TY - JOUR T1 - Effects and safety of aspirin use in patients after cerebrovascular bypass procedures JF - Stroke and Vascular Neurology JO - Stroke Vasc Neurol DO - 10.1136/svn-2020-000770 SP - svn-2020-000770 AU - Junlin Lu AU - Guangchao Shi AU - Yuanli Zhao AU - Rong Wang AU - Dong Zhang AU - Xiaolin Chen AU - Hao Wang AU - Ji Zong Zhao Y1 - 2021/05/25 UR - http://svn.bmj.com/content/early/2021/05/25/svn-2020-000770.abstract N2 - Object Superficial temporal artery to middle cerebral artery (STA-MCA) bypass is the most effective treatment for Moyamoya disease (MMD). In this study, we aimed to assess whether aspirin improves STA-MCA bypass patency and is safe in patients with MMD.Methods We performed a retrospective medical record review of patients with ischaemic-onset MMD who had undergone STA-MCA bypass at two hospitals between January 2011 and August 2018, to clarify the effects and safety of aspirin following STA-MCA bypass. The neurological status at the last follow-up (FU) was compared between patients with FU bypass patency and occlusion.ResultsAmong 217 identified patients (238 hemispheres), the mean age was 41.4±10.2 years, and 51.8% were male; the indications for STA-MCA bypass were stroke (48.2%), followed by a transient ischaemic attack (44.0%). Immediate bypass patency was confirmed in all cases. During the FU period (1.5±1.5 y), 15 cases were occluded at FU imaging, resulting in an overall cumulative patency rate of 94%. The patency rates were 93% and 94% in the short-term FU group (n=131, mean FU time 0.5±0.2 years) and long-term FU group (n=107, mean FU time 4.1±3.5 years), respectively. The STA-MCA bypass patency rate in the aspirin group was higher than that in the non-aspirin group (98.7% vs 89.7%; HR 1.57; 95% CI 1.106 to 2.235; p=0.012). No significant difference in the FU haemorrhagic events was observed between the aspirin and non-aspirin groups.Conclusions Among adult patients with ischaemic-onset MMD undergoing STA-MCA bypass procedures, aspirin might increase the bypass patency rate, without increasing the bleeding risk. FU bypass patency may be associated with a better outcome. Additional studies, especially carefully designed prospective studies, are needed to address the role of aspirin after bypass procedures.The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. ER -