Dual-Antiplatelet Therapy for More Than Six Months After Endovascular Revascularization in Patients With Lower-Extremity Artery Disease
Abstract Background: The duration of antiplatelet therapy after endovascular revascularization in patients with lower-extremity artery disease (LEAD) has not been well-established. This study aimed to investigate the optimal strategy for antiplatelet therapy after successful endovascular revascularization in patients with LEAD. Methods: From April 2009 to June 2019, 376 patients with LEAD underwent successful endovascular revascularization. After the procedure, the patients received mono-antiplatelet therapy (MAPT) or dual-antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) of various durations and were classified into 2 groups (MAPT or DAPT < 6 months vs. DAPT ≥ 6 months). The primary outcomes were major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and major adverse limb events (MALE). The safety outcome was moderate-to-severe bleeding according to the Global Use of Strategies to Open Occluded Arteries (GUSTO) criteria.Results: Over the 40-month follow-up period, MACE occurred less frequently in the DAPT ≥ 6 months group than the MAPT or DAPT < 6 months group (12.4% vs. 23.8%; hazard ratio: 0.62; 95% confidence interval: 0.40 to 0.97; p = 0.038) after inverse probability-weighted adjustment and propensity-score matching. The incidence of MALE showed no significant intergroup difference (17.1% vs. 13.1%; hazard ratio: 0.94; 95% confidence interval: 0.56 to 1.59; p = 0.822). The incidence of moderate-to-severe GUSTO bleeding also showed no significant intergroup difference (3.5% vs. 4.9%; hazard ratio: 0.59; 95% confidence interval: 0.21 to 1.63; p = 0.308). Conclusions: For patients with LEAD, DAPT for ≥6 months after endovascular revascularization was associated with a lower incidence of MACE without increasing the risk of bleeding events.