Abstract: AIM: To investigate the efficiency and safety of clopidogrel in preventing late malfunction in tunneled cuffed hemodialysis catheters. METHODS: 124 hemodialysis patients with tunneled cuffed hemodialysis catheters were randomly assigned to receive clopidogrel 50 mg per day or clopidogrel 100 mg per day and placebo, all followed for 6 months. The catheter function, use of urokinase, blood clotting index and medicine side-effect in three groups were compared. RESULTS: After treatment, the incidence rate of the catheter malfunction, the days of first intervention and the rate of use with the urokinase were all significantly decreased in clopidogrel 50 mg per day and clopidogrel 100 mg per day (P<0.05). The count of PLT in clopidogrel 100 mg per day was less than those in clopidogrel 50 mg per day(P<0.05).The time of PT and APTT in clopidogrel 100 mg per day was longer than those in clopidogrel 50 mg per day (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The clopidogrel 50 mg per day could prevent the late malfunction in tunneled cuffed hemodialysis catheters.

Key words: Clopidogrel, Hemodialysis, Tunneled cuffed catheter, Late malfunction