Risk of intracranial injury after minor head trauma in patients with pre-injury use of clopidogrel.

Link to article at PubMed

Risk of intracranial injury after minor head trauma in patients with pre-injury use of clopidogrel.

Am J Emerg Med. 2013 Oct 8;

Authors: Levine M, Wyler B, Lovecchio F, Roque P, Raja AS

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Clopidogrel is an adenosine diphosphate receptor antagonist. The risk of intracranial hemorrhage following minor head trauma in patients with pre-injury use of clopidogrel has not been fully determined.
METHODS: This case-controlled study examined the effects of pre-injury use of clopidogrel in adult (age 14 years and older) patients with minor head trauma.
RESULTS: During the study period, 1660 patients head computed tomography scans were performed in the emergency department, of which 658 met inclusion criteria. Intracranial hemorrhage was noted in 30% of patients on clopidogrel, compared with 2.2% of those patients without pre-injury use of clopidogrel. After performing a logistic regression analysis for confounders, the pre-injury use of clopidogrel was significantly associated with intracranial hemorrhage in this study population (OR 16.7; 95% CI 1.71-162.7).
CONCLUSION: The use of clopidogrel is associated with a significantly increased risk of developing intracranial hemorrhage following minor trauma.

PMID: 24119451 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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