Aspirin in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in the Women's Health Study: effect of noncompliance.

ABSTRACT: Randomized evidence for aspirin in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) among women is limited and suggests at most a modest effect for total CVD. Lack of compliance, however, can null-bias estimated effects. We used marginal structural models (MSMs) to estimate the etiologic effect of continuous aspirin use on CVD events among 39,876 apparently healthy female health professionals aged 45 years and older in the Women's Health Study, a randomized trial of 100 mg aspirin every other day versus placebo. As-treated analyses and MSMs controlled for time-varying determinants of aspirin use and CVD. Predictors of aspirin use differed by randomized group and prior use and included medical history, CVD risk factors, and intermediate CVD events. Previously reported intent-to-treat

SUBMITTER: Cook NR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3383873 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature