Recurrent Carotid Stenosis

Emory University

Status and phase: Completed; Phase 2

Conditions: Carotid Stenosis; Cardiovascular Diseases; Vascular Diseases; Heart Diseases; Cerebrovascular Disorders

Treatments: Drug: aspirin; Drug: dipyridamole

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT00000527

R37HL041619 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

46

Details and patient eligibility

About

To determine whether recurrent stenosis following carotid endarterectomy could be reduced by pre- and post-operative oral administration of platelet-inhibiting drugs.

Full description

BACKGROUND:

Following endarterectomy, platelets adhere and aggregate on the endarterectomized surface and release platelet-derived growth factor which induces smooth muscle cell migration and proliferation which may result in restenosis. Many patients had been treated with aspirin and dipyridamole, but not in a controlled trial. The Recurrent Carotid Stenosis Study established whether antiplatelet therapy was beneficial in the prevention of recurrent carotid artery stenosis.

DESIGN NARRATIVE:

Randomized, double-blind. Eighty-three patients (90 endarterectomies) were randomly assigned to receive 325 mg of oral aspirin plus 75 mg of dipyridamole, beginning 12 hours pre-operatively, followed by a second dose administered within eight hours after the operation, and given three times daily thereafter for one year. Eighty patients (85 endarterectomies) received placebo. After the adequacy of the surgical procedure was confirmed by intraoperative angiography, restenosis at the endarterectomy sites was evaluated using serial duplex ultrasound before hospital discharge and at three-month intervals postoperatively for one year.

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 75 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Men and women who had recently undergone carotid endarterectomy.