Short Versus Long Duration of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy After Second-Generation Drug-Eluting Stents Implantation in Patients with Diabetes

Background: Duration of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains uncertain, with increasing data suggestive of acceptable short-term duration. Metabolically accelerated atherosclerosis associated with diabetes makes it essential to study short-term DAPT in this subgroup. With limited studies determining optimal DAPT strategies after second-generation stents in this subset, we aimed to establish the optimal duration of DAPT in the diabetic population using second-generation stents. Question: To determine optimal DAPT duration in diabetic population undergoing PCI in 2nd generation stents Data Sources: We conducted an electronic database search of randomized controlled trials from PubMed/Medline, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases. Study Design: A meta-analysis was conducted comparing outcomes of short-term (3–6 months) DAPT therapy versus long-term (12 months) DAPT therapy in the diabetic population undergoing PCI with second-generation stents. Results: A total of 5 randomized controlled trials were included with a total of 3117 diabetic patients. Short-term DAPT did not show any statistical difference from long-term DAPT in achieving primary outcomes (relative ratio: 0.96, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.68–1.35, P = 0.84). Overall mortality (OR 0.92; 95% CI, 0.52–1.63, P = 0.98), myocardial infarction [odds ratio (OR)OR 1.02; 95% CI, 0.53–1.94, P = 0.85], stent thrombosis (OR 1.20; 95% CI, 0.55–2.60, P = 0.55), target vessel revascularization (OR 1.10; 95% CI, 0.45–2.73, P = 0.74), and stroke (OR 0.50; 95% CI, 0.082–2.43, P = 0.81) did not show any statistical difference between the 2 groups. Similarly, a subgroup analysis of study population comparing 6 versus 12 months of DAPT in diabetic population did not show any difference in net primary outcomes (relative ratio: 0.86, 95% CI 0.45–1.45, P = 0.60). There was no significant heterogeneity noted between the 2 groups. Conclusion: This meta-analysis showed no statistically significant benefit of longer DAPT over shorter DAPT therapy in patients undergoing PCI with drug-eluting stent in patients with diabetes.