Best duration of dual antiplatelet therapy after drug-eluting stent implantation: an updated network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

ABSTRACTBackground: Drug-eluting stent(DES) implantation is the main interventional treatment for coronary artery disease, and dual antiplatelet therapy(DAPT) remains the gold standard strategy to prevent ischemic events. However, the optimal duration of DAPT after DES implantation remains controversial. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the best duration of DAPT following DES implantation.Method: We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and clinicaltrials.gov for all randomized clinical trials(RCTs) that compared different durations of DAPT after DES implantation. Major adverse cardiac events(MACE) and major bleeding were the primary and secondary outcomes, respectively.Results: We included 16 RCTs (n = 42,993). The mean age of included patients was 63.1 ± 10.1. The primary outcome was statistically significant for lower MACE in patients who received DAPT for 24–48 months (mo) following DES when compared with those who received 3–6 mo of DAPT (odds ratio [OR] 0.75; 95% credible interval [CI] 0.58–0.97...