Cannon C’s scientific contributions

BACKGROUND: Combination antiplatelet therapy with clopidogrel and aspirin may reduce the rate of recurrent stroke during the first 3 months after a minor ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). A trial of combination antiplatelet therapy in a Chinese population has shown a reduction in the risk of recurrent stroke. We tested this combination in an international population. METHODS: In a randomized trial, we assigned patients with minor ischemic stroke or high-risk TIA to receive either clopidogrel at a loading dose of 600 mg on day 1, followed by 75 mg per day, plus aspirin (at a dose of 50 to 325 mg per day) or the same range of doses of aspirin alone. The dose of aspirin in each group was selected by the site investigator. The primary efficacy outcome in a time-to-event analysis was the risk of a composite of major ischemic events, which was defined as ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction, or death from an ischemic vascular event, at 90 days. RESULTS: A total of 4881 patients were enrolled at 269 international sites. The trial was halted after 84% of the anticipated number of patients had been enrolled because the data and safety monitoring board had determined that the combination of clopidogrel and aspirin was associated with both a lower risk of major ischemic events and a higher risk of major hemorrhage than aspirin alone at 90 days. Major ischemic events occurred in 121 of 2432 patients (5.0%) receiving clopidogrel plus aspirin and in 160 of 2449 patients (6.5%) receiving aspirin plus placebo (hazard ratio, 0.75; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59 to 0.95; P=0.02), with most events occurring during the first week after the initial event. Major hemorrhage occurred in 23 patients (0.9%) receiving clopidogrel plus aspirin and in 10 patients (0.4%) receiving aspirin plus placebo (hazard ratio, 2.32; 95% CI, 1.10 to 4.87; P=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with minor ischemic stroke or high-risk TIA, those who received a combination of clopidogrel and aspirin had a lower risk of major ischemic events but a higher risk of major hemorrhage at 90 days than those who received aspirin alone.

Background The platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors, although effective in reducing ischaemic complications of percutaneous coronary intervention. are used in few coronary stent implantation procedures. ESPRIT (Enhanced Suppression of the Platelet IIb/IIIa Receptor with Integrilin Therapy) is a randomised, placebo-controlled trial to assess whether a novel, double-bolus dose of eptifibatide could improve outcomes of patients undergoing coronary stenting. Methods We recruited 2064 patients undergoing stent implantation in a native coronary artery. Immediately before percutaneous coronary intervention, patients were randomly allocated to receive eptifibatide, given as two 180 mug/kg boluses 10 min apart and a continuous infusion of 2.0 mug/kg/min for 18-24 h, or placebo, in addition to aspirin, heparin, and a thienopyridine. The primary endpoint was the composite of death, myocardial infarction, urgent target vessel revascularisation, and thrombotic bailout glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor therapy within 48 h after randomisation. The key secondary endpoint was the composite of death, myocardial infarction, or urgent target vessel revascularisation at 30 days. Findings The trial was terminated early for efficacy. The primary endpoint was reduced from 10.5% (108 of 1024 patients on placebo [95% CI 8.7-12.4%]) to 6.6% (69 of 1040 [5.1-8.1%]) with treatment (p=0.0015). The key 30 day secondary endpoint was also reduced, from 10.5% (107 of 1024 patients on placebo [8.6-12.3%]) to 6.8% (71 of 1040 [5.3-8.4%]; p=0.0034). There was consistency in reduction of events across all components of the composite endpoint and among the major subgroups. Major bleeding was infrequent but arose more often with eptifibatide than placebo (1.3%, 13 of 1040 [0.7-2.1%]) vs 0.4%, 4 of 1024 [0.1-1.0%]; p=0.027). Interpretation Routine glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor pretreatment with eptifibatide substantially reduces ischaemic complications in coronary stent intervention and is better than a strategy of reserving treatment to the bailout situation.