Rationale and protocol of a trial for prevention of diabetic atherosclerosis by using antiplatelet drugs: study of Diabetic Atherosclerosis Prevention by Cilostazol (DAPC study).
BACKGROUND
Secondary treatment of arteriosclerosis may be applicable for the primary prevention of atherosclerosis in diabetic patients. This prospective, 2-year follow-up study was designed to determine the efficacy and safety of antiplatelet therapy in the prevention of atherosclerosis of diabetic subjects.


METHODS
Patients with type 2 diabetes and arteriosclerosis obliterans from the Eastern Asian countries were registered online and randomly assigned either to the aspirin group (81-100 mg/day) or the cilostazol group (100-200 mg/day) in this international, 2-year, prospective follow-up interventional study.


RESULTS
The primary study endpoint was changes in right and left maximum intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery. Secondary endpoints include changes in right and left maximum intima-media thickness of the internal carotid artery; semiquantitative evaluation of cerebral infarction by magnetic resonance imaging; cardiovascular events including sudden death, stroke, transient cerebral ischemic attacks, acute myocardial infarction, angina, and progression of arteriosclerosis obliterans; overall death; withdrawal; and change in ankle-brachial pressure index.


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first study to use an online system that was developed in Asian countries for pooling data from an international clinical trial. These findings are expected to help in the prevention of diabetic atherosclerosis and subsequent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease.
Yamasaki
Yoshimitsu
Y
Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, Osaka University Faculty of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan. yamasaki@medone.med.osaka-u.ac.jp
Kim
Young-Seol
YS
Kawamori
Ryuzo
R
D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000077407:Cilostazol; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013777:Tetrazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D013777:Tetrazoles; D000077407:Cilostazol