Hans-Christoph Diener1, Aurauma Chutinet2, J Donald Easton3, Christopher B Granger4, Eva Kleine5, Lars Marquardt6,7, Juliane Meyerhoff8, Andrea Zini9, Ralph L Sacco10. 1. Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, University Duisburg-Essen, Germany (H-C.D.). 2. Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn Stroke Center, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Chulalongkorn University, Thai Red Cross Society, Bangkok, Thailand (A.C.). 3. Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco (J.D.E.). 4. Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC (C.B.G.). 5. Biostatistics and Data Sciences, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Ingelheim, Germany (E.K.). 6. University Department of Neurology, Asklepios Hospital Hamburg Wandsbek, Germany (L.M.). 7. Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University Campus Hamburg, Germany (L.M.). 8. Cardiology Medicine, Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, Germany (J.M.). 9. IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Department of Neurology and Stroke Center, Maggiore Hospital, Italy (A.Z.). 10. Department of Neurology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, FL (R.L.S.).
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Patent foramen ovale (PFO) may increase the risk of embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS). Guidelines suggest anticoagulation may be more effective than antiplatelets in preventing stroke in patients with ESUS and PFO when interventional closure is not performed. METHODS: Patients with ESUS randomized to dabigatran (150/110 mg BID) or aspirin (100 mg QD) from the RE-SPECT ESUS study (Randomized, Double-Blind, Evaluation in Secondary Stroke Prevention Comparing the Efficacy and Safety of the Oral Thrombin Inhibitor Dabigatran Etexilate Versus Acetylsalicylic Acid in Patients With Embolic Stroke of Undetermined Source) were included. The rate of recurrent stroke (primary end point) and ischemic stroke was reported for patients with and without baseline PFO. A meta-analysis comparing the effects of anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapy on ischemic stroke in patients with PFO was updated to include RE-SPECT ESUS. RESULTS: PFO was present in 680 of 5388 (12.6%) patients with documented PFO status. The risk of recurrent stroke with dabigatran versus aspirin was similar in patients with and without PFO (P for interaction, 0.8290). In patients with PFO, the meta-analysis found no statistically significant difference between anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapy (odds ratio, 0.70 [95% CI, 0.43-1.14]) for ischemic stroke. CONCLUSIONS: There is insufficient evidence to recommend anticoagulation over antiplatelet therapy for patients with ESUS and a PFO. More data are needed to guide antithrombotic therapy in this population. Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT02239120.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Patent foramen ovale (PFO) may increase the risk of embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS). Guidelines suggest anticoagulation may be more effective than antiplatelets in preventing stroke in patients with ESUS and PFO when interventional closure is not performed. METHODS: Patients with ESUS randomized to dabigatran (150/110 mg BID) or aspirin (100 mg QD) from the RE-SPECT ESUS study (Randomized, Double-Blind, Evaluation in Secondary Stroke Prevention Comparing the Efficacy and Safety of the Oral Thrombin Inhibitor Dabigatran Etexilate Versus Acetylsalicylic Acid in Patients With Embolic Stroke of Undetermined Source) were included. The rate of recurrent stroke (primary end point) and ischemic stroke was reported for patients with and without baseline PFO. A meta-analysis comparing the effects of anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapy on ischemic stroke in patients with PFO was updated to include RE-SPECT ESUS. RESULTS: PFO was present in 680 of 5388 (12.6%) patients with documented PFO status. The risk of recurrent stroke with dabigatran versus aspirin was similar in patients with and without PFO (P for interaction, 0.8290). In patients with PFO, the meta-analysis found no statistically significant difference between anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapy (odds ratio, 0.70 [95% CI, 0.43-1.14]) for ischemic stroke. CONCLUSIONS: There is insufficient evidence to recommend anticoagulation over antiplatelet therapy for patients with ESUS and a PFO. More data are needed to guide antithrombotic therapy in this population. Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT02239120.
Authors: Hans-Christoph Diener; J Donald Easton; Robert G Hart; Scott Kasner; Hooman Kamel; George Ntaios Journal: Nat Rev Neurol Date: 2022-05-10 Impact factor: 44.711