RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Differential effect of ticagrelor versus clopidogrel by homocysteine levels on risk of recurrent stroke: a post hoc analysis of the CHANCE-2 trial
JF Canadian Medical Association Journal
JO CMAJ
FD Canadian Medical Association
SP E149
OP E156
DO 10.1503/cmaj.231262
VO 196
IS 5
A1 Wang, Anxin
A1 Tian, Xue
A1 Xie, Xuewei
A1 Li, Hao
A1 Bath, Philip M.
A1 Jing, Jing
A1 Lin, Jinxi
A1 Wang, Yilong
A1 Zhao, Xingquan
A1 Li, Zixiao
A1 Liu, Liping
A1 Wang, Yongjun
A1 Meng, Xia
YR 2024
UL http://www.cmaj.ca/content/196/5/E149.abstract
AB Background: Elevated homocysteine levels are associated with increased blood coagulation and platelet activity and may modulate the response to antiplatelet therapies. We aimed to investigate the effects of homocysteine levels on the efficacy and safety of ticagrelor–acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) versus clopidogrel–ASA among patients with minor stroke or transient ischemic attack who carried CYP2C19 loss-of-function alleles.Methods: We conducted a post hoc analysis of the CHANCE-2 (The Clopidogrel in High-risk Patients with Acute Nondisabling Cerebrovascular Events–II) trial. Participants were randomly assigned to treatment with ticagrelor–ASA or clopidogrel–ASA. We categorized participants into groups with elevated and non-elevated homocysteine levels, based on the median level. The primary efficacy outcome was recurrent stroke within 90-day follow-up. The primary safety outcome was severe or moderate bleeding within 90 days.Results: A total of 2740 participants were randomly assigned to receive ticagrelor–ASA and 2700 to receive clopidogrel–ASA. Use of ticagrelor–ASA was associated with a reduced risk of recurrent stroke among participants with elevated homocysteine levels (74 [5.3%] v. 119 [8.5%]; hazard ratio [HR] 0.60, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.45–0.81), but not among those with non-elevated levels (86 [6.4%] v. 87 [6.7%]; HR 0.97, 95% CI 0.71–1.32; p = 0.04 for interaction). When analyzed as a continuous variable, the benefits of ticagrelor–ASA with regard to recurrent stroke increased as homocysteine levels increased (p = 0.04 for interaction). No significant interaction between homocysteine levels and treatment with regard to severe or moderate bleeding was observed (p = 0.7 for interaction). We found a significant interaction between homocysteine levels and therapy with regard to recurrent stroke in females (p = 0.04 for interaction) but not males.Interpretation: In comparison with clopidogrel–ASA, ticagrelor–ASA conferred more benefit to patients with elevated homocysteine levels, particularly to female patients, in this secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial involving patients with minor ischemic stroke or TIA.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, no. NCT04078737