Safety and efficacy of rescue angioplasty for ST-elevation myocardial infarction with high utilization rates of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors

Late outcomes of ST-elevation myocardial infarction treated by pharmaco-invasive or primary percutaneous coronary intervention

AIMS

Pharmaco-invasive percutaneous coronary intervention (PI-PCI) is recommended for patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)who are unable to undergo timely primary PCI (pPCI). The present study examined late outcomes after PI-PCI (successful reperfusion followed by scheduled PCI or failed reperfusion and rescue PCI)compared with timely and late pPCI (>120 min from first medical contact).

METHODS AND RESULTS

All patients with STEMI presenting within 12 h of symptom onset, who underwent PCI during their initial hospitalization at Liverpool Hospital (Sydney), from October 2003 to March 2014, were included. Amongst 2091 STEMI patients (80% male), 1077 (52%)underwent pPCI (68% timely, 32% late), and 1014 (48%)received PI-PCI (33% rescue, 67% scheduled). Mortality at 3 years was 11.1% after pPCI (6.7% timely, 20.2% late) and 6.2% after PI-PCI (9.4% rescue, 4.8% scheduled); P < 0.01. After propensity matching, the adjusted mortality hazard ratio (HR) for timely pPCI compared with scheduled PCI was 0.9 (95% CIs 0.4-2.0) and compared with rescue PCI was 0.5 (95% CIs 0.2-0.9). The adjusted mortality HR for late pPCI, compared with scheduled PCI was 2.2 (95% CIs 1.2-3.1)and compared with rescue PCI, it was 1.5 (95% CIs 0.7-2.0).

CONCLUSION

Patients who underwent late pPCI had higher mortality rates than those undergoing a pharmaco-invasive strategy. Despite rescue PCI being required in a third of patients, a pharmaco-invasive approach should be considered when delays to PCI are anticipated, as it achieves better outcomes than late pPCI.

One-Year Outcome of Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitor Therapy in Patients with Myocardial Infarction-Related Cardiogenic Shock

BACKGROUND

We aimed to evaluate the effect of intravenous glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor inhibitors (GPIs) on in-hospital survival and mortality during and at the 1-year follow-up in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for myocardial infarction (MI) complicated by cardiogenic shock (CS), who were included in the Polish Registry of Acute Coronary Syndromes (PL-ACS).

METHODS

From 2003 to 2019, 466,566 MI patients were included in the PL-ACS registry. A total of 10,193 patients with CS received PCI on admission. Among them, GPIs were used in 3934 patients.

RESULTS

The patients treated with GPIs were younger, had lower systolic blood pressure on admission, required inotropes and intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) support more frequently, and showed a lower efficacy of coronary angioplasty. In both groups, the same rates of in-hospital adverse events were observed. A lower mortality rate was reported in the group treated with GPIs 12 months after admission (54.9% vs. 57.9%, p = 0.002). Therapy with GPI was an independent factor reducing the risk of mortality in the 12-month follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

The addition of GPIs to the standard pharmacotherapy combined with PCI in patients with MI and CS on admission reduced the risk of death in the 12-month follow-up period without increasing in-hospital adverse event rates.

Reperfusion After Fibrinolytic Therapy (RAFT): An open-label, multi-centre, randomised controlled trial of bivalirudin versus heparin in rescue percutaneous coronary intervention

BACKGROUND

The safety and efficacy profile of bivalirudin has not been examined in a randomised controlled trial of patients undergoing rescue PCI.

OBJECTIVES

We conducted an open-label, multi-centre, randomised controlled trial to compare bivalirudin with heparin ± glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors (GPIs) in patients undergoing rescue PCI.

METHODS

Between 2010-2015, we randomly assigned 83 patients undergoing rescue PCI to bivalirudin (n = 42) or heparin ± GPIs (n = 41). The primary safety endpoint was any ACUITY (Acute Catheterization and Urgent Intervention Triage Strategy) bleeding at 90 days. The primary efficacy endpoint was infarct size measured by peak troponin levels as a multiple of the local upper reference limit (Tn/URL). Secondary endpoints included periprocedural change in haemoglobin adjusted for red cells transfused, TIMI (Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction) bleeding, ST-segment recovery and infarct size determined by the Selvester QRS score.

RESULTS

The trial was terminated due to slow recruitment and futility after an interim analysis of 83 patients. The primary safety endpoint occurred in 6 (14%) patients in the bivalirudin group (4.8% GPIs) and 3 (7.3%) in the heparin ± GPIs group (54% GPIs) (risk ratio, 1.95, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.52-7.3, P = 0.48). Infarct size was similar between the two groups (mean Tn/URL, 730 [±675] for bivalirudin, versus 984 [±1585] for heparin ± GPIs, difference, 254, 95% CI, -283-794, P = 0.86). There was a smaller decrease in the periprocedural haemoglobin level with bivalirudin than heparin ± GPIs (-7.5% [±15] versus -14% [±17], difference, -6.5%, 95% CI, -0.83-14, P = 0.0067). The rate of complete (≥70%) ST-segment recovery post-PCI was higher in patients randomised to heparin ± GPIs compared with bivalirudin.

CONCLUSIONS

Whether bivalirudin compared with heparin ± GPI reduces bleeding in rescue PCI could not be determined. Slow recruitment and futility in the context of lower-than-expected bleeding event rates led to the termination of this trial (ANZCTR.org.au, ACTRN12610000152022).

Antithrombotic treatment during coronary angioplasty after failed thrombolysis: strategies and prognostic implications. Results of the RESPIRE registry

Background

Thrombolysis is still used when primary angioplasty is delayed for a long time, but 25%–30% of patients require rescue angioplasty (RA). There are no established recommendations for antithrombotic management in RA. This registry analyzes regimens for antithrombotic management.

Methods

A retrospective, multicenter, observational registry of consecutive patients treated with RA at 8 hospitals. All variables were collected and follow-up took place at 6 months.

Results

The study included 417 patients. Antithrombotic therapy in RA was: no additional drugs 22.3%, unfractionated heparin (UFH) 36.6%, abciximab 15.5%, abciximab plus UFH 10.5%, bivalirudin 5.7%, enoxaparin 4.3%, and others 4.7%. Outcomes at 6 months were: mortality 9.1%, infarction 3.3%, definite or probable stent thrombosis 4.3%, revascularization 1.9%, and stroke 0.5%. Mortality was related to cardiogenic shock, age > 75 years, and anterior location. The stent thrombosis rate was highest with bivalirudin (12.5% at 6 months). The incidence of bleeding at admission was high (14.8%), but most cases were not severe (82% BARC ≤2). Variables independently associated with bleeding were: femoral access (OR 3.30; 95% CI 1.3–8.3: p = 0.004) and post-RA abciximab infusion (OR 2.26; 95% CI 1.02–5: p = 0.04).

Conclusions

Antithrombotic treatment regimens in RA vary greatly, predominant strategies consisting of no additional drugs or UFH 70 U/kg. No regimen proved predictive of mortality, but bivalirudin was related to more stent thrombosis. There was a high incidence of bleeding, associated with post-RA abciximab infusion and femoral access.

The role of Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors in acute coronary syndromes and the interference with anemia

The role played by glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa inhibitors (GPI) has continuously evolved until the most recent Guidelines whereby they were stepped down from class I to class II recommendation for treating acute coronary syndromes (ACS). GPI compete with a wider use of ADP inhibitors and novel anticoagulant drugs although GPI use has greatly narrowed. However, GPI may still have a role. Several criteria were proposed to define post-PCI anemia which is strictly related to bleeding and transfusion. In ACS, it should be important to define anemia in comparative terms versus baseline levels: ≥ 15% of red blood cell decrease should be a practical cut-off value. If one wishes to concentrate on hemoglobin (Hb), a≥2g/dl Hb decrease from baseline should be considered. It is important to recognize post-PCI anemia in the setting of ACS. There are sub-populations exposed to short-term hemorrhagic and/or long-term ischemic risks. Ischemic and hemorrhagic risks need to be carefully evaluated along with thrombocytopenia and its prognostic significance in order to put all these blood and rheological parameters into a clinically oriented perspective on which therapeutical decisions should be based. Definition of high risk procedures (complexity, angiographic characteristics and patient's risk profile, regardless whether STEMI or NSTEMI) may help selecting GPI. There are positive elements in GPI use: efficacy, rapid onset and reversibility of action, absence of pharmacogenomic variability, pharmacoeconomic considerations and the possibility of intracoronary administration. All these elements should be evaluated when selecting these agents for therapeutics.

Cost-effectiveness of a European ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction network: results from the Catalan Codi Infart network

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) network of Catalonia (Codi Infart).

DESIGN

Cost-utility analysis.

SETTING

The analysis was from the Catalonian Autonomous Community in Spain, with a population of about 7.5 million people.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients with STEMI treated within the autonomous community of Catalonia (Spain) included in the IAM CAT II-IV and Codi Infart registries.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Costs included hospitalisation, procedures and additional personnel and were obtained according to the reperfusion strategy. Clinical outcomes were defined as 30-day avoided mortality and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), before (N=356) and after network implementation (N=2140).

RESULTS

A substitution effect and a technology effect were observed; aggregate costs increased by 2.6%. The substitution effect resulted from increased use of primary coronary angioplasty, a relatively expensive procedure and a decrease in fibrinolysis. Primary coronary angioplasty increased from 31% to 89% with the network, and fibrinolysis decreased from 37% to 3%. Rescue coronary angioplasty declined from 11% to 4%, and no reperfusion from 21% to 4%. The technological effect was related to improvements in the percutaneous coronary intervention procedure that increased efficiency, reducing the average length of the hospital stay. Mean costs per patient decreased from €8306 to €7874 for patients with primary coronary angioplasty. Clinical outcomes in patients treated with primary coronary angioplasty did not change significantly, although 30-day mortality decreased from 7.5% to 5.6%. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio resulted in an extra cost of €4355 per life saved (30-day mortality) and €495 per QALY. Below a cost threshold of €30,000, results were sensitive to variations in costs and outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

The Catalan STEMI network (Codi Infart) is cost-efficient. Further studies are needed in geopolitical different scenarios.

Bare-metal stenting of large coronary arteries in ST-elevation myocardial infarction is associated with low rates of target vessel revascularization

BACKGROUND

During percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) performed in the emergent setting of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), uncertainty about patients' ability to comply with 12 months dual antiplatelet therapy after drug-eluting stenting is common, and thus, selective bare-metal stent (BMS) deployment could be an attractive strategy if this achieved low target vessel revascularization (TVR) rates in large infarct-related arteries (IRAs) (≥3.5 mm).

METHODS AND RESULTS

To evaluate this hypothesis, among 1,282 patients with STEMI who underwent PCI during their initial hospitalization, we studied 1,059 patients (83%) who received BMS, of whom 512 (48%) had large IRAs ≥3.5 mm in diameter, 333 (31%) had IRAs 3 to 3.49 mm, and 214 (20%) had IRAs <3 mm. At 1 year, TVR rate in patients with BMS was 5.8% (2.2% with large BMS [≥3.5 mm], 9.2% with BMS 3-3.49 mm [intermediate], and 9.0% with BMS <3.0 mm [small], P < .001). The rates of death/reinfarction among patients with large BMS compared with intermediate BMS or small BMS were lower (6.6% vs 11.7% vs 9.0%, P = .042). Among patients who received BMS, the independent predictors of TVR at 1 year were the following: vessel diameter <3.5 mm (odds ratio [OR] 4.39 [95% CI 2.24-8.60], P < .001), proximal left anterior descending coronary artery lesions (OR 1.89 [95% CI 1.08-3.31], P = .027), hypertension (OR 2.01 [95% CI 1.17-3.438], P = .011), and prior PCI (OR 3.46 [95% CI 1.21-9.85], P = .02). The predictors of death/myocardial infarction at 1 year were pre-PCI cardiogenic shock (OR 8.16 [95% CI 4.16-16.01], P < .001), age ≥65 years (OR 2.63 [95% CI 1.58-4.39], P < .001), left anterior descending coronary artery culprit lesions (OR 1.95 [95% CI 1.19-3.21], P = .008), female gender (OR 1.93 [95% CI 1.12-3.32], P = .019), and American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association lesion classes B2 and C (OR 2.17 [95% CI 1.10-4.27], P = .026).

CONCLUSION

Bare-metal stent deployment in STEMI patients with IRAs ≥3.5 mm was associated with low rates of TVR. Their use in this setting warrants comparison with second-generation drug-eluting stenting deployment in future randomized clinical trials.

Is There Still a Role for Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Antagonists in Acute Coronary Syndromes?

The role played by glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa inhibitors has continuously evolved from the initial introduction in mid 90 s until the most recent guidelines for treating acute coronary syndromes, and competed with a wider use of ADP inhibitors and novel anticoagulant drugs, to the extent that they stepped down from class I to class II recommendation in the routine setting of acute coronary syndromes. As a consequence, GP IIb/IIIa use was greatly narrowed. The purpose of this review is to define the roles that GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors may still have in acute ischemic settings by explaining why in high risk patients they might be preferable and/or whether they might be added to ADP inhibitors also emphasizing the underlying mechanistic actions. It is concluded that there might be a more extensive use of GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors in patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes, strictly based on the definition for a high risk procedure: complexity, angiographic characteristics and patient's risk profile, regardless whether STEMI or NSTEMI. The positive elements one should appreciate in GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors are: efficacy, rapid onset and reversibility of action, absence of pharmacogenomic variability, pharmacoeconomic considerations and the possibility of intracoronary administration.