Summary
This study meta-analysed randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trials in patients
with intermittent claudication of the lower limbs comparing ticlopidine to placebo
in order to test the hypothesis that the drug, a pure antiplatelet agent, is able
to reduce the incidence of thrombotic cardio-vascular events on atherosclerotic arteries
in these patients. A highly significant reduction, from 9% to 3% (p ranging from 0.006
to 0.002), was observed for fatal or non-fatal cardio-vascular events in a total of
611 patients (301 with ticlopidine, 310 with placebo). The duration of follow-up ranged
from 6 to 12 months. Side-effects, defined as withdrawal from study medication for
any reason but death, cardio-vascular events or cancer, were 2.4 times more frequent
in the ticlopidine treated patients as compared to placebo. We concluded that in this
high risk population, prevention of cardio-vascular events is likely to be effective.
Keywords
Meta-analysis - Intermittent claudication - Antiplatelet agent - Cardiovascular risks
