Low-Dose Aspirin in Polycythemia Vera

Among patients who didn't have histories of thrombosis, aspirin therapy reduced thrombotic events during 3 years, without increasing major bleeding events.

Thrombotic complications occur frequently in patients with polycythemia vera; however, the safety of prophylactic aspirin is controversial. In a multicenter, randomized, double-blind European study, 518 patients with polycythemia vera received either enteric coated aspirin (100 mg daily) or placebo. Most patients had undergone phlebotomy, cytoreductive drug therapy, or both; about 90% had no previous history of arterial or venous thrombosis. At baseline, mean hematocrit was 48%, and mean platelet count was 382,000/mm³.

During an average follow-up of 3 years, a primary combined endpoint (myocardial infarction, stroke, pulmonary embolism, major venous thrombosis, or cardiovascular death) occurred significantly less often in the aspirin group t…

Reviewing Author

Allan S. Brett, MD