Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41071255›Full record

SynthesisJournal of thrombosis and thrombolysis2026

Efficacy of clopidogrel monotherapy versus aspirin monotherapy after percutaneous coronary intervention.

Saad Ahmed Waqas, Zahra Imran, Abdur Rafay Bilal, Shahzaib Ahmed, Hateem Gaba, Nicholas W S Chew, Stephen J Greene, Muhammad Shahzeb Khan

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic ReviewComparative Study
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In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of thrombosis and thrombolysis, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

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.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Saad Ahmed WaqasDepartment of Medicine, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, 74200, Pakistan. ahsaad404@gmail.com.
Zahra ImranDepartment of Medicine, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, 74200, Pakistan.
Abdur Rafay BilalDepartment of Medicine, Ziauddin Medical College, Karachi, Pakistan.
Shahzaib AhmedDepartment of Medicine, Fatima Memorial Hospital College of Medicine and Dentistry, Lahore, Pakistan.
Hateem GabaDepartment of Medicine, Ziauddin Medical College, Karachi, Pakistan.
Nicholas W S ChewDepartment of Cardiology, National University Heart Centre, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore.
Stephen J GreeneDuke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, NC, USA.
Muhammad Shahzeb KhanBaylor College of Medicine, Temple, TX, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is standard to reduce thrombotic complications. However, the optimal monotherapy after DAPT remains debated. Clopidogrel may offer better protection than aspirin. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing clopidogrel versus aspirin monotherapy after DAPT in PCI patients. Searches were performed in MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, CENTRAL, and ClinicalTrials.gov up to April 12, 2025. Outcomes included stroke, myocardial infarction (MI), all-cause mortality, and cardiovascular (CV) death. Hazard ratios (HRs) were pooled using random-effects models. Four RCTs comprising 19,554 patients (clopidogrel: 9,846; aspirin: 9,708) were included. Clopidogrel was associated with a significantly lower risk of stroke (HR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.51-0.94; p = 0.02; I² = 28%) and MI (HR: 0.71; 95% CI: 0.51-0.99; p = 0.05; I² = 48%) compared with aspirin. There was no significant difference between clopidogrel and aspirin in terms of all-cause mortality (HR: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.78-1.25; p = 0.92; I² = 55%), CV death (HR: 0.87; 95% CI: 0.70-1.08; p = 0.22; I² = 0%), coronary revascularization (HR: 0.95; 95% CI: 0.83-1.09; p = 0.44; I² = 0%), major bleeding (HR: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.70-1.35; p = 0.87; I² = 57%), or stent thrombosis (HR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.38-1.15; p = 0.15; I² = 0%). Clopidogrel monotherapy post-DAPT after PCI reduces stroke and MI risk compared to aspirin, without increasing mortality or bleeding. These findings support clopidogrel as a favorable alternative for monotherapy.

Indexed as

AspirinClopidogrelPercutaneous Coronary InterventionPlatelet Aggregation InhibitorsDual Anti-Platelet TherapyHumansMyocardial InfarctionRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicStrokeTreatment OutcomeAspirinClopidogrelPlatelet Aggregation InhibitorsAspirinClopidogrelDual antiplatelet therapyMeta-AnalysisMonotherapyPCI

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Registered trials

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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.