Ticagrelor for Inflammation and Cardiovascular Risk in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease

What this study involves

The registry says this study is recruiting. Individual locations may have different availability.

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 2

Age range

21 years - 75 years

Sex eligible

All sexes

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

Participants

230 Estimated

These are starting points, not an eligibility decision. The research team must review the full requirements.

About the research

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if treatment with ticagrelor tablets can decrease inflammation in patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). Inflammation is thought to contribute to the risk of heart disease which is the leading cause of death in patients with CKD. Decreasing inflammation may decrease the risk of heart disease.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

• Why are patients with CKD at increased risk for heart disease and how to reduce that risk in the future.
• If there could be new treatment options for managing inflammation in blood of patients with CKD.

Researchers will compare Ticagrelor to a Placebo (a look-alike substance that contains no drug) to see if ticagrelor decreases inflammation in adult patients with CKD. A comparator (control) group not receiving the drug/placebo will consist of adults without CKD.

Participants with CKD will:

• Take ticagrelor 90 mg or placebo orally twice daily for 42 days
• Visit the clinic once every 2 weeks for checkups, tests, and bloodwork
• Participation will last approximately 12 weeks

Participants without CKD (control group) will visit the clinic twice (7 weeks apart) to provide information and bloodwork. Participation will last approximately 7 weeks with additional optional visits.

Who may be able to participate?

The list below is the sponsor’s full registry wording. It can include conditions, prior treatment, test results and other requirements. A match in search does not mean you qualify.

INCLUSION CRITERIA

Population 1: CKD Participants

• Provision of signed and dated written informed consent.
• Age 21 to 75 years at the time of screening, inclusive.
• Diagnosis of chronic kidney disease with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) \<45 ml/min/1.73m² as calculated by the CKD-EPI equation, confirmed from medical records or laboratory results.
• Currently receiving the maximally tolerated or labeled dose of a renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitor (RAASi) as guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT), or documentation of the reason for not receiving RAASi (e.g., intolerance, contraindication).

Population 2: Control Participants

• Provision of signed and dated written informed consent.
• Age 21 to 75 years at the time of screening, inclusive.
• Normal kidney function, defined as eGFR \>60 ml/min/1.73m² (CKD-EPI equation) and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) \<30 mg/g, confirmed from medical records or laboratory results.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA

Population 1: CKD Participants

• Unwilling or unable to participate in the protocol or comply with its components.
• End-stage renal disease (defined as receiving peritoneal dialysis or hemodialysis) or any prior solid organ or bone marrow transplant. Rationale: dialysis directly affects platelet function and would confound the primary endpoint.
• Acute kidney injury superimposed on CKD at the time of screening.
• Acute coronary syndrome, acute myocardial infarction, or acute cerebrovascular event within 6 months prior to screening. Rationale: these participants are likely receiving P2Y12 inhibitor therapy, and their enrollment would confound the primary endpoint.
• Hospitalization, major surgery, or use of systemic antibiotics within 1 month prior to screening. Rationale: these events are potentially associated with acute inflammatory changes that would confound baseline cytokine measurements.
• Blood dyscrasias, active bleeding of any site, or a known bleeding diathesis.
• History of gastrointestinal bleeding within 6 months prior to screening.
• Concomitant use of any antiplatelet agent other than aspirin (e.g., clopidogrel, prasugrel, dipyridamole) or any antithrombotic or anticoagulant medication (e.g., warfarin, direct oral anticoagulants) at the time of screening or anticipated need during the study period.
• Hemoglobin \<8 g/dL, white blood cell count \>20,000/μL, or platelet count \<50,000/μL at the time of screening.
• Any active malignancy requiring systemic treatment, or chronic liver disease (including cirrhosis or hepatitis with active inflammation).
• Current use of immunosuppressive medications (e.g., corticosteroids, calcineurin inhibitors, mycophenolate). Rationale: these medications independently alter cytokine profiles and leukocyte gene expression, confounding the primary and mechanistic endpoints.
• Age older than 75 years. Rationale: individuals older than 75 years carry a substantially higher risk of bleeding on antiplatelet therapy and are excluded for participant safety.
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding at the time of screening or plans to become pregnant during the study period. Women of reproductive potential will undergo a urine pregnancy test at screening (Visit 1); a positive result excludes from participation.
• Known severe hypersensitivity or allergy to ticagrelor or any component of the study drug formulation.
• Treatment with another investigational drug or other intervention ongoing, or within a month of randomization.
• Ongoing treatment for infection.

Population 2: Control Participants

• Any known diagnosis of chronic kidney disease, eGFR ≤60 ml/min/1.73m², or UACR ≥30 mg/g.
• Inability to sign consent and HIPAA form. Legal Authorized Representatives are not allowed to sign the consent form.
• Unwillingness or inability to participate in the protocol or comply with any of its components.
• Any current use of aspirin or NSAIDs and not willing to hold.
• Current use of antibiotics or ongoing infection.

Treatment, groups and participation

The registry may describe treatments and study duration without a complete visit calendar. Ask the study team for the exact schedule, procedures, risks, costs and alternatives. Keep your usual care plan unless your treating clinician tells you otherwise.

Assignment

Random assignment

Masking

Quadruple masked

What researchers are measuring

Outcome measures describe what is being studied. They are not proof that a treatment works.

Primary measures

Secondary measures

Research locations (1)

The overall study status and a local site’s status can differ. Confirm that location’s availability before traveling.

1 locations

Study team and timeline

Lead sponsor

University of Arkansas

Study start

2026-11 Estimated

Primary completion

2030-12 Estimated

Study completion

2031-07 Estimated

First posted

Nov 2, 2026 Actual

Last updated

Nov 10, 2026 Actual

Official study contacts