Dual versus mono antiplatelet therapy in mild-to-moderate stroke during hospitalization

Objective: Subsequent vascular events are common after acute ischemic stroke during hospitalization. This study aimed to analyze the effectiveness of combination therapy with clopidogrel and aspirin among mild-to-moderate ischemic stroke patients treated within 72 h on the basis of a high-intensity dose of statins. Methods: In a retrospective and multicenter cohort study, acute (within 72 h of onset) mild-to-moderate stroke patients were divided into aspirin and clopidogrel-aspirin groups on the basis of a high-intensity dose of statin therapy. The primary outcome was compound vascular events during hospitalization. Cox's proportional hazards model was used to assess differences, with the study center as a random effect. Results: Among the 506 patients meeting the eligibility criteria, all subjects received a high-intensity dose of statins, including 20 mg rosuvastatin or 40 mg atorvastatin while in the hospital. In an unadjusted analysis, compound vascular events occurred in 7.2% of patients in the clopidogrel-aspirin group compared with 13.7% of those in the aspirin group (p = 0.022). In a Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, clopidogrel-aspirin was associated with a lower risk of compound vascular events (hazard ratio [95% CI], 0.47 [0.25-0.87]; p = 0.017) and ischemic vascular events (p = 0.008). Moderate and severe hemorrhage occurred in four patients (1.07%) in the clopidogrel-aspirin group and three patients (2.30%) in the aspirin group (p = 0.626). Interpretation: In this study based on high-intensity statin therapy, clopidogrel-aspirin reduced the risk of compound vascular events and did not increase the risk of hemorrhage during patients' hospitalization after mild-to-moderate ischemic stroke within 72 h.