Comparison of Single Antiplatelet Therapy and Dual Antiplatelet Therapy after Endovascular Therapy in Patients with Lower Extremity Artery Disease

Abstract

Objectives: Evidence for antithrombotic therapy after endovascular therapy (EVT) is limited.

Methods: This retrospective, multicenter, observational study enrolled 732 consecutive patients with lower extremity artery disease who underwent EVT between January 2018 and December 2019. Overall, 570 patients who received single antiplatelet therapy (SAPT) and dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) were selected and divided into the SAPT (n = 189) and DAPT (n = 381) groups. The primary outcome was bleeding events at 24 months. The secondary outcomes were bleeding events at 30 days and 24 months after 30 days, ischemic events, and all-cause death at 24 months. Bleeding and ischemic events at 24 months were investigated in subgroups.

Results: A propensity score matching yielded 164 patients in both groups. There were no significant differences in bleeding events between the SAPT and DAPT groups (14.2% and 11.3% at 24 months, p = 0.775; 2.5% and 6.1% at 30 days, p = 0.106; 11.7% and 6.7% at 24 months after 30 days, p = 0.162). Additionally, there was no significant difference in ischemic events at 24 months between the two groups (32.7% and 30.6%, p = 0.625). Bleeding and ischemic events at 24 months were similar between subgroups.

Conclusions: No significant differences in bleeding or ischemic events between SAPT and DAPT were observed.