Letter by Meves and Neubauer Regarding Article “Clinical Outcomes Using a Platelet Function-Guided Approach for Secondary Prevention in Patients With Ischemic Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack”

Abstract

Depta et al1 reported that platelet function-guided modification of antiplatelet therapy in patients with stroke may be associated with higher rates of adverse clinical outcomes. Platelet function testing was performed by using optical platelet aggregometry. The definition of antiplatelet modification was any increase of the current antiplatelet dosage, the addition of another antiplatelet agent, or the switch to another antiplatelet agent. There are some remarks concerning the methodology and data of the presented study. At first, aspirin low response was defined as altered aggregation after stimulation with arachidonic acid and with adenosine diphosphate. Unfortunately, adenosine diphosphate is unspecific in regard to the aspirin pathway and is not recommended for measuring platelet inhibitory effects of aspirin.2 Therefore, a distinction should have been drawn …