Objective To investigate the effect of pretreatment with P2Y12 receptor inhibitors compared with no pretreatment on efficacy and safety of treatment of non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (ACS). identified seven (four randomized controlled trials one observational analysis from a randomized controlled trial and three observational studies) met the inclusion criteria. No study was identified for ticagrelor or cangrelor and analyses were thus limited to thienopyridines. A total of 32?383 non-ST elevation ACS patients were included 18 coming from randomized controlled trials. Of these 55 underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Pretreatment was not associated with a significant lower risk of mortality in all patients (odds ratio 0.90 (95% confidence interval 0.75 to 1 1.07) P=0.24) in particular when considering only the randomized controlled trials (odds ratio 0.90 (0.71 to 1 1.14) P=0.39). Similar results were observed in the cohort of patients undergoing PCI. A significant 30-45% excess of major bleeding was consistently observed in all patients (odds ratio 1.32 (1.16 to 1 1.49) P<0.0001) and in those undergoing PCI as well as in the subset analyses of randomized controlled trials of these two Clavulanic acid cohorts of patients. There was a reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events in the analysis of all patients (odds ratio 0.84 (0.72 to 0.98) P=0.02) driven by the old clopidogrel studies (CURE and CREDO) but the difference was not significant for the cohort of patients undergoing PCI. Stent thrombosis stroke and urgent revascularization did not differ between organizations (pretreatment Rabbit Polyclonal to MRPS22. no pretreatment). The results were consistent for both thienopyridines and confirmed in level of sensitivity analyses. Limitations Analysis was not performed on individual patient’s data. Summary In individuals showing with non-ST elevation ACS pretreatment with thienopyridines is definitely associated with no significant reduction of mortality but with a significant excess of major bleeding no matter the strategy used invasive or not. Our results do not support a strategy of routine pretreatment in individuals with non-ST elevation ACS. Intro Non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (ACS) holds a significant burden in global healthcare systems having a one year incidence of more than 1.5/1000 people.1 2 In real world management two thirds of individuals presenting having a non-ST elevation ACS have coronary angiography performed a third possess coronary stenting and 7-10% have coronary bypass surgery.2 Despite optimal evidence based treatment these individuals possess worse mid-term and long term prognoses than individuals with ST elevation ACS with more frequent Clavulanic acid recurrent ischemic events and a twofold higher death rate at two years.3 4 5 Dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and a P2Y12 receptor antagonist has been the cornerstone of the treatment of ACS managed either medically or invasively. This is based on the solitary randomized Clavulanic acid CURE study in which clopidogrel (300 mg pretreatment loading dose 75 mg maintenance dose) for any mean period of nine weeks reduced ischemic endpoints by 20% in non-ST elevation ACS individuals medically handled.6 In the CREDO trial in which two thirds of enrolled individuals experienced Clavulanic acid non-ST elevation ACS significant superiority of pretreatment in individuals undergoing percutaneous coronary treatment (PCI) was not demonstrated but was suggested only in subgroup analyses.7 8 These trials were conducted 15 years ago when clinical practice was different in many ways. The rationale for pretreatment with oral P2Y12 inhibitors is based on the need for a strong antiplatelet effect in non-ST elevation ACS individuals scheduled for PCI 9 10 and the delay of action of these drugs clopidogrel in particular which provide Clavulanic acid a low and sluggish platelet inhibition in many individuals.11 12 Following a CURE and CREDO studies clopidogrel pretreatment has been generalized for non-ST elevation ACS management having a Class I-B recommendation in the Western and US guidelines with the paradigm that “sooner is better.”13 14 However there has been no specific trial randomizing non-ST elevation ACS individuals for clopidogrel pretreatment versus no pretreatment before program catheterization as performed today. Moreover the time from hospital admission to catheterization has been substantially shortened in the past 10 years. 15 The risk-benefit of pretreatment can now become reevaluated considering the changes in.