Safety and efficacy of tirofiban versus traditionaldualantiplatelettherapy in endovasculartreatment of intracranialaneurysms: asystematicreview and meta-analysis

Background The selection of antiplatelet agents plays a crucial role in ensuring the safety and efficacy of endovascular treatment for intracranial aneurysms (IA). Currently, the primary agents used include tirofiban and traditional dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT). Due to the lack of high-level consolidated evidence in this field, we conducted the first systematic review and meta-analysis aimed at comparing the safety and efficacy of tirofiban vs traditional DAPT in the endovascular treatment of IA. Methods Studies published before November 1, 2024, were searched in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. The primary outcome was thrombosis, and secondary outcomes included intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), non-intracranial bleeding events (NoICH-BE), ischemic stroke (IS), and follow-up prognosis. Relative risks (RRs) were synthesized for comparison between tirofiban and DAPT groups. Results Nine studies involving 2481 patients were included. Tirofiban significantly reduced the risk of thrombosis compared with DAPT (RR, 0.292; 95% CI, 0.174 to 0.492; P<0.001). It did not increase risks of ICH (RR, 0.633; P=0.125), NoICH-BE (RR, 0.253; P=0.259), IS (RR, 0.730; P=0.172), or poor prognosis (RR, 0.981; P=0.896). Conclusion Tirofiban effectively lowers the risk of thrombosis without increasing bleeding or adverse prognosis risks compared with DAPT. It shows promise as an alternative antiplatelet therapy for IA treatment, but further large-scale studies are needed to confirm these findings.