Aspirin-Free Strategy After 3-6 Month Dual Antiplatelet Therapy in Acute Coronary Syndrome

Aspirin-Free Strategy After 3-6 Month Dual Antiplatelet Therapy in Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients Who Underwent Complete Revascularization : A Randomized Controlled Trial

This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of an aspirin-free strategy after 3-6 months of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) who have undergone complete coronary revascularization by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Participants will be randomized to either discontinue aspirin and continue P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy or continue standard antiplatelet therapy. The primary objective is to determine whether the aspirin-free strategy reduces bleeding events without increasing ischemic events during follow-up.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Dual Anti-platelet Therapy; Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI)
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Aspirin-Free Strategy; Drug: Dual Antiplatelet Therapy

Detailed Description

Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) remains a leading cause of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity worldwide. Current management of ACS-including ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), and high-risk unstable angina (UA)-relies on early invasive revascularization using Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) with contemporary Drug-Eluting Stents (DES). Following PCI, endothelial injury and stent implantation activate platelet aggregation and thrombosis, making Dual Antiplatelet Therapy (DAPT) with aspirin plus a P2Y12 inhibitor the standard treatment to prevent stent thrombosis and recurrent ischemic events. International guidelines have traditionally recommended 12 months of DAPT after ACS. However, prolonged DAPT increases the risk of bleeding, including gastrointestinal and intracranial hemorrhage, which is associated with higher mortality, treatment discontinuation, poor adherence, and increased healthcare utilization.

To improve the balance between ischemic protection and bleeding risk, several landmark randomized trials-including TWILIGHT, TICO, STOPDAPT-2, STOPDAPT-3, SMART-CHOICE, and GLOBAL LEADERS-have investigated abbreviated DAPT followed by P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy after 1-3 months of treatment. These studies consistently demonstrated a significant reduction in major bleeding without a corresponding increase in major ischemic outcomes, including myocardial infarction or stent thrombosis.

Despite these promising findings, most available evidence has been generated in East Asian populations, where genetic factors, including CYP2C19 polymorphisms, and differences in thrombotic and bleeding risk may limit the generalizability of the results to other populations This clinical trial aims to address this important evidence gap by evaluating the safety and efficacy of abbreviated DAPT followed by P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy in a non-Asian ACS population undergoing PCI with contemporary drug-eluting stents

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 300
• Phase: Phase 4

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Asmaa Sayed Shaban, MBBch; Phone Number: +2013840163; Email: asmaasayed641@yahoo.com

Study Locations

• Egypt
  • Asyut Governorate
    • Asyut, Asyut Governorate, Egypt, 71515
      • Assiut University hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• 1. Must have an established, objectively confirmed diagnosis of an acute coronary syndrome, classified as STEMI, NSTEMI, or high-risk Unstable Angina.

  2. Underwent successful PCI with deployment of contemporary drug-eluting stents (DES) and TIMI 3 flow.

  3. Achieved documented complete revascularization of all angiographically significant lesions during the index procedure.

  4. Maintained absolute adherence to standard, uncomplicated combination DAPT for exactly 30 ± 7 days following the index PCI, remaining completely free of any ischemic or bleeding events during this initial month.

  5. Patient is fully coherent, cooperative, able to comply with the mandated multi-month follow-up schedule, and has provided independent, written, personally signed informed consent prior to randomization.

Exclusion Criteria:

Left Main (LM) Coronary Artery Disease & bifurcation lesions with 2 stents : Any angiographically documented significant stenosis (>50% diameter stenosis) involving the unprotected left main coronary artery trunk, regardless of whether it was treated with a stent during the index procedure or left untreated.

2. Incomplete Revascularization / Residual Target Lesions: Presence of any remaining untreated coronary lesion with >50% diameter stenosis in any major epicardial vessel or branch with a reference vessel diameter ≥2.0 mm that requires, or is planned to require, any future surgical or percutaneous revascularization within the next 12 months. This 'other lesion' exclusion ensures a fully revascularized cohort.

3. Any prior historical or documented acute, subacute, or late definitive stent thrombosis.

4. High baseline ischemic features including end-stage chronic kidney disease (eGFR < 30 mL/min/1.73m²), severe left ventricular dysfunction (LVEF < 30%), or an un-revascularized multi-vessel burden with high residual SYNTAX score (>22).

5. Definitive clinical indication for continuous, long-term oral anticoagulation therapy (e.g., atrial fibrillation, mechanical valves, deep vein thrombosis, or pulmonary embolism).

6. Active major pathological bleeding, history of any spontaneous or traumatic intracranial hemorrhage, vascular malformations of the central nervous system, or an established bleeding diathesis.

7. Active system-wide infections, or documented chronic systemic inflammatory or autoimmune disorders (such as severe active rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, polymyalgia rheumatica, active inflammatory bowel disease), or active malignancies, which confound baseline leukocyte values.

8. Known severe hypersensitivity, documented allergy, or major medical intolerance to acetylsalicylic acid (Aspirin) or clopidogrel (Plavix).

-

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Aspirin + clopidogrel; Aspirin will be discontinued after 3-6 months of dual antiplatelet therapy. Participants will continue P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy (Clopidogrel 75 mg once daily or Ticagrelor 90 mg twice daily, according to the treating physician) for the remainder of the follow-up.	Drug: Aspirin-Free Strategy; Aspirin will be discontinued after 3-6 months of dual antiplatelet therapy, and participants will continue P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy for the remainder of the study follow-up
Active Comparator: Standered Antiplatelet Therapy (Aspirin + Clopidogrel); Participants will continue standard antiplatelet therapy according to current guideline-directed management after complete coronary revascularization.	Drug: Dual Antiplatelet Therapy; Participants will continue standard antiplatelet therapy according to current clinical practice after complete coronary revascularization.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Net adverse clinical events	Composite of major adverse cardiovascular events (cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, or definite/probable stent thrombosis) and major bleeding (BARC type 3 or 5).	12 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events (MACE)	Major Adverse Cardiac Events (MACE): A strict composite endpoint consisting of cardiovascular mortality, non-fatal myocardial infarction, or acute ischemic stroke.; Cardiovascular Mortality: Incorporates any death resulting from an acute myocardial infarction, sudden cardiac death, fatal cardiac arrest, cardiogenic shock, terminal heart failure, fatal stroke, or any death directly caused by a documented procedural complication related to the index or staged PCI.; Myocardial Infarction (MI): Diagnosed and classified in strict accordance with the Fourth Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarction (Type 1 spontaneous, Type 2 demand mismatch, Type 4a PCI-related).; Stent Thrombosis (ST): Formally categorized according to the Academic Research Consortium (ARC) consensus definitions into definite, probable, or possible stent thrombosis. Definite Stent Thrombosis requires unequivocal angiographic confirmation of a thrombus originating within or directly adjacent to the stented segment	12 months
Bleeding	The primary safety outcome is the occurrence of bleeding complications, which will be characterized using the international Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) consensus	12 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Assiut University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): July 15, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): July 30, 2029
• Study Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2030

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 25, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 29, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): July 30, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 30, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 29, 2026
• Last Verified: July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Vascular Diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases; Heart Diseases; Myocardial Ischemia; Acute Coronary Syndrome
• Other Study ID Numbers: Aspirin-free strategy2542

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: There is no plan to share individual participant data.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: Yes
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: Yes