title: Antiplatelet therapy for prevention of thromboembolic complications associated with coil embolization of unruptured cerebral aneurysms.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Antiplatelet agents are used during endovascular treatment of cerebral aneurysms to prevent thromboembolic complications.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of clopidogrel for the prevention of thromboembolic complications during elective coil embolization of unruptured cerebral aneurysms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-three patients prospectively received oral clopidogrel 75 mg/day from 3 days before and for 1 day after the procedure at our institute (Kohnan Hospital, Sendai, Japan) during 2007.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 24 hours post-coiling, significantly less high-intensity areas, detected by MRI with diffusion-weighted imaging (MRI-DWI), were observed in clopidogrel-treated patients compared with a historical control cohort of aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid)-treated patients (13/63 [20.6%] vs 27/69 [39.1%]; p = 0.02), primarily due to a statistically significantly lower rate during repair of small (<10 mm) lesions (p = 0.008). Also, the rate of periprocedural thromboembolic events was lower in the clopidogrel than the aspirin cohort (2/63 [3.2%] vs 5/69 [7.2%]; p = 0.3).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clopidogrel was generally well tolerated with no signs of hemorrhagic complications or liver dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroendovascular Therapy, Kohnan Hospital, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Ryushi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: Yasuhiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsumori
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Teiji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tominaga
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001241:Aspirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D000077144:Clopidogrel; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013988:Ticlopidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D000077144:Clopidogrel; D013988:Ticlopidine; D001241:Aspirin