Siriraj Medical Journal (Apr 2020)
Comparison of Intensity of Platelet Aggregation between Patients Receiving Low and High Aspirin Dosage in Post CABG Patients
Abstract
Background: Aspirin used after coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) improved patient survival and reduced graft thrombosis. However, individual variations in the antiplatelet effect of aspirin have been reported among CABG patients. Objective: To compare the intensity of platelet aggregation between patients receiving low and high aspirin dosage in post CABG patients. Methods: We prospectively studied the effect of aspirin dosage on platelet aggregation in 100 CABG patients. Oral aspirin was discontinued prior to CABG and re-started within 12 hours after CABG. Blood samples were collected and transferred to a laboratory prior to surgery then again on postoperative days two and eight for platelet aggregation test and platelet count within three hours after venipuncture. Results: One hundred patients (sixty five male and thirty five female patients) post coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) were evaluated for eligibility to enter the trial. The percentage of platelet aggregation was compared between low dose (100 mg/day) aspirin, at postoperative CABG days 2 and 8, which showed no significant difference for the platelet aggregation (p = 0.161 post CABG day 2 and p = 0.098 post CABG day 8). Conclusion: Low dosage aspirin should be used in post CABG patients because the intensity of platelet aggregation between patients post CABG receiving low and high aspirin dosage were not different, while the prophylactic effect of the low aspirin dosage in reducing the risk of cardiovascular events proved equally as effective as the high aspirin dosage.
