COMPASS study demonstrated efficacy of dual pathway inhibition with 2.5 mg twice daily rivaroxaban and aspirin in patients with polyvascular disease (coronary artery disease, peripheral arterial disease or both), the underlying mechanism of which is not clearly understood. In this Phase IV, prospective, open-label and randomized study, we hypothesize that treatment with rivaroxaban is associated with a reduction in platelet activation and aggregation, inflammation and coagulation markers. 30 patients will be randomly treated with aspirin (81 mg q.d.) or aspirin plus rivaroxaban (2.5 mg b.i.d.) for 12 weeks. Platelet aggregation, platelet activation and inflammation markers, thrombin generation kinetics and tissue factor-induced platelet-fibrin clot strength will be measured at baseline, and 4 and 12 weeks after randomization. Trial registration number: NCT04059679.
Keywords: FXa inhibitor; bleeding; coagulation; coronary artery disease; inflammation; peripheral artery disease; platelet; platelet aggregation.