Effect of dipyridamole plus aspirin on hemodialysis graft patency
Dixon BS, Beck GJ, Vazquez MA, Greenberg A, Delmez JA, Allon M, Dember LM, Himmelfarb J, Gassman JJ, Greene T, Radeva MK, Davidson IJ, Ikizler TA, Braden GL, Fenves AZ, Kaufman JS, Cotton JR Jr, Martin KJ, McNeil JW, Rahman A, Lawson JH, Whiting JF, Hu B, Meyers CM, Kusek JW, Feldman HI, DAC Study Group. N Engl J Med. 2009 May 21;360(21):2191-201
This randomized controlled trial provides evidence that treatment with dipyridamole plus aspirin had a modest effect in reducing the risk of stenosis and improving the duration of primary unassisted patency of newly created grafts.
View the Accompanying editorial by C Lok
Antiplatelet therapy and vascular-access patency.
N Engl J Med. 2009 May 21;360(21):2240-2.



August 5th, 2009 at 12:30 am
While the intervention is simple and safe, I question whether this is an intervention which should actually change practice. The intervention simply delayed access complications rather than eliminating them and comes with a not insignificant cost.