Table 1

Inclusion and exclusion criteria of patients

Inclusion criteria	1. Age ≥18 years.
	2. Acute ischaemic stroke (diagnosed according to the AHA/ASA statement26) that can be randomised within 48 hours of symptom onset.
	3. Neurological deficit: 4≤NIHSS≤10.
	4. First-ever stroke or recurrent stroke without obvious neurological deficit (mRS≤1).
	5. Signed informed consent by the patient or legally authorised representatives.
Exclusion criteria	1. Intracranial haemorrhage and haemorrhagic cerebral infarction.
	2. Thrombolysis for ischaemic stroke.
	3. Allergy to clopidogrel and/or aspirin.
	4. Severe systemic disease (such as severe infection, severe hepatic and renal dysfunction).
	5. Clear indication for anticoagulation (cardiac source of embolism, atrial fibrillation, mechanical cardiac valves, deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism).
	6. History of intracranial haemorrhage.
	7. Planned treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to affect platelet function.
	8. Anticoagulation within 10 days.
	9. Gastrointestinal bleed or major surgery within 3 months.
	10. Planned or likely revascularisation (any angioplasty or vascular surgery) within the next 3 months.
	11. Planned surgery or intervention to stop antiplatelet therapy.
	12. Ischaemic stroke induced by angiography or surgery.
	13. Pregnancy or childbirth within the previous 4 weeks.
	14. Patients who have been treated with any other investigational drug within 3 months of enrolment.
	15. Severe non-cardiovascular comorbidity with life expectancy <3 months.

AHA, American Heart Association; ASA, American Stroke Association; mRS, modified Rankin Scale; NIHSS, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale.