title: A randomized, double-blind study comparing the safety and efficacy of clopidogrel versus ticlopidine in Japanese patients with noncardioembolic cerebral infarction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients treated with ticlopidine require careful hematologic monitoring. Clopidogrel may have greater tolerability. However, no direct comparison of these two drugs has been reported and evidence of improved safety with clopidogrel is not yet established in the Japanese population. A comparison of both agents was therefore conducted in Japanese stroke patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with noncardioembolic cerebral infarction were randomized to clopidogrel 75 mg or ticlopidine 200 mg once daily for 52 weeks. The primary endpoint was safety; the major secondary endpoint was the incidence of vascular events.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Clopidogrel was associated with significantly fewer safety events than ticlopidine (7.0 versus 15.1%; p < 0.001) and no significant difference in efficacy between the two treatments was seen [hazard ratio 0.977 (95% confidence interval: 0.488-1.957)].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In Japanese stroke patients, clopidogrel 75 mg is better tolerated than ticlopidine 200 mg once daily.
authors.affiliation: Ashikaga Red Cross Hospital, Ashikaga, Japan. y.fukuuchi@ashikaga.jrc.or.jp
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fukuuchi
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tohgi
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okudera
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Yoshitaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miyanaga
authors.forename: Shinichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Uchiyama
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirano
authors.forename: Yukito
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shinohara
authors.forename: Masayasu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Takenori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D000077144:Clopidogrel; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013988:Ticlopidine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D000077144:Clopidogrel; D013988:Ticlopidine