Effect of ticagrelor on the function of tunneled cuffed catheter in maintenance hemodialysis patients.

Abstract

To observe the effect of ticagrelor on the function of a tunneled cuffed catheter (TCC) in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. Eighty MHD patients (control group: 39 cases, observation group: 41 cases) using TCC as vascular access were enrolled from January 2019 to October 2020 in this prospective study. Patients in the control group were routinely treated with aspirin for antiplatelet therapy, while patients in the observation group were treated with ticagrelor. The catheter life time, catheter dysfunction, coagulation function, and antiplatelet drug-related adverse events of the two groups were recorded. The median life time of TCC in the control group was significantly higher than that in the observation group. Moreover, the log rank test showed that the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Ticagrelor may reduce the incidence of catheter dysfunction and prolong the life time of the catheter by preventing and reducing the thrombosis of TCC in MHD patients, without obvious side effects.