Short-term (1–3 months) versus standard (12 months) dual antiplatelet therapy following new-generation drug-eluting stent implantation: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Background: Patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention mainly receive antiplatelet therapy. However, limited data are available regarding the optimal dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) following the implantation of new-generation drug-eluting stent (DES). Objective: This study aimed to compare the clinical outcomes of short-term (1–3 months) DAPT and standard (12 months) DAPT after the implantation of a new-generation of DES. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, The Cochrane Library Database, Embase for trials that compared short-term (1–3 months) and standard DAPT after the implantation of next-generation DES were retrieved from all published studies in English until December 31, 2021. The primary endpoint was major bleeding. The secondary endpoints included all-cause mortality, cardiac death, myocardial infarction, stroke, stent thrombosis, and all bleeding. Results: This study included a total of 7 randomized controlled trials, comprising 28,344 subjects. Regarding primary endpoints, short-term DAPT exhibited a significantly lower incidence of major bleeding compared with standard DAPT [relative risk (RR): 0.66, 95% confidence interval (CI): (0.54, 0.81), P < .0001]. For secondary endpoints, there were significant differences between short-term and standard DAPT in all bleeding [RR: 0.59, 95% CI: (0.50, 0.69), P < .00001]. However, no significant differences were identified in all-cause mortality [RR: 0.96, 95% CI: (0.77, 1.18), P = .27], myocardial infarction [RR: 0.98, 95% CI: (0.82, 1.18), P = .86], cardiac death [RR: 0.83, 95% CI: (0.63, 1.10), P = .20], stroke [RR: 1.08, 95% CI: (0.79, 1.47), P = .63], cerebrovascular [RR: 1.08, 95% CI: (0.79, 1.47), P = .63], and stent thrombosis [RR: 1.13, 95% CI: (0.80, 1.57), P = .49] between the 2 groups. Conclusion: In patients undergoing implantation of a new-generation of DES, short-term (1–3 months) DAPT exhibited no inferiority compared with standard (12 months) DAPT in terms of all-cause mortality, cardiac death, myocardial infarction, stroke, and definite or probable stent thrombosis compared with standard (12 months) DAPT. However, short-term DAPT appeared superior to standard DAPT in terms of major bleeding and all bleeding.