Table 1.
Characteristics of the three eligible trials
| Reference | Setting | Design | Proportion stroke/TIA | Sex (% men) | Age (years) | No of patients randomised (clopidogrel/no clopidogrel) | Treatment onset | Intervention with dosages | Control with dosages | Duration of treatment/control follow-up (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kennedy (2007), FASTER | North America | Factorial design including a comparison between simvastatin and placebo | Acute minor stroke (NIHSS score ≤3)/TIA (WHO definition): Proportion not reported | 52.8 | 68.1 (13.1)* | 396 (201/195) | <24 hours; median: 8.2-9.1 hours | Loading dose 300 mg clopidogrel followed by 75 mg clopidogrel daily+81 mg aspirin daily for study duration. If patient naive to aspirin, loading dose 162 mg aspirin followed by 75 mg clopidogrel+81 mg aspirin daily for study duration | 81 mg aspirin daily, with loading dose of 162 mg aspirin if patient naive to aspirin before study enrolment | 90/90 |
| Wang (2013), CHANCE | China | Two treatment arms | Acute minor stroke (NIHSS score ≤3)/high risk TIA (ABCD2 score ≥4): 72.1%/27.9% | 66.2 | Intervention: (63, 55-72); control: (62, 54-71)† | 5170 (2584/2586) | <24 hours; mean 13 hours | 75-300 mg aspirin at discretion of physician, and loading dose 300 mg clopidogrel on day 1, followed by 75 mg clopidogrel+75 mg aspirin daily on days 2-21. Day 22-90, 75 mg clopidogrel alone | 75-300 mg aspirin at discretion of physician on day 1. 75 mg aspirin daily on day 2-90 | 21/90 |
| Johnston (2018), POINT | North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand | Two treatment arms | Acute minor ischaemic stroke (NIHSS score ≤3)/high risk TIA (ABCD2 score ≥4): 56.8%/43.2% | 55.0 | Intervention: (65, 37-96); control: (65, 56-74)† | 4881 (2432/2449) | <12 hours; mean 7 hours | A loading dose of 600 mg clopidogrel on day 1, followed by 75 mg clopidogrel+50 to 325 mg aspirin daily from day 2 through 90. Recommended initial dose of 162 mg aspirin for 5 days, followed by 81 mg aspirin daily | 50-325 mg aspirin daily day 2-90. Recommended initial dose of 162 mg aspirin for 5 days, followed by 81 mg aspirin daily | 90/90 |
*
Mean (SD).
†
Median (range).