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AimThis open-label, randomized, and multicentre trial tested the hypothesis that, on a background of aspirin, continuing clopidogrel would be superior to stopping clopidogrel at 12 months following drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation. Methods and resultsPatients (N ¼ 1799) who had undergone placement of ≥1 DES for stable coronary artery disease or acute coronary syndrome were included in 58 French sites (January 2009-January 2013. Patients (N ¼ 1385) free of major cardiovascular/cerebrovascular events or major bleeding and on aspirin and clopidogrel 12 months after stenting were eligible for randomization (1:1) between continuing clopidogrel 75 mg daily (extended-dual antiplatelet therapy, DAPT, group) or discontinuing clopidogrel (aspirin group). The primary outcome was net adverse clinical events defined as the composite of death, myocardial infarction, stroke, or major bleeding. Follow-up was planned from a minimum of 6 to a maximum of 36 months after randomization. Owing to slow recruitment, the study was stopped after enrolment of 1385 of a planned 1966 patients. Median follow-up after stenting was 33.4 months. The primary outcome occurred in 40 patients (5.8%) in the extended-DAPT group and 52 in the aspirin group (7.5%; hazard ratio 0.75, 95% confidence interval 0.50 -1.28; P ¼ 0.17). Rates of death were 2.3% in the extended-DAPT group and 3.5% in the aspirin group (HR 0.65, 95% CI 0.34 -1.22; P ¼ 0.18). Rates of major bleeding were identical (2.0%, P ¼ 0.95). ... .... ..... ..... ..... .... ..... ..... ..... ..... .... ..... ..... ..... .... ..... ..... ..... .... ..... ..... ..... .... ..... ..... ..... .... ..... ..... ..... ..... .... ..... ..... ..... .... ..... .. ConclusionsExtended DAPT did not achieve superiority in reducing net adverse clinical events compared to 12 months of DAPT after DES placement. The power of the OPTIDUAL trial was however low and reduced by premature termination of enrolment. ClinicalTrials.gov number

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NCT00673036.

These results suggest that poststenting treatment by ticlopidine/aspirin is an effective alternative to coumadin anticoagulation, achieving low rates of subacute closure and bleeding complications. LMWH treatment does not improve subacute reocclusion rates but increases bleeding complications. Furthermore, as bleeding complications were independently related to sheath size, we suggest that stenting with 6F guiding catheters may prevent local complications. Furthermore, the ticlopidine/aspirin combination allows a low-cost stenting strategy without ultrasound assessment of stent deployment and permits short inhospital stay.