Short-term (1-3 months) versus standard (12 months) dual antiplatelet therapy following new-generation drug-eluting stent implantation: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND

Patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention mainly receive antiplatelet therapy. However, limited data are available regarding the optimal dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) following the implantation of new-generation drug-eluting stent (DES).

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to compare the clinical outcomes of short-term (1-3 months) DAPT and standard (12 months) DAPT after the implantation of a new-generation of DES.

METHODS

We systematically searched PubMed, The Cochrane Library Database, Embase for trials that compared short-term (1-3 months) and standard DAPT after the implantation of next-generation DES were retrieved from all published studies in English until December 31, 2021. The primary endpoint was major bleeding. The secondary endpoints included all-cause mortality, cardiac death, myocardial infarction, stroke, stent thrombosis, and all bleeding.

RESULTS

This study included a total of 7 randomized controlled trials, comprising 28,344 subjects. Regarding primary endpoints, short-term DAPT exhibited a significantly lower incidence of major bleeding compared with standard DAPT [relative risk (RR): 0.66, 95% confidence interval (CI): (0.54, 0.81), P < .0001]. For secondary endpoints, there were significant differences between short-term and standard DAPT in all bleeding [RR: 0.59, 95% CI: (0.50, 0.69), P < .00001]. However, no significant differences were identified in all-cause mortality [RR: 0.96, 95% CI: (0.77, 1.18), P = .27], myocardial infarction [RR: 0.98, 95% CI: (0.82, 1.18), P = .86], cardiac death [RR: 0.83, 95% CI: (0.63, 1.10), P = .20], stroke [RR: 1.08, 95% CI: (0.79, 1.47), P = .63], cerebrovascular [RR: 1.08, 95% CI: (0.79, 1.47), P = .63], and stent thrombosis [RR: 1.13, 95% CI: (0.80, 1.57), P = .49] between the 2 groups.

CONCLUSION

In patients undergoing implantation of a new-generation of DES, short-term (1-3 months) DAPT exhibited no inferiority compared with standard (12 months) DAPT in terms of all-cause mortality, cardiac death, myocardial infarction, stroke, and definite or probable stent thrombosis compared with standard (12 months) DAPT. However, short-term DAPT appeared superior to standard DAPT in terms of major bleeding and all bleeding.