosis in the 6-month DAPT group compared with ten (0·7%) in the 12-month or longer DAPT group (HR 1·50 [95% CI 0·68-3·35]; p=0·32). The rate of BARC type 2-5 bleeding was 2·7% (35 patients) in the 6-month DAPT group and 3·9% (51 patients) in the 12-month or longer DAPT group (HR 0·69 [95% CI 0·45-1·05]; p=0·09). Results from the per-protocol analysis were similar to those from the intention-to-treat analysis.

INTERPRETATION

The increased risk of myocardial infarction with 6-month DAPT and the wide non-inferiority margin prevent us from concluding that short-term DAPT is safe in patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention with current-generation DES. Prolonged DAPT in patients with acute coronary syndrome without excessive risk of bleeding should remain the standard of care.

FUNDING

Abbott Vascular Korea, Medtronic Vascular Korea, Biosensors Inc, and Dong-A ST.

The Evolving Concept of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Focus on Unique Feature of East Asian and "Asian Paradox"

Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with aspirin and a P2Y12 inhibitor is essential after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), while many studies have focused on determining the optimal degree of platelet inhibition and optimal DAPT duration to minimize complications after PCI. Current guidelines developed by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association and the European Society of Cardiology summarize previous studies and provide recommendations. However, these guidelines are mainly based on Western patients, and their characteristics might differ from those of East Asian patients. Previous data suggested that East Asian patients have unique features with regard to the response to antiplatelet agents. On comparing Western and East Asian patients, it was found that East Asian patients have a lower rate of ischemic events and higher rate of bleeding events after PCI, despite a higher on-treatment platelet reactivity, which is referred to as the “East Asian paradox.” As the main purpose of DAPT is to minimize ischemic and bleeding complications after PCI, these differences should be clarified before adopting the guidelines for East Asian patients. Therefore, in this article, we will review various issues regarding DAPT in East Asian patients, with a focus on the unique characteristics of East Asian patients, previous studies regarding antiplatelet agents in East Asian patients, and a guideline from an East Asian perspective.