High clopidogrel dose in patients with chronic kidney disease having clopidogrel resistance after percutaneous coronary intervention.

We evaluated the impact of clopidogrel 150 mg/d in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) having clopidogrel resistance (CR) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI); 1076 consecutive patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) having CKD were enrolled. Maximal platelet aggregation (MPA) was assessed before, 24 hours, and 30 days after a 300-mg loading dose of clopidogrel prior to PCI. After PCI, 370 patients with CR were randomized to receive clopidogrel 75 mg/d (n = 184) or 150 mg/d (n = 186) for 30 days. Stent thrombosis (ST), major adverse cardiac events (MACEs), and bleeding were analyzed after 1 month. Patients in the 150 mg group had significant lower rates of ST and MACE. There was no significant difference in major or minor bleeding. Patients in the 150 mg group had lower MPA and greater inhibition of platelet aggregation. One-month administration of 150 mg/d of clopidogrel decreases the rate of ST and MACE without increasing bleeding in patients with CKD having CR after PCI.