Antiplatelet therapy and other interventions after revascularisation procedures in patients with peripheral arterial disease: a meta-analysis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of conservative adjuvant therapy after revascularisation procedures in patients with peripheral arterial disease.


METHODS
meta-analysis.


METHODS
English-language studies published from 1976 to 1997.


METHODS
Reports on conservative therapies in patients with peripheral arterial disease after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, endarterectomy, thromboendarterectomy or bypass grafting were eligible. Uncontrolled or retrospective studies, double reports or trials without clinical outcomes were excluded. Included studies were graded as level 1 (randomised and double- or assessor-blind), level 2 (open randomised), or level 3 (non-randomised comparative). (Loss of) patency, amputation, vascular events and mortality were the outcomes considered. When feasible, end-of-treatment results, either continuous or binary, were combined with appropriate statistical methods.


RESULTS
Thirty-two studies were included. Compared to non-active control, aspirin with dipyridamole improved (loss of) patency (odds ratio (OR) 0.69, 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.53 to 0.90) and mortality (OR 0.80, 95% CI, 0.57 to 1.14); ticlopidine improved (loss of) patency (OR 0.53, 95% CI, 0.33 to 0.85) and amputation (OR 0.29, 95% CI, 0.08 to 1.01). Data on the effectiveness of vitamin-K inhibitors were not conclusive.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with peripheral arterial disease improve their outcome by receiving aspirin with dipyridamole or ticlopidine after a revascularisation procedure.
Girolami
B
B
Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University Medical School, Padua, Italy.
Bernardi
E
E
Prins
M H
MH
ten Cate
J W
JW
Prandoni
P
P
Simioni
P
P
Andreozzi
G M
GM
Girolami
A
A
Büller
H R
HR
D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006801:Humans; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011182:Postoperative Care; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D014654:Vascular Patency / Q000187:drug effects; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures
D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors