Critical Appraisal of Bivalirudin versus Heparin for Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials

Bivalirudin versus Heparin plus Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitors in Women Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Bivalirudin has been shown to be safe and efficacious compared with heparin plus glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor (GPI) in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Whether bivalirudin would have the beneficial effects in female patients undergoing PCI remains unknown. We searched the literature for randomized controlled trials that assessed bivalirudin versus heparin plus GPI therapy in female patients undergoing PCI. The primary efficacy end point was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) within 30 days. The secondary efficacy end points were 30-day incidence of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), urgent/ischemia-driven revascularization of target vessel. The safety end point was major bleeding up to 30 days. A total of 4,501 female patients were included in five randomized trials. No significant difference in MACE emerged between bivalirudin and heparin plus GPI at 30 days (8.15% vs 8.76%, RR 0.94, 95% CI 0.77-1.16, P = .57). There were no significant differences in rates of mortality (1.28% vs 1.91%, RR 0.74, 95% CI 0.45-1.20, P = .22), MI (5.46% vs 5.25%, RR 1.02, 95% CI 0.79-1.32, p = .88), or target vessel revascularization (2.13% vs 1.65%, RR 1.43, 95% CI 0.88-2.30, P = .15). Compared with heparin plus GPI, bivalirudin was associated with a significant reduction in 30-day major bleeding (5.32% vs 9.20%, RR 0.58, 95% CI 0.47-0.72, P < .0001). In conclusion, bivalirudin is associated with a significant reduction in 30-day major bleeding without increased ischemic events compared with heparin plus GPI in female patients undergoing PCI.

Prolonged High-Dose Bivalirudin Infusion Reduces Major Bleeding Without Increasing Stent Thrombosis in Patients Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Novel Insights From an Updated Meta-Analysis

Background

The optimal antithrombotic therapy in patients with ST‐segment‐elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains a matter of debate. This updated meta‐analysis investigated the impact of (1) bivalirudin (with and without prolonged infusion) and (2) prolonged PCI‐dose (1.75 mg/hg per hour) bivalirudin infusion compared with conventional antithrombotic therapy on clinical outcomes in patients undergoing primary PCI.

Methods and Results

Eligible randomized trials were searched through MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane database, and proceedings of major congresses. Prespecified outcomes were major bleeding (thrombolysis in myocardial infarction major and Bleeding Academic Research Consortium 3–5), acute stent thrombosis, as well as all‐cause and cardiac mortality at 30 days. Six randomized trials (n=17 294) were included. Bivalirudin compared with heparin (+/− glycoprotein‐IIb/IIIa inhibitor) was associated with reduction in major bleeding (odds ratio [OR]: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.48–0.88, P=0.006, derived from all 6 trials), increase in acute stent thrombosis (OR: 2.75, 95% CI: 1.46–5.18, P=0.002, 5 trials), and lower rate of all‐cause mortality (OR: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.67–0.98, P=0.03, 6 trials) as well as cardiac mortality (OR: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.55–0.87, P=0.001, 5 trials). The incidence of acute stent thrombosis did not differ between the prolonged PCI‐dose bivalirudin and comparator group (OR: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.27–2.46, P=0.71, 3 trials), whereas the risk of bleeding was reduced despite treatment with high‐dose bivalirudin infusion (OR: 0.28, 95% CI: 0.13–0.60, P=0.001, 3 trials).

Conclusions

Bivalirudin (with and without prolonged infusion) compared with conventional antithrombotic therapy in ST‐segment‐elevation myocardial infarction patients undergoing primary PCI reduces major bleeding and death, but increases the rate of acute stent thrombosis. However, prolonging the bivalirudin infusion at PCI‐dose (1.75 mg/kg per hour) for 3 hours eliminates the excess risk of acute stent thrombosis, while maintaining the bleeding benefits.

Bivalirudin in Patients Undergoing PCI: State of Art and Future Perspectives

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) represents the most common cause of death worldwide. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is the management of choice in patients with ACS and occurrence of intra-procedural thrombotic complications are an independent predictor of mortality and other major adverse cardiovascular events in patients undergoing PCI. According to current guideline, anticoagulation therapy is indicated during PCI in order to reduce the risk of thrombotic complications such as stent thrombosis. Among currently available anticoagulant drugs, bivalirudin demonstrates a lower incidence of bleeding risk, despite it is associated with an increased risk of stent thrombosis. The aim of this paper is to discuss the pharmacology of bivalirudin and the clinical evidences of its use in patients undergoing PCI for ACS.

An updated comprehensive meta-analysis of bivalirudin vs heparin use in primary percutaneous coronary intervention

BACKGROUND

Despite several randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses, the ideal anticoagulant for patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains controversial. We performed an updated meta-analysis including recently reported randomized clinical trials that compare bivalirudin and heparin with or without provisional administration of a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor (GPI) for primary PCI.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Scientific databases and Web sites were searched for randomized clinical trials. Data from 6 trials involving 14,095 patients were included. The pooled risk ratios (RRs) were calculated using random-effects models. Moderator analyses examined the impact of routine use of GPI, radial access, and P2Y12 inhibitors on safety outcomes. At 30 days, patients receiving bivalirudin had rates of major adverse cardiac events similar to those receiving heparin with or without provisional GPI (RR 1.02, 95% CI 0.87-1.19, P = .800), myocardial infarction (RR 1.41, 95% CI 0.94-2.11, P = .089), target vessel revascularization (RR 1.37, 95% CI 0.91-2.04, P = .122), and net adverse clinical events (RR 0.81, 95% CI 0.64-1.01, P = .069). However, bivalirudin use decreased the risk of all-cause mortality (RR 0.81, 95% CI 0.67-0.99, P = .041) and cardiac mortality (RR 0.68, 95% CI 0.51-0.91, P = .009) at 30 days, There were higher rates of acute stent thrombosis (RR 3.31, 95% CI 1.79-6.10, P < .001) in patients receiving bivalirudin. Bivalirudin use also decreased the risk of major bleeding at 30 days by 37% (RR 0.63, 95% CI 0.44-0.90, P = .012), but bleeding risk varied depending on routine GPI use with heparin (RR 0.44, 95% CI 0.23-0.81, P = .009) vs bailout (RR 0.73, 95% CI 0.42-1.25, P = .252), predominantly radial access (RR 0.54, 95% CI 0.25-1.15, P = .114) vs non-radial access (RR 0.60, 95% CI 0.36-0.99, P = .049), and second-generation P2Y12 inhibitor use with bivalirudin (RR 0.70, 95% CI 0.40-1.24, P = .226) vs clopidogrel use (RR 0.39, 95% CI 0.18-0.85, P = .018).

CONCLUSIONS

In primary PCI, relative to heparin, bivalirudin reduces the risk for all-cause mortality, cardiac mortality, and major bleeding but yields similar rates of major adverse cardiac event and net adverse clinical event at 30 days. However, the benefit of a reduction in bleeding with bivalirudin appears to be modulated by the concurrent administration of second-generation P2Y12 inhibitors with bivalirudin, using radial access, and avoiding routine GPI use with heparin.