TY - JOUR T1 - Aspirin plus extended-release dipyridamole and clopidogrel were similarly effective for preventing recurrent stroke JF - Evidence Based Medicine JO - Evid Based Med SP - 46 LP - 47 DO - 10.1136/ebm.14.2.46 VL - 14 IS - 2 A2 - , Y1 - 2009/04/01 UR - http://ebm.bmj.com/content/14/2/46.abstract N2 - R L SaccoDr R L Sacco, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA; rsacco@med.miami.eduDesign:randomised controlled trial with 2 × 2 factorial design (Prevention Regimen for Effectively Avoiding Second Strokes [PRoFESS]). ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00153062.Allocation concealment:concealed.*Blinding:{blinded (patients, clinicians, data collectors, outcome assessors, safety committee, and data analysts)}†.*Setting:695 centres in 35 countries worldwide.Patients:20 332 patients ⩾50 years of age (mean age 66 y, 64% men) who had had an ischaemic stroke in the previous 120 days and were clinically and neurologically stable.Intervention:aspirin, 25 mg, plus extended-release dipyridamole (ERDP), 200 mg, twice daily (n = 10 181) or clopidogrel, 75 mg, once daily (n = 10 151). Patients were also randomised to telmisartan or placebo (see Yusuf abstract).Outcomes:recurrent stroke of any type, a composite end point (stroke, myocardial infarction, or death from vascular causes), and major bleeding. The trial had >82% power to reject the inferiority null hypothesis with a non-inferiority margin for the hazard ratio of 1.075.Follow-up period:mean 2.5 years.Patient follow-up:99% (intention-to-treat analysis).Rates of recurrent stroke were similar in the aspirin … ER -