Evaluation of poly-N-acetyl glucosamine as a hemostatic agent in patients undergoing cardiac catheterization: a double-blind, randomized study.
BACKGROUND
This is the first blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of poly-N-acetyl glucosamine (p-GLcNAc) in improving hemostasis in patients undergoing cardiac catheterization.


METHODS
Patients were randomly assigned to have either a placebo-treated (n = 17) or a p-GlcNAc-treated (n = 16) 3 x 3-cm patch topically placed at the femoral insertion site at the completion of their catheterization procedure with a mechanical pressure clamp applied over it. The amount of pressure was measured.


RESULTS
Although the placebo group had slightly higher clamp pressure applied to the femoral arterial puncture site at the end of the catheterization procedure (189 +/- 47 vs. 149 +/- 49 mm Hg, p = 0.042), the time to effective hemostasis (16 +/- 7 vs. 10 +/- 3 minutes, p = 0.01) was decreased in the p-GlcNAc group by 37%.


CONCLUSIONS
The application of p-GlcNAc patches improved hemostasis at the arterial puncture site in patients undergoing cardiac catheterization.
Department of Surgery, VA Boston Healthcare System, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02132, USA.
Samer F
SF
Najjar
Nancy A
NA
Healey
Christine M
CM
Healey
Thomas
T
McGarry
Ban
B
Khan
Hemant S
HS
Thatte
Shukri F
SF
Khuri
D000117:Acetylglucosamine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000368:Aged; D001458:Bandages; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D001794:Blood Pressure; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003250:Constriction; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004903:Erythrocyte Aggregation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery; D006339:Heart Rate; D006488:Hemostasis, Surgical / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D006490:Hemostatics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011312:Pressure; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D006490:Hemostatics; C113831:poly-N-acetyl glucosamine; D000117:Acetylglucosamine