Influence of Baseline Anemia on Dual Antiplatelet Therapy Cessation and Risk of Adverse Events After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Background: Anemia is a well-recognized risk factor for both bleeding and ischemic events after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We sought to determine the impact of baseline anemia on dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) cessation patterns ≤2 years after PCI and the subsequent risk of clinical adverse events. Methods and Results: PARIS (Patterns of Non-Adherence to Dual Anti-Platelet Regimen in Stented Patients) was a prospective multicenter observational registry of PCI-treated patients (n=5018). Anemia was defined as baseline Hb (hemoglobin) <12 g/dL for men and <11 g/dL for women. DAPT cessation modes included physician-recommended discontinuation, temporary interruption (≤14 days), and disruption due to bleeding or noncompliance. The primary end point was 2-year major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, or target vessel revascularization. We identified 824 (18%) anemic and 4194 (82%) nonanemic patients. Anemic patients were older and had a h...