Does aspirin reduce recurrence after completing anticoagulant treatment for an idiopathic thromboembolic event?

Medwave. 2015 Apr 9;15(3):e6118. doi: 10.5867/medwave.2015.03.6118.
[Article in English, Spanish]

Abstract

Idiopathic thromboembolic disease presents a high risk of recurrence. There is controversy about the effects of aspirin in reducing this risk after the completion of anticoagulant treatment. Searching in Epistemonikos database, which screens 30 databases, we identified four systematic reviews that together include two randomized trials. We combined the evidence using meta-analysis and generated a summary of findings table following the GRADE approach. We concluded that aspirin administered after having completed anticoagulation reduces the risk of recurrence, probably without importantly increasing the risk of hemorrhage.

La enfermedad tromboembólica idiopática presenta un alto riesgo de recurrencia. Existe controversia respecto a la utilidad de la aspirina para disminuir la recurrencia luego de haber completado el tratamiento anticoagulante. Utilizando la base de datos Epistemonikos, la cual es mantenida mediante búsquedas en 30 bases de datos, identificamos cuatro revisiones sistemáticas que en conjunto incluyen dos estudios aleatorizados. Combinamos la evidencia utilizando metanálisis y generamos una tabla con síntesis de resultados según la metodología GRADE. Concluimos que la indicación de aspirina luego de haber completado el tratamiento anticoagulante disminuye la probabilidad de recurrencia y probablemente no aumenta de manera importante el riesgo de hemorragia.

Publication types

  • Meta-Analysis

MeSH terms

  • Anticoagulants / therapeutic use
  • Aspirin / administration & dosage
  • Aspirin / adverse effects
  • Aspirin / therapeutic use*
  • Hemorrhage / chemically induced
  • Hemorrhage / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / administration & dosage
  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / adverse effects
  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
  • Recurrence
  • Thromboembolism / drug therapy
  • Thromboembolism / prevention & control*

Substances

  • Anticoagulants
  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors
  • Aspirin