ASPREE and ASPREE-XT studies
Don’t we already know enough about aspirin?
ASPREE addressed a lack of evidence about aspirin’s benefit in older, healthy people. Very few primary prevention aspirin studies have included people aged over 70. The follow-up ASPREE-XT study will examine the longer term incidence of cancer, cognitive decline and frailty. ASPREE-XT also aims to identify demographic, health, genetic and environmental factors that affect thinking and memory, physical health and wellbeing in older people.
At the heart of the ASPREE and ASPREE-XT studies is a goal to discover how to maintain years of good quality life. The results will be relevant to many ageing people around the world.
Overview of ASPREE and ASPREE-XT
Purpose:
- ASPREE was the largest primary prevention aspirin study ever undertaken in healthy older people. It examined whether daily low-dose aspirin prevented or delayed the onset of age-related illness such as cardiovascular disease (e.g. a first heart attack and stroke), dementia, depression and certain cancers and if the benefits outweighed the risks, such as bleeding.
- ASPREE study findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine in September 2018. More information about ASPREE results can be found in this NIA announcement and Q&As. Further ASPREE study findings are being prepared for publication.
- ASPREE-XT is the first follow-up observational study examining potential longer term effects of aspirin on cancer, dementia and factors affecting frailty in healthy older people.
Study conduct:
- ASPREE was a randomised, double-blind placebo controlled study in 19,114 males and females, mostly 70 years of age and older (16,703 in Australia and 2411 in the US).
- Participants were randomly assigned (or randomised) to take either a low-dose aspirin tablet (100 mg) or a matching placebo tablet (dummy pill) for an average of 4.7 years.
- ASPREE-XT is an observational study of ASPREE participants. There are no study tablets to take and no fasting blood tests.
- ASPREE-XT study visits are conducted in the same locations throughout Australia and the United States as ASPREE
- Annual study visits, which collect health, clinical and other measurements, are similar to ASPREE. GPs will be provided with a summary of measures from your ASPREE-XT visit.
Study oversight and funding:
- In Australia, Monash University led the ASPREE trial and leads the ASPREE-XT study; the Berman Center for Outcomes and Clinical Research – Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute leads in the USA.
- ASPREE was funded by the USA and Australian governments. The first year of ASPREE-XT study visits were funded by the USA and Australian governments.
Sub-studies:
- The ASPREE trial has several sub-studies.