• Ming-Hsun Lin, Chien-Hsing Lee, Chin Lin, Yi-Fen Zou, Chieh-Hua Lu, Chang-Hsun Hsieh, and Cho-Hao Lee.
• Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11490, Taiwan. tim6801@msn.com.
• J Clin Med. 2019 May 5; 8 (5).

BackgroundEvidence of low-dose aspirin as the primary prevention strategy for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in diabetes are unclear. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of low-dose aspirin use for the primary prevention of CVD in diabetes.MethodsWe collected randomized controlled trials of low-dose aspirin for the primary prevention of CVD in adults with diabetes lasting at least 12 months from Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library up to 10 November 2018. Two reviewers extracted data and appraised the reporting quality according to a predetermined protocol (CRD4201811830). This review was conducted using Cochrane standards, trial sequential analysis, and the Grading of Recommendation. The primary outcomes were major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE, including non-fatal myocardial infarction, ischemia stroke, and cardiovascular death) and an incidence of major hemorrhage (major intracranial hemorrhage and major gastrointestinal bleeding).ResultsIn this primary prevention (number = 29,814 participants) meta-analysis, low-dose aspirin use reduced the risk of MACE by 9% and increased the risk of major hemorrhage by 24%. The benefits were only observed in subjects of age ≥ 60 years while reducing the same risk of MACE. In efficacy, it reduced the risk of stroke but not myocardial infarction. No increase in all-cause mortality or cardiovascular death was observed.ConclusionsWe suggested the use of low-dose aspirin as the primary prevention strategy for CVD in diabetes, particularly in an older population. The absolute benefits were largely counterbalanced by the bleeding hazard.

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