Aspirin and Clopidogrel Reactivity in Patients With Critical Limb Ischemia (CLI)

This prospective clinical study will investigate the prevalence of high on- treatment platelet reactivity (HPR) in one hundred patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI), at the Keck Hospital of USC and Los Angeles County Medical Center (LAC+USC). Platelet inhibition to aspirin will be evaluated with the VerifyNow® aspirin (ASA) test. Clopidogrel platelet inhibition will be evaluated with two different tests: the vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) and the VerifyNow® purigenic receptor P2Y12 (VN-P2Y12) assays. All platelet function analyses will be performed once after a minimum of one week of uninterrupted dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and clopidogrel. High on-treatment Platelet Reactivity on aspirin treatment (HPRA) group will be defined as aspirin reaction units (ARU) ≥550 by the VerifyNow® ASA assay. High on-treatment Platelet Reactivity on clopidogrel (HPRC) group will be defined as P2Y12 reaction units (PRU) ≥208 by the VerifyNow® assay and Vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein-platelet reactivity index (VASP-PRI) ≥50% by the vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) assay. All other patients will be assigned to the adequate platelet reactivity on therapy (APR) group. Prevalence of high on-treatment platelet reactivity will then be calculated for aspirin and/or clopidogrel

Inclusion criteria

• EXPERIMENTAL GROUP: Patients with a diagnosis of critical limb ischemia (CLI) and uninterrupted treatment with aspirin and/or clopidogrel for at least one week before testing.
• CONTROL GROUP: 10 normal volunteers without any known co-morbidities

Exclusion criteria

• Chronic use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, thrombocytopenia (platelet count <100 × 103/μl), use of an oral anticoagulant (warfarin), glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa inhibitors, or fibrinolytic drugs within 30 days before testing. Any documented history of hypercoaguable states or history of medication non-compliance.