Systematic coronary stenting after failed thrombolysis in high-risk patients with acute myocardial infarction: procedural results and long-term follow-up.
BACKGROUND
Stenting in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) represents a feasible and effective revascularization strategy. However, very little information is available for patients who receive a stent after failed thrombolysis (so-called 'rescue' stenting).


METHODS
We analysed the procedural results and the 2-year follow-up of all consecutive patients with moderate-to-large AMI treated with rescue stenting in the period 1996-2001.


RESULTS
The study cohort includes 123 patients (mean age 60+/-12 years, 78% men). Coronary angiography showed multivessel disease in 47% of patients; the infarct-related vessel was the left anterior descending coronary artery in 47%, the right coronary artery in 41%, the left circumflex coronary artery in 9.5% and a saphenous vein graft in 2.5%. Baseline Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) flow was grade 0-1 in 65% and grade 2 in 25%. Coronary stenting was attempted in all 123 patients and was successful in 119 out of 123 (96.7%); abciximab was used in 57 out of 123 (46%) and intra-aortic balloon pumping in 35 out of 123 (28%). At the end of the procedure, TIMI 3 flow was obtained in 104 out of 123 (85%) and TIMI 2 flow in 14 out of 123 (11%). There were 10 in-hospital deaths and four late deaths, with a long-term survival of 88.6%. This figure increases to 95.2% if patients presenting with cardiogenic shock are excluded. A new revascularization procedure was performed in 21% of discharged patients (in the target vessel for 12% and in non-target vessels for 9%). Overall, event-free survival at 2 years was 69%. At multivariate analysis, independent predictors of survival were age (P=0.014) and ejection fraction (P=0.006).


CONCLUSIONS
This report represents one of the first series concerning long-term follow-up after rescue stenting. The main results include a high procedural feasibility, a low late mortality and a target vessel revascularization rate in the range expected with stenting. These data must be viewed as part of the constant effort to optimize revascularization strategies in AMI.
La Vecchia
Luigi
L
Department of Cardiology, San Bortolo Hospital, Vicenza, Italy. lavecchia.cardiovi@libero.it
Favero
Luca
L
Martini
Manuela
M
Vincenzi
Paolo
P
Rubboli
Andrea
A
Ottani
Filippo
F
Bottero
Matteo
M
Fontanelli
Alessandro
A
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D019233:Retreatment; D015607:Stents; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy; D017211:Treatment Failure