Aims Thrombotic complications after percutaneous coronary intervention procedures have decreased in past years mainly due to the use of clopidogrel antiplatelet therapy. However, the risk of bleeding due to enhanced and irreversible platelet inhibition in patients who will require surgical coronary revascularization instead has not been adequately addressed in the literature. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of pre-operative clopidrogel exposure in haemorrhage-related re-exploration rates, peri-operative transfusion requirements, morbidity, and mortality in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. Methods and results A study population of 2359 patients undergoing isolated CABG between January 2000 and June 2002 was reviewed. Of these, 415 (17.6%) received clopidogrel prior to CABG surgery, and 1944 (82.4%) did not. A risk-adjusted logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between clopidogrel pre-medication (vs. no) and haemostatic re-operation, intraoperative and post-operative blood transfusion rates, and multiple transfusions received. Haemorrhage-related pre-operative risk factors identified from the literature and those found significant in a univariate model were used. Furthermore, a sub-cohort, matched-pair by propensity scores analysis, was also conducted. The clopidogrel group had a higher likelihood of haemostatic re-operation [OR=4.9, (95% CI, 2.63–8.97), P<0.01], an increase in total packed red blood cell transfusions [OR=2.2, (95% CI, 1.70–2.84), P<0.01], multiple unit blood transfusions [OR=1.9, (95% CI, 1.33–2.75), P<0.01] and platelet transfusions [OR=2.6, (95% CI, 1.95–3.56), P<0.01]. Surgical outcomes and operative mortality [OR=1.5, (95% CI, 0.36–6.51), P=0.56] were not significantly different. Conclusion Pre-operative clopidogrel exposure increases the risk of haemostatic re-operation and the requirements for blood and blood product transfusion during, and after, CABG surgery.

Background— Premedication with clopidogrel has reduced thrombotic complications after percutaneous coronary revascularization procedures. However, because of the enhanced and irreversible platelet inhibition by clopidogrel, patients requiring surgical revascularization have a higher risk of bleeding complications and transfusion requirements. A principal benefit of surgical coronary revascularization without cardiopulmonary bypass is its lower hemorrhagic sequelae. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of preoperative clopidogrel administration in the incidence of hemostatic reexploration, blood product transfusion rates, morbidity, and mortality in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery using a large patient sample and a risk-adjusted approach. Methods and Results— Two hundred eighty-one patients (17.9%) did and 1291 (82.1%) did not receive clopidogrel before their surgery, for a total of 1572 patients undergoing isolated off-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery between January 2000 and June 2002. Risk-adjusted logistic regression analyses and a matched pair analyses by propensity scores were used to assess the association between clopidogrel administration and reoperation as a result of bleeding, intraoperative and postoperative blood transfusions received, and the need for multiple transfusions. Hemorrhage-related preoperative risk factors identified in the literature and those found significant in a univariate model were used. The clopidogrel group had a higher likelihood of hemostatic reoperations (odds ratio [OR], 5.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.47 to 10.47; P <0.01) and an increased need in overall packed red blood cell (OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.94 to 3.60; P <0.01), multiple unit (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.07 to 2.48; P =0.02), and platelet (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.77 to 3.66; P <0.01) transfusions. Surgical outcomes and operative mortality (1.4% versus 1.4%; P =1.00) were not statistically different. Conclusions— Clopidogrel administration in the cardiology suite increases the risk for hemostatic reoperation and the requirements for blood product transfusions during and after off-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery.