Ticagrelor is related to nuisance bleeding after flow diversion of unruptured intracranial aneurysms

Nuisance bleeding (NB) without urgent medical attention is rarely characterized despite its frequent occurrence in patients with cerebral aneurysms undergoing flow diversion (FD) who are maintained on dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT). This study explored the risk factors for NB. Patients with unruptured cerebral aneurysms who underwent intervention using FD (July 2018 to May 2022) and had follow-up data were enrolled. Patient demographics, clinical characteristics, aneurysm features and follow-up data were analysed. Bleeding complications were classified as NB, internal bleeding and alarming bleeding. NB was characterized by easy bruising, bleeding from small cuts and nonfatal petechiae and ecchymosis. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to determine risk factors for NB. This study assessed 121 patients. Of these, 52 (43.0%) patients had NB. Compared with the non-bleeding group, the NB group had more females (82.7% vs. 56.5%; p = 0.003), lower smoking rate (7.7% vs. 23.2%; p = 0.027) and smaller aneurysms (6.65 mm [4.60–9.60 mm] vs. 8.82 mm [5.65–15.65 mm]; p = 0.007) and had more patients maintained on ticagrelor-containing DAPT regimen (90.4% vs. 66.7%; p = 0.002). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that ticagrelor-containing DAPT regimen (odds ratio, 3.91; 95% confidence interval, 1.29–11.87; p = 0.016) was associated with NB. These results suggest that NB is a common bleeding complaint in patients on DAPT. In patients undergoing FD, DAPT with ticagrelor was the only independent risk factor for NB.