P2816Antithrombotic strategy for patients with anticoagulation indication undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

Abstract

Abstract Background A significant proportion of patients having acute coronary syndrome and/or undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have indications for long-term anticoagulation such as atrial fibrillation. Their optimal antithrombotic strategy despite recent randomised trials. We meta-analysed outcomes comparing dual versus triple, and non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (NOAC) versus vitamin K oral anticoagulants (VKA) antithrombotic regimens. Methods MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane databases were searched for original randomised trials with relevant search terms. Two authors evaluated these studies for inclusion and extracted data pooling bleeding and cardiovascular events. Results The search yielded 308 articles, with 19 full-texts reviewed and 4 randomised trials totalling 6,029 patients included. Dual antithrombotic strategies were associated with significant reductions in TIMI major and minor bleeding (odds ratios 0.55, 95% confidence interval 0.36–0.83), and other bleeding endpoints including all, major, minor and intracranial bleeding (odds ratios 0.45–0.62, all P<0.05), compared with triple antithrombotic strategies in four trials, with no differences in mortality, myocardial infarction, stroke, stent thrombosis or composite cardiovascular events (odds ratio 0.79–1.13, all P>0.05). NOAC regimens were associated with significant reductions in TIMI major and minor bleeding odds ratio 0.49 (0.37–0.65), as well as major, minor and intracranial bleeding (odds ratios 0.29–0.52, all P<0.05), but again no differences in mortality or all cardiovascular endpoints (odds ratios 0.98–1.49, all P>0.05). Conclusion Antithrombotic strategies involving dual instead of triple agents, and NOAC instead of VKA had significantly less bleeding without increasing mortality and cardiovascular events, and are therefore preferred options in patients undergoing PCI who also require long-term anticoagulation.