Long-term improvement of symptoms of angina pectoris after successful revascularization of coronary artery chronic total occlusions

Objectives. To compare long-term angina pectoris relief of successful versus failed percutaneous coronary intervention of chronic total occlusions (CTO PCI). Background. Previous studies demonstrate better short-term angina pectoris relief of CTO PCI than with optimal medical treatment (OMT), however, data on the long-term effects are lacking. Methods. 295 patients undergoing CTO PCI were analyzed retrospectively, with a follow-up evaluation of symptoms of angina pectoris and all-cause death one to four years after the intervention. The primary outcome was long-term relief of symptoms of angina pectoris. Secondary outcomes included a composite of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), including all-cause death, myocardial infarction, stroke, and later target vessel revascularization (TVR). At follow-up, patients were interviewed for symptoms of angina pectoris at 1, 6, 12, and 22 to 48 months after the intervention. Results. CTO PCI was successful in 225 (76%) patients and failed in 70 (24%) patients. Short-term (six months) relief of angina pectoris was observed in both groups, but only the successful CTO PCI group showed long-term relief. The Kaplan-Meier curves of all-cause death did not differ between the groups (p = .715). The final follow-up was a mean (range) of 37 (25 to 44) months after the intervention in the successful CTO PCI group, and 33 (28 to 48) months in the failed CTO PCI group. Conclusions. Successful CTO PCI is associated with better long-term relief of symptoms of angina pectoris compared to failed CTO PCI.

Coronary intervention for chronic total occlusion: current indications and future directions

Chronic total occlusions (CTOs) are routinely encountered during coronary angiography, but subsequent revascularization rates are low. This has likely been driven by a historical belief that there is minimal clinical benefit and poor success rates with a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, in the current era, with the development of new techniques and tools, experienced operators can perform CTO-PCI successfully in the majority of patients. The current indications and benefit of CTO-PCI remain a topic of controversy and debate. There is a growing body of predominantly nonrandomized studies reporting both short-term and long-term outcomes of CTO-PCI. Recent and upcoming randomized-controlled trials in this area will also potentially expand indications in both stable and patients with acute coronary syndrome. In this review, we will discuss the current evidence for CTO-PCI and also future directions in this field.