Background:
Clopidogrel monotherapy is guideline-recommended in symptomatic peripheral artery disease
(PAD). The advent of new antithrombotic strategies prompts an updated analysis of available evidence on antiplatelet therapy for PAD.
Methods:
We searched MEDLINE, Embase and CENTRAL through January 2019 for randomised controlled trials and observational studies comparing antiplatelet therapies as monotherapy, dual therapy, or combination with anticoagulants. Efficacy (major adverse cardiovascular events, acute or chronic limb ischaemia, vascular amputation, peripheral revascularisation) and safety (all-cause mortality and overall bleeding) outcomes were evaluated via Bayesian network meta-analyses.
Results:
We analysed 26 randomised controlled trials. Clopidogrel (hazard ratio, HR, 0.78; 95% credible interval [CrI] 0.65-
0.93) and ticagrelor (HR 0.80; 95%CrI 0.65-0.98) significantly reduced major adverse cardiovascular events risk compared
with aspirin. No significant difference was observed for dual antiplatelet therapy with clopidogrel and aspirin. Vorapaxar
significantly reduced limb ischaemia and revascularisation compared with placebo, while dual antiplatelet therapy with
clopidogrel and aspirin showed a trend for reduced risk of amputation compared with aspirin (risk ratio 0.68; 95%CrI 0.43-
1.04). For all-cause mortality, picotamide, vorapaxar, dipyridamole with aspirin, and ticlopidine showed significantly lower
risk of all-cause mortality vs aspirin. Clopidogrel and ticagrelor showed similar overall bleeding risk vs aspirin, while dual
antiplatelet therapy with clopidogrel and aspirin significantly increased bleeding risk.
Conclusion:
This updated network meta-analysis confirms that clopidogrel significantly decreases the risk of major adverse
cardiovascular events compared with aspirin, without increasing bleeding risk. Clopidogrel should remain a mainstay of
PAD treatment, at least in patients at higher bleeding risk.