SynthesisHeart (British Cardiac Society)2025
Anticoagulants or antiplatelets for secondary prevention of cryptogenic stroke: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Heart (British Cardiac Society), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Factor XI(a) Inhibition in Secondary Stroke Prevention: On the Cusp of a New Anticoagulation Paradigm.ACS pharmacology & translational science · 2026Article
- Factor XI Inhibition for Ischemic Stroke Secondary Prevention: Pharmacology, Clinical Evidence, and Future Directions.Journal of clinical pharmacology · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
13 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundPatients with cryptogenic stroke or embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS) face a high risk of recurrent ischaemic stroke, but the optimal antithrombotic strategy remains unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis compared the effectiveness and safety of oral anticoagulants (OACs) versus antiplatelets in these populations, with a focus on subgroup effects by key clinical characteristics.
methodsSix databases were searched through March 2024 to identify randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing OACs and antiplatelets in patients with cryptogenic stroke or ESUS. The primary outcome was recurrent ischaemic stroke. Subgroup analyses evaluated treatment effects based on supracardiac atherosclerosis risk, presence of patent foramen ovale (PFO) and signs or risk factors for atrial cardiopathy. Meta-regression with interaction p values was employed to assess differences in treatment effects between subgroups.
resultsNine RCTs comprising 15 451 participants were included. In the overall population, there was no significant difference in recurrent ischaemic stroke risk between OACs and antiplatelets (relative risk (RR) 0.90, 95% CI 0.79 to 1.02; I
conclusionsOACs are more effective than antiplatelets for preventing ischaemic stroke in patients who had a cryptogenic stroke or ESUS with low-risk supracardiac atherosclerosis or atrial cardiopathy. The findings highlight the need for personalised treatment strategies and further trials in these subgroups. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42024518903.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.