Abstract 299: Association of Chronic Lung Disease with Treatments and Outcomes of Acute Coronary Syndromes: Results from the NCDR®

Background: Previous reports are conflicting regarding outcomes, treatments, and processes of care after acute myocardial infarction (MI) for patients with chronic lung disease (CLD).

Methods: Using the NCDR ACTION Registry ® -GWTG ™ (AR-G), demographics, clinical characteristics, treatments, processes of care, and in-hospital adverse events after NSTEMI and STEMI were compared between patients with (n= 22,624; 14.2%) and without (n= 136,266; 85.8%) CLD. CLD was defined by a history of COPD, chronic bronchitis, or emphysema. Multivariable adjustment using published AR-G in-hospital mortality and major bleeding risk adjustment models was performed to quantify the impact of CLD on treatments and outcomes.

Results: CLD was present in 10.1% of STEMI patients and 17.0% of NSTEMI patients. In both STEMI and NSTEMI, CLD patients were older, more likely to be female, and had more comorbidities including diabetes, renal disease, prior MI and heart failure, compared to those without CLD. Although on admission CLD patients were more likely to be on cardiovascular medications, by discharge slightly fewer CLD patients received composite core measures (aspirin, beta-blockers, ACE-inhibitors, and statins) (table). In NSTEMI, CLD was also associated with less use of invasive procedures and with increased risk of both death and major bleeding. In STEMI, major bleeding but not mortality was increased.

Conclusions: CLD is a common comorbidity and is independently associated with an increased risk for major bleeding after MI. In NSTEMI, CLD is also associated with receiving fewer evidence-based medications, less timely angiography and revascularization, and increased in-hospital mortality. Close attention should be given to this high-risk subgroup for the prevention and management of bleeding complications after MI, and further investigation is needed to determine the reasons for treatment and outcome disparities in NSTEMI.

Comparison of three age groups regarding safety and efficacy of drug-eluting stents (from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Dynamic Registry)

Limited data exist regarding drug-eluting stent (DES) versus bare metal stent (BMS) use in older patients. From the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Dynamic Registry, 5,089 percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)-treated patients were studied (October 2001 to August 2006). The differences in 1-year safety (death, myocardial infarction, and their composite) and efficacy (target vessel revascularization [TVR] with PCI and repeat revascularization) outcomes were compared between the patients who received DESs versus BMSs within each age group: <65 years (n = 2,680); 65 to 79 years (n = 1,942); ≥80 years (n = 443). No differences were found in the safety outcomes by stent type in any age group at 1 year. Regarding the effectiveness, lower rates of TVR with PCI and repeat revascularization were observed in the DES patients across all age groups. After propensity-adjusted analysis, the risk of TVR with PCI and repeat revascularization favored DES versus BMS with patients <65 years old (7.4% vs 14.6%, hazard ratio [HR] 0.44, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.32 to 0.60; 12.3% vs and 17.4%, HR 0.65, 95% CI 0.51 to 0.84, respectively), 65 to 79 years old (4.8% vs 9.5%, HR 0.50, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.80; and 7.6% vs 12.3%, HR 0.62, 95% CI 0.44 to 0.88, respectively), and ≥80 years old (4.5% vs 10.4%, HR 0.15, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.44; and 6.0% vs 14.5%, HR 0.18, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.40, respectively). In conclusion, significant reductions in TVR with PCI and repeat revascularization were noted in all 3 age groups without increases in death or myocardial infarction in this large multicenter PCI registry. Our data support the use of DES, regardless of age.

Outcomes of small coronary artery stenting with bare-metal stents versus drug-eluting stents: results from the NHLBI Dynamic Registry

OBJECTIVES

Examine 1-year outcomes of patients with small coronary arteries in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Dynamic Registry (NHLBI) undergoing drug-eluting stent (DES) vs. bare-metal stent (BMS) placement.

BACKGROUND

While randomized trials of DES vs. BMS demonstrate reduced target vessel revascularization, it is unclear whether similar outcomes are seen in unselected patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for small coronary arteries.

METHODS

Utilizing patients from the NHLBI Registry Waves 1-3 for BMS (1997-2002) and Waves 4-5 for DES (2004 and 2006), demographic, angiographic, in-hospital, and 1-year outcome data of patients with small coronary arteries treated with BMS (n = 686) vs. DES (n = 669) were evaluated. Small coronary artery was defined as 2.50-3.00 mm in diameter.

RESULTS

Compared to BMS-treated patients, the mean lesion length of treated lesions was longer in the DES treated group (16.7 vs. 13.1 mm, P < 0.001) and the mean reference vessel size of attempted lesions was smaller (2.6 vs. 2.7 mm, P < 0.001). Adjusted analyses of 1-year outcomes revealed that DES patients were at lower risk to undergo coronary artery bypass graft surgery (Hazard Ratio [HR] 0.40, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.17-0.95, P = 0.04), repeat PCI (HR 0.53, 95% CI 0.35-0.82, P = 0.004), and experience the combined major adverse cardiovascular event rate (HR 0.59, 95% CI 0.42-0.83, P = 0.002). There was no difference in the risk of death and myocardial infarction (MI) (HR 0.78, 95% CI 0.46-1.35, P = 0.38).

CONCLUSIONS

In this real-world registry, patients with small coronary arteries treated with DES had significantly lower rates of repeat revascularization and major adverse cardiovascular events at 1 year compared to patients treated with BMS, with no increase in the risk of death and MI. These data confirm the efficacy and safety of DES over BMS in the treatment of small coronary arteries in routine clinical practice.

Increased adverse events after percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with COPD: insights from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute dynamic registry

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have demonstrated that patients with COPD are at higher risk for death after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), but other clinical outcomes and possible associations with adverse events have not been described.

METHODS

Using waves 1 through 5 (1999-2006) of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Dynamic Registry, patients with COPD (n = 860) and without COPD (n = 10,048) were compared. Baseline demographics, angiographic characteristics, and in-hospital and 1-year adverse events were compared.

RESULTS

Patients with COPD were older (mean age 66.8 vs 63.2 years, P < .001), more likely to be women, and more likely to have a history of diabetes, prior myocardial infarction, peripheral arterial disease, renal disease, and smoking. Patients with COPD also had a lower mean ejection fraction (49.1% vs 53.0%, P < .001) and a greater mean number of significant lesions (3.2 vs 3.0, P = .006). Rates of in-hospital death (2.2% vs 1.1%, P = .003) and major entry site complications (6.6% vs 4.2%, P < .001) were higher in pulmonary patients. At discharge, pulmonary patients were significantly less likely to be prescribed aspirin (92.4% vs 95.3%, P < .001), β-blockers (55.7% vs 76.2%, P < .001), and statins (60.0% vs 66.8%, P < .001). After adjustment, patients with COPD had significantly increased risk of death (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.01-1.67) and repeat revascularization (HR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.02-1.46) at 1 year, compared with patients without COPD.

CONCLUSIONS

COPD is associated with higher mortality rates and repeat revascularization within 1 year after PCI. These higher rates of adverse outcomes may be associated with lower rates of guideline-recommended class 1 medications prescribed at discharge.

Clinical implications of the BARI 2D and COURAGE trials: the evolving role of percutaneous coronary intervention

This review outlines the evolving role of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for stable angina in the context of the widely discussed Clinical Outcomes Utilizing Revascularization and Aggressive Drug Evaluation (COURAGE) and Bypass Angioplasty Revascularization Investigation 2 Diabetes (BARI 2D) trials. Factors outlined include defining the appropriate patient population, the clinical circumstances, and the technical aspects of the procedure to optimize clinical outcomes and minimize risk. The COURAGE Trial, as others reported earlier, reported no difference in death or myocardial infarction with PCI compared with medical therapy for stable angina. In patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in the BARI 2D Trial, a strategy of revascularization with coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) or PCI resulted in no difference in mortality compared with optimal medical therapy. However, PCI for stable angina was associated with reduced angina and improved quality of life. Procedural aspects of PCI that support its continuing role in the management of patients with stable angina include the frequent advancements in PCI technology that have further enhanced both acute and long-term success. In conclusion, the implications of these findings for clinical practice include evaluating the use of PCI for stable angina in addition to optimal medical therapy to reduce angina and improve quality of life, but individualizing care for higher risk patients with more complex coronary artery disease who were not enrolled in the COURAGE and BARI 2D trials.

Temporal changes in the outcomes of patients with diabetes mellitus undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute dynamic registry

BACKGROUND

Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) are at higher risk for adverse outcomes following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

METHODS

To determine whether outcomes have improved over time, we analyzed data from 2,838 consecutive patients with medically treated DM, including 1,066 patients (37.6%) treated with insulin, in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Dynamic Registry undergoing PCI registered in waves 1 (1997-1998), 2 (1999), 3 (2001-2002), 4 (2004), and 5 (2006). We compared baseline demographics and 1-year outcomes in the overall cohort and in analyses stratified by recruitment wave and insulin use.

RESULTS

Crude mortality rates by chronological wave were 9.5%, 12.5%, 8.9%, 11.6%, and 6.6% (P value(trend) = .33) among those treated with insulin and, respectively, 9.7%, 6.5%, 4.1%, 5.4%, and 4.7% (P value(trend) = .006) among patients treated with oral agents,. The adjusted hazard ratios of death, myocardial infarction (MI), and overall major adverse cardiovascular events (death, MI, revascularization) in insulin-treated patients with DM in waves 2 to 5 as compared with wave 1 were either higher or the same. In contrast, the similar adjusted hazard ratios for oral agent-treated patients with DM were either similar or lower.

CONCLUSIONS

Significant improvements over time in adverse events by 1 year were detected in patients with DM treated with oral agents. In insulin-treated diabetic patients, despite lower rates of repeat revascularization over time, death and MI following PCI have not significantly improved. These findings underscore the need for continued efforts at optimizing outcomes among patients with DM undergoing PCI, especially those requiring insulin treatment.

Evolution of percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with diabetes: a report from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute-sponsored PTCA (1985-1986) and Dynamic (1997-2006) Registries

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the association of successive percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) modalities with balloon angioplasty (BA), bare-metal stent (BMS), drug-eluting stents (DES), and pharmacotherapy over the last 3 decades with outcomes among patients with diabetes in routine clinical practice.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We examined outcomes in 1,846 patients with diabetes undergoing de novo PCI in the multicenter, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute-sponsored 1985-1986 Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA) Registry and 1997-2006 Dynamic Registry. Multivariable Cox regression models were used to estimate the adjusted risk of events (death/myocardial infarction [MI], repeat revascularization) over 1 year.

RESULTS

Cumulative event rates for postdischarge (31-365 days) death/MI were 8% by BA, 7% by BMS, and 7% by DES use (P = 0.76) and for repeat revascularization were 19, 13, and 9% (P < 0.001), respectively. Multivariable analysis showed a significantly lower risk of repeat revascularization with DES use when compared with the use of BA (hazard ratio [HR] 0.41 [95% CI 0.29-0.58]) and BMS (HR 0.55 [95% CI 0.39-0.76]). After further adjustment for discharge medications, the lower risk for death/MI was not statistically significant for DES when compared with BA.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with diabetes undergoing PCI, the use of DES is associated with a reduced need for repeat revascularization when compared with BA or BMS use. The associated death/MI benefit observed with the DES versus the BA group may well be due to greater use of pharmacotherapy.

Paclitaxel-eluting versus sirolimus-eluting stents in diabetes mellitus: a report from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Dynamic Registry

BACKGROUND

Diabetes is a powerful predictor of adverse events in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. Drug-eluting stents reduce restenosis rates compared with bare metal stents; however, controversy remains regarding which drug-eluting stents provides greater benefit in patients with diabetes. Accordingly, we compared the safety and efficacy of sirolimus-eluting stents (SES) with paclitaxel-eluting stents (PES) among diabetic patients in a contemporary registry.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Using the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Dynamic Registry, we evaluated 2-year outcomes of diabetic patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions with SES (n=677) and PES (n=328). Clinical and demographic characteristics, including age, body mass index, insulin use, left ventricular function, and aspirin/clopidogrel use postprocedure, did not differ significantly between the groups except that PES-treated patients had a greater frequency of hypertension and hyperlipidemia. At the 2-year follow-up, no significant differences were observed between PES and SES with regard to safety or efficacy end points. PES- and SES-treated patients had similar rates of death (10.7% versus 8.2%, P=0.20), death and myocardial infarction (14.9% versus 13.6%, P=0.55), repeat revascularization (14.8% versus 17.8%, P=0.36), and stent thrombosis (1.3% versus 1.3%, P=0.95). After adjustment, no significant differences between the 2 stent types in any outcome were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

PES and SES are equally efficacious and have similar safety profiles in diabetic patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions in clinical practice.

Association of a unique cardiovascular risk profile with outcomes in Hispanic patients referred for percutaneous coronary intervention (from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Dynamic Registry)

Although previous studies have demonstrated that Hispanic patients have a higher cardiovascular risk profile than Caucasians and present at a younger age for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), limited studies exist examining the outcomes of Hispanics after PCI and potential explanations for differences noted. Using patients from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Dynamic Registry waves 1 to 5 (1997 to 2006), demographic features, angiographic data, and 1-year outcomes of Hispanic patients (n = 542) versus Caucasian patients (n = 1,357) undergoing PCI were evaluated. Compared to Caucasians, Hispanic patients were younger and had more hypertension and diabetes mellitus, including more insulin-treated diabetes mellitus. Although mean lesion length was longer in Hispanics (15.4 vs 14.1 mm, p <0.001), there were no differences in the number of significant lesions or in the use of drug-eluting stents. At follow-up, Hispanics were more likely to report recent anginal symptoms but had a similar incidence of 1-year hospitalizations for angina. Adjusted 1-year hazard ratios for adverse events for Hispanics versus Caucasians revealed lower rates of coronary artery bypass graft surgery (hazard ratio 0.43, confidence interval 0.22 to 0.85, p = 0.02) and a trend toward lower rates of repeat revascularization (hazard ratio 0.76, confidence interval 0.57 to 1.03, p = 0.08). In conclusion, despite the presence of diabetes in almost 50% of Hispanic patients and longer lesions than in Caucasians, Hispanic patients were less likely to undergo coronary artery bypass graft surgery 1 year after PCI and had a trend toward lower rates of repeat revascularization.

Impact of drug-eluting stents among insulin-treated diabetic patients: a report from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Dynamic Registry

OBJECTIVES

This study sought to evaluate the safety and efficacy of drug-eluting stents (DES) compared with bare-metal stents (BMS) in patients with insulin- and noninsulin-treated diabetes.

BACKGROUND

Diabetes is a powerful predictor of adverse events after percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI), and insulin-treated diabetic patients have worse outcomes. The DES are efficacious among patients with diabetes; however, their safety and efficacy, compared with BMS, among insulin-treated versus noninsulin-treated diabetic patients is not well established.

METHODS

Using the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Dynamic Registry, we evaluated 1-year outcomes of insulin-treated (n = 817) and noninsulin-treated (n = 1,749) patients with diabetes who underwent PCI with DES versus BMS.

RESULTS

The use of DES, compared with BMS, was associated with a lower risk for repeat revascularization for both noninsulin-treated patients (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 0.59, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.45 to 0.76) and insulin-treated subjects (adjusted HR = 0.63, 95% CI 0.44 to 0.90). With respect to safety in the overall diabetic population, DES use was associated with a reduction of death or myocardial infarction (adjusted HR = 0.75, 95% CI 0.58 to 0.96). However, this benefit was confined to the population of noninsulin-treated patients (adjusted HR = 0.57, 95% CI 0.41 to 0.81). Among insulin-treated patients, there was no difference in death or myocardial infarction risk between DES- and BMS-treated patients (adjusted HR = 0.95, 95% CI 0.65 to 1.39).

CONCLUSIONS

Drug-eluting stents are associated with lower risk for repeat revascularization compared with BMS in treating coronary artery disease among patients with either insulin- or noninsulin-treated diabetes. In addition, DES use is not associated with any significant increased safety risk compared with BMS. These findings suggest that DES should be the preferred strategy for diabetic patients.

A comparison of bare-metal and drug-eluting stents for off-label indications

BACKGROUND

Recent reports suggest that off-label use of drug-eluting stents is associated with an increased incidence of adverse events. Whether the use of bare-metal stents would yield different results is unknown.

METHODS

We analyzed data from 6551 patients in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Dynamic Registry according to whether they were treated with drug-eluting stents or bare-metal stents and whether use was standard or off-label. Patients were followed for 1 year for the occurrence of cardiovascular events and death. Off-label use was defined as use in restenotic lesions, lesions in a bypass graft, left main coronary artery disease, or ostial, bifurcated, or totally occluded lesions, as well as use in patients with a reference-vessel diameter of less than 2.5 mm or greater than 3.75 mm or a lesion length of more than 30 mm.

RESULTS

Off-label use occurred in 54.7% of all patients with bare-metal stents and 48.7% of patients with drug-eluting stents. As compared with patients with bare-metal stents, patients with drug-eluting stents had a higher prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, renal disease, previous percutaneous coronary intervention and coronary-artery bypass grafting, and multivessel coronary artery disease. One year after intervention, however, there were no significant differences in the adjusted risk of death or myocardial infarction in patients with drug-eluting stents as compared with those with bare-metal stents, whereas the risk of repeat revascularization was significantly lower among patients with drug-eluting stents.

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients with off-label indications, the use of drug-eluting stents was not associated with an increased risk of death or myocardial infarction but was associated with a lower rate of repeat revascularization at 1 year, as compared with bare-metal stents. These findings support the use of drug-eluting stents for off-label indications.

Value of vasodilator stress myocardial contrast echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging for the differential diagnosis of ischemic versus nonischemic cardiomyopathy

OBJECTIVE

Noninvasive differentiation of ischemic versus nonischemic cardiomyopathy (CM) remains challenging because of the low specificity of imaging-based tests in these patients. We hypothesized that myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), combined with vasodilator stress, could provide accurate alternatives for determining the cause of CM.

METHODS

To allow side-by-side comparisons between these techniques with coronary angiography as a reference, we studied 16 patients referred for coronary angiography after abnormal nuclear perfusion studies. Both MCE and CMR images were acquired within 48 hours with infusion of adenosine. MCE included flash-echo imaging during intravenous infusion of echocardiographic contrast solution. CMR included gadolinium injections for first-pass perfusion and delayed enhancement imaging. MCE and CMR images were reviewed by experienced investigators, blinded to the findings of the other modality and angiography. For each technique, each myocardial segment was classified as normal or abnormal. Sensitivity and specificity of each technique were calculated against the angiography reference. These calculations were also performed using a perfusion territory as a unit of analysis.

RESULTS

Six of 16 patients had normal coronary arteries, and three patients had stenosis < 50%. By using this threshold for abnormal perfusion, segment-by-segment comparisons with angiography resulted in sensitivity of 0.88, 0.61, and 0.71 and specificity of 0.74, 0.86, and 0.94 for CMR perfusion, delayed enhancement scans, and MCE sequences, respectively. Using stenosis > 70% as a threshold resulted in a small decrease in both sensitivity and specificity (0.02-0.04) for all three techniques. Analysis of the ability of these techniques to detect an abnormality in at least one perfusion territory yielded sensitivity of 1.00, 1.00, and 0.86 and specificity of 0.78, 0.78, and 0.89, correspondingly, which were threshold-independent.

CONCLUSIONS

Both CMR and MCE perfusion imaging may be used to differentiate between ischemic and nonischemic CM. These emerging diagnostic tools may prove useful in strategizing treatment in these patients and thus avoiding unnecessary invasive procedures.

Effects of heart failure and diabetes mellitus on long-term mortality after coronary revascularization (from the BARI Trial)

This study evaluated the effect of heart failure (HF) and ejection fraction (EF) at baseline on long-term cardiac mortality in patients undergoing coronary revascularization and investigated the effect of diabetes mellitus (DM) on mortality. We evaluated long-term outcomes of patients without HF, HF and a preserved EF, and HF and a decreased EF who underwent revascularization with percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty or coronary artery bypass graft surgery after enrollment in the Bypass Angioplasty Revascularization Investigation (BARI) trial. Ten years after initial revascularization, cumulative rates of freedom from cardiac death were 90% in patients without HF, 75% in patients with HF and a preserved EF, and 59% in patients with HF and a decreased EF (p <0.001, 3-way comparison). In diabetic patients with HF and a preserved EF, there was a significant increase in cardiac mortality compared with patients without HF (p <0.001); however, this relation was not seen in patients without DM. In conclusion, patients with HF and a preserved EF have increased mortality over 10 years compared with those without HF. Only in patients with DM did HF with preserved EF confer additional risk.

Effect of gender on prognosis following percutaneous coronary intervention for stable angina pectoris and acute coronary syndromes

Women with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTACSs) may have better outcomes than men, but the effect of NSTACSs in women undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has not been examined. We performed a prospective, multicenter, cohort study of consecutive patients who underwent PCI for NSTACS and stable angina during 3 National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Dynamic Registry recruitment waves (1997 to 2002) to examine the effect of female gender on adverse clinical events after PCI or stable angina for NSTACS. The primary end point was the combined rate of death, myocardial infarction, or rehospitalization for cardiac causes at 1 year. Compared with men with NSTACS (n = 2,124), women (n = 1,338) were older and more often had hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and history of heart failure (p <0.001 for all), whereas multivessel disease was less frequent (p <0.01). Procedural success and in-hospital adverse event rates were similar. Women with NSTACS had the highest 1-year rate of death/myocardial infarction/cardiac rehospitalization compared with women with stable angina pectoris (n = 462) or men (n = 995; women with NSTACS 37.6%, men with NSTACS 29.8%, women with stable angina 29.4%, men with stable angina 27.7%, p <0.001). The higher rate remained after adjustment for differences in baseline characteristics (adjusted hazard ratio 1.37, 95% confidence interval 1.20 to 1.56). Among women, NSTACS conferred a significantly higher risk for adverse events compared with stable angina (adjusted hazard ratio 1.41, p = 0.001), whereas the risk of adverse events was not different in men (adjusted hazard ratio 1.05, p = 0.5). In conclusion, women undergoing PCI for NSTACS have a higher risk of major adverse cardiac events than men or women undergoing PCI for stable angina.

The impact of ejection fraction on outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with congestive heart failure: an analysis of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty Registry and Dynamic Registry

BACKGROUND

Patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) have higher rates of adverse outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). A comprehensive analysis of outcomes in patients with CHF in the current era has not been done. We studied the outcomes of patients with CHF who underwent PCI in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute-sponsored Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA) and Dynamic registries.

METHODS

We evaluated demographic and angiographic characteristics and the clinical outcomes of patients with CHF in the Dynamic Registry and the PTCA Registry, excluding patients with acute myocardial infarction. In the Dynamic Registry, patients with CHF (n = 503) were compared with patients without CHF (n = 4194), and patients with CHF with a preserved ejection fraction (EF) (n = 134) were compared with patients with CHF who have a reduced EF (n = 199). The patients with CHF in the 1997 through 2001 Dynamic Registry (n = 236) were then similarly compared with patients with CHF in the earlier PTCA Registry (n = 117).

RESULTS

In the Dynamic Registry, compared with patients without CHF, patients with CHF had a higher-risk clinical and angiographic profile, and a higher mortality rate both inhospital (2.6% vs 0.4%, P < or = .001) and at 1 year (13.1% vs 3.0%, P < .001). Patients with reduced EF had higher inhospital mortality rates and a trend toward higher mortality at 1 year. The patients with CHF in the Dynamic Registry compared with those in the PTCA Registry had a higher risk profile yet had significantly higher procedural success rates and improved clinical outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Although CHF remains a strong predictor of adverse outcomes after PCI, significant improvement seen in the past decade is likely related to improved procedural techniques and improved medical therapy.

Percutaneous coronary intervention in women

Cardiovascular disease is currently the leading cause of death in women in the United States, but many women underestimate this risk. The treatment of coronary syndromes with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has increased steadily in the past decade, but women referred for PCI have a different profile of demographic features and clinical presentation than do their male counterparts. Concern has been raised about sex discrepancy in referral of women for invasive cardiology procedures. This may have resulted from the outcomes of initial studies of balloon angioplasty, which demonstrated decreased success and increased risk of angioplasty in women compared with men. However, more recent data have shown no sex difference in outcomes with contemporary PCI practices. Additionally, primary PCI for acute myocardial infarction in women is associated with improved mortality in women when compared to thrombolytic therapy. This review will examine the sex differences in demographics and outcomes of women undergoing PCI.

Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors in acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction

Limitations in the standard treatment of acute myocardial infarction have focused attention on inhibition of platelet activity by its final common pathway of activation, the glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor. Animal studies have suggested that a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor could accelerate thrombolysis and prevent reocclusion after successful thrombolysis. Studies evaluating the use of a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor alone without thrombolysis or percutaneous transluminal coronary revascularization do not suggest that isolated use of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors restores TIMI 3 flow in a sufficient proportion of patients. Clinical studies evaluating the combination of thrombolytic therapy and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors appear most promising, with evidence of improved angiographic outcomes. Reducing the dose of thrombolytic agents may result in reduction in bleeding risk. Current and future trials will investigate reduced-dose reteplase with abciximab and eptifibatide with reduced-dose alteplase. Available evidence suggests that glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibition may facilitate thrombolysis, thus adding a new element to future reperfusion regimens.