Risk of Early Adverse Events After Clopidogrel Discontinuation in Patients Undergoing Short-Term Dual Antiplatelet Therapy: An Individual Participant Data Analysis

OBJECTIVES: The study sought to evaluate the presence of a clinically relevant rebound phenomenon after dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) discontinuation in randomized trials. BACKGROUND: It is currently unknown whether clopidogrel discontinuation after short-term DAPT is associated with an early hazard of ischemic events. METHODS: The authors performed an individual participant data analysis and aggregate meta-analysis. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), defined as the composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction (MI), or stroke. RESULTS: The study included 11,473 PCI patients with individual participant data from 6 randomized trials comparing short-term DAPT (3 or 6 months) versus long-term DAPT (12 months or more). During the first 90 days following clopidogrel discontinuation, there was no significant increase in the risk of MACCE between patients randomized to short-term DAPT compared with long-term DAPT (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.18; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.71 to 1.98; p = 0.52; absolute risk difference 0.10%; 95% CI: -0.16% to 0.36%). The risk of MI or stent thrombosis was similar among patients randomized to short-term DAPT versus long-term DAPT (HR: 0.93; 95% CI: 0.46 to 1.90; p = 0.85). In the aggregate data meta-analysis of 11 trials including 38,919 patients, a higher risk of early MACCE was observed after long-term (≥12 months) DAPT duration (HR: 2.28; 95% CI: 1.69 to 3.09; p < 0.001) but not short-term (<12 months) DAPT duration (HR: 1.08; 95% CI: 0.67 to 1.74; p for interaction = 0.036). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients undergoing PCI with predominantly new-generation DES, discontinuation of clopidogrel after 3 or 6 months DAPT duration was not associated with an early increase in adverse clinical events. An early increase in MACCE was observed after long-term (≥12 months) DAPT exposure