Propensity score-adjusted analysis on early tirofiban administration to prevent thromboembolic complications during stand-alone coil embolization of ruptured aneurysms

Abstract The glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antagonist tirofiban has been shown to prevent thromboembolic events during endovascular procedures, but the benefits and risks of its prophylactic early intraprocedural administration for stand-alone coil embolization of acutely ruptured aneurysms are still unclear. We conducted a retrospective single-center analysis of patients treated for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage with stand-alone coil embolization. Two study cohorts were compared according to the primary prophylactic antithrombotic medication during the procedure: patients receiving only intravenous heparin (HEP) versus patients receiving tirofiban in addition to heparin prior to final aneurysm obliteration (HEP + TF). Outcome endpoints were the incidence of angiographically visible thrombus formation or distal embolization, and the incidence of periprocedural intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). Of 204 cases, 159 were prophylactically treated with HEP and 45 with HEP + TF. Intraprocedural thromboembolic events were less frequent with HEP + TF before and after propensity score matching (PSM) (2.5% vs. 19.7%, p = 0.017). The incidence of ICH and symptomatic ICH did not differ between HEP + TF and HEP before and after PSM (20.5% vs. 30.7%, p = 0.29; and 5.1% vs. 4%, p = 0.88). Early intraprocedural tirofiban administration may be effective in preventing thromboembolic complications during stand-alone coil embolization of acutely ruptured aneurysms without increasing the risk of ICH.