Summary
We sought to assess the effect of clopidogrel on in-hospital events in unselected
patients with acute ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). In a retrospective
analysis of consecutive patients enrolled in the Acute Coronary Syndromes (ACOS) registry
with acute STEMI we compared outcomes of either adjunctive therapy with aspirin alone
or aspirin plus clopidogrel within 24 hours after admission. A total of 7,559 patients
were included in this analysis, of whom 3,541 were treated with aspirin alone, and
4,018 with dual antiplatelet therapy. The multivariable analysis with adjustment for
baseline characteristics and treatments showed that the rate of in-hospital MACCE
(death, non-fatal reinfarction, non-fatal stroke) was significantly lower in the aspirin
plus clopidogrel group, compared to the aspirin alone group in the entire cohort and
all three reperfusion strategy groups (entire group odds ratio 0.60, 95% CI 0.49–0.72,
no reperfusion OR 0.69,95% CI 0.51–0.94,fibrinolysis OR 0.62,95% CI 0.44–0.88, primary
PCI OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.39–0.74).There was a significant increase in major bleeding
complications with clopidogrel (7.1% vs. 3.4%, p<0.001). In clinical practice early
adjunctive therapy with clopidogrel in addition to aspirin in patients with STEMI
is associated with a significant reduction of in-hospital MACCE regardless of the
initial reperfusion strategy. This advantage was associated with an increase in major
bleeding complications.
Keywords Clopidogrel - reperfusion therapy - primary percutaneous coronary intervention - ST
elevation myocardial infarction - prognosis - clinical practice