Elevated coronary calcium scores are associated with higher residual platelet aggregation after clopidogrel treatment in patients with stable angina pectoris

Int J Cardiol. 2009 Jun 12;135(1):132-5. doi: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2008.02.020. Epub 2008 Jul 7.

Abstract

High coronary calcium scores are known to be associated with elevated all-cause mortality. Moreover, low response to clopidogrel influences cardiovascular outcome after coronary stent placement. We sought to evaluate whether elevated calcium scores measured by cardiac computed tomography are associated with a higher residual platelet aggregation (RPA) after treatment with clopidogrel. Thus, in 62 patients coronary calcium scoring was measured prior to stent implantation. RPA was assessed by ADP (20 micromol/L)-induced aggregometry at least 6 h after administration of a loading dose of 600 mg clopidogrel. We found a significant correlation between ASE and RPA (r2 = 0.135, p = 0.0033, slope 7.809 +/- 2.549). Patients within the first quartile of ASE had significantly lower RPA after administration of clopidogrel than other patients (p < 0.05). Establishing a threshold of 200 ASE responsiveness to clopidogrel could be predicted with a positive predictive value of 80% and a specificity of 91%. In conclusion, we could demonstrate that patients with a low coronary plaque burden are more likely to have low RPA. Coronary calcium scoring might help to identify low responders to clopidogrel prior to stent placement and aggregometry.

Publication types

  • Letter

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Angina Pectoris / drug therapy*
  • Angina Pectoris / metabolism
  • Calcium / metabolism*
  • Clopidogrel
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Myocardium / metabolism
  • Platelet Aggregation / drug effects*
  • Platelet Aggregation / physiology
  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Ticlopidine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Ticlopidine / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors
  • Clopidogrel
  • Ticlopidine
  • Calcium