By Dr. Chinta SidharthanFeb 12 2024Reviewed by Susha Cheriyedath, M.Sc. In a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, a team of researchers, including the team that conducted the Aspirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly clinical trial, analyzed the preliminary data from the trial to understand whether a daily dose of aspirin provided any benefits in increasing the disability-free survival rates in older adults.
The primary end-point of the clinical trial was to assess disability-free survival, which essentially included the absence of dementia and other persistent physical disabilities that decreased the lifespan of the individual. The clinical trial reported that there were no significant differences between the treatment and placebo groups in terms of the primary end-points. However, deaths were higher in the aspirin group than in the placebo group.
The proximal cause of death was also independently established for each mortality case, and cancer-related deaths were tabulated. The data was analyzed, and Cox-proportional hazards models were employed to calculate the hazard ratios for specific cause-related deaths and deaths from any cause, which were then compared between the treatment and placebo groups. Furthermore, a post-hoc analysis was carried out to explain specific causes of death.
However, contrasting results have been reported by studies that have meta-analyzed data from other similar prevention clinical trials. Those studies have found that continuous treatment with aspirin for four to five years exhibits a protective effect on cancer-related deaths. The metastasis rates among groups that were treated with aspirin were also found to be lower as compared to groups that received the placebo.