Incidence and prognosis of first-ever intracerebral hemorrhage on antiplatelet therapy over 10 years in a population-based stroke registry

Abstract

The use of antiplatelet therapy (APT) is prevalent among the general population, sometimes without clear indications. We provided updated figures on the incidence and prognosis of first-ever intracerebral hemorrhage occurring on APT (APT-ICH) over 10 years in a population-based stroke registry and investigated the rates of inappropriate APT prescription. We included all cases of first-ever ICH not on anticoagulants from January 2011 to December 2020 in the district of L’Aquila (Southern Italy). Indication to APT was adjudicated according to 2021 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines for cardiovascular prevention. We included 606 first-ever ICHs, of whom 251 (41.4%) were APT-related. One-hundred-forty-two APT-ICHs (56.6%) occurred in patients without clear indications to APT. While the incidence of non-APT-ICH decreased over time, the incidence of APT-ICH was stable. APT-ICH showed higher 30-day and 1-year case-fatality rates versus non-APT-ICH (44.7% versus 25.6%, 50.6% versus 34.4%; p < 0.001). APT intake was independently associated with higher 30-day case-fatality (HR 1.51, 95%CI 1.03–2.14; p = 0.023). Our findings suggest that APT-ICH exhibits sustained incidence over time and elevated mortality. Urgent initiatives are needed to enhance adherence to established guidelines for APT use. This effort has the potential to mitigate the risk of ICH and to reduce the associated mortality.