Safety and Efficacy of Contemporary Drug-Eluting Stents in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction and a High Ischemic Risk

Background

In patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) with a high risk of ischemic events, the safety and efficacy of drug-eluting stent (DES) are unclear.

Methods

Based on the nationwide, multicenter, prospective registry, we selected 1,592 patients who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with everolimus-(EES) and zotarolimus-eluting stent (ZES) for STEMI with a high risk of an ischemic event. The occurrence of target lesion failure (TLF) for 3 years, defined as the composite of cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction (TV-MI), and ischemia-driven target lesion revascularization (ID-TLR), was evaluated.

Results

The prevalence of high ischemic risk features was observed in 43.4% (2,744/6,325) of overall patients with STEMI. Among them, a total of 1,078 and 514 patients were treated with EES and ZES, respectively. At 3 years, the risk of TLF was not significantly different between the two groups (p = 0.93). In addition, the incidence of cardiac death, TV-MI, ID-TLR, and definite/probable stent thrombosis (ST) were also not different between the two groups. Moreover, elderly patients (age > 75 years) and PCI for the left main disease were identified as independent predictors of TLF.

Conclusion

Implantation of EES or ZES provided comparable clinical outcomes in STEMI patients and high ischemic risks.

Long-term comparative effectiveness of Endeavor zotarolimus-eluting and everolimus-eluting stents in New York

BACKGROUND

Endeavor zotarolimus-eluting stents (E-ZES) and everolimus-eluting stents (EES) as second-generation stents were approved for use in percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) in 2008. We aimed to evaluate the long-term outcomes of E-ZES vs. EES using New York State (NYS) cardiac registries and to compare long-term effectiveness of E-ZES vs. EES in six "off-label" and two "high-risk" subgroups.

METHODS

We created a longitudinal database by linking the NYS cardiac registries, the statewide hospital discharge data, the National Death Index, and the U.S. Census file (2010) for patients receiving either E-ZES or EES from July 2008 through December 2010. We examined outcome measures of all-cause mortality, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), target lesion PCI (TLPCI), and target vessel coronary artery bypass graft (TVCABG) surgery for 13,663 propensity score matched pairs in the 6-year follow-up period. We applied Kaplan-Meier methods and Cox proportional hazards regression for further adjustment of propensity-matched pairs.

RESULTS

Compared with patients receiving EES, patients receiving E-ZES had a significantly higher rate of 6-year all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio (AHR): 1.10, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04-1.17, P=0.003), AMI (AHR: 1.12, 95% CI: 1.02-1.23, P=0.01), TLPCI (AHR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.18-1.39, P<0.001), and TVCABG (AHR: 1.47, 95% CI: 1.26-1.71, P<0.001). EES had better or similar long-term outcomes than E-ZES for the subgroups that were examined.

CONCLUSION

At 6years, patients receiving EES generally had better or comparable mortality, AMI, TLPCI, and TVCABG outcomes compared with patients receiving E-ZES.

Timing and long-term prognosis of recurrent MI after primary angioplasty : Stent thrombosis vs. non-stent-related reinfarction

BACKGROUND

In patients recovering from an ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), it is not clear whether the negative impact of stent thrombosis (ST) is different from a non-stent-related recurrent myocardial infarction (NSRMI). This study sought to assess the long-term incidence and prognostic impact of recurrent myocardial infarction (MI) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for STEMI by comparing outcomes of ST versus NSRMI.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From 2001 to 2007, 1025 patients undergoing PCI for STEMI were prospectively followed up. Patients with ST, with NSRMI, and those free from recurrent MI were compared regarding mortality and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE).

RESULTS

Recurrent MI decreased from 37 events per 1000 person/months in the first month to 3.3 events per 1000 person/months after the first year. The cumulative 5‑year incidence of ST and NSRMI was 5.27 % and 13.2 %, respectively. MACCE at 60 months after recurrence were not significantly different for patients with reinfarction but were significantly higher than for patients free from any recurrent MI (both log-rank p < 0.001). However, the cumulative all-cause death rate did not differ between the three groups (27.8 vs. 26.7 vs. 23.0 %). Compared with ST occurring in the first 30 days after PCI for STEMI, early NSRMI was associated with a significantly reduced risk for all-cause death (HR, 0.21; 95 % CI, 0.33-3.30) but this association did not persist for recurrent MIs occurring in the late (HR, 1.05; 95 % CI, 0.33-3.30) or very late follow-up periods.

CONCLUSION

Although ST was associated with a significant increase in adverse events in the early recovery period, in the long term, MACCE and all-cause mortality rates were comparable to those for NSRMI.

ST elevation myocardial infarction: recent advances and updates

ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) remains a leading cause of morbidity, mortality and disability worldwide. Statistically, a trend towards improvements in morbidity and mortality has been consistent over the years, which is attributed primarily to the modification of risk factors, healthier lifestyles, treatment advances and better management of door-to-balloon times via STEMI systems. However, a major challenge in the coming years will be the baby boomers (born between the years 1946 and 1964) coming into old age. The first baby boomers turned 65 in year 2011. As the baby boomers age in the coming years, the incidence of coronary heart disease is likely to increase, and so there will be a greater need to have major advances in the management of coronary heart disease in order to deal with this additional incidence. The scope of this article is to review recent advances in the management of STEMI and to provide an updated overview.