A randomized trial comparing myocardial salvage achieved by coronary stenting versus balloon angioplasty in patients with acute myocardial infarction considered ineligible for reperfusion therapy.
OBJECTIVE
We assessed myocardial salvage achieved by reperfusion with percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) and compared stenting with balloon angioplasty (PTCA) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) ineligible for thrombolysis.


BACKGROUND
A substantial proportion of patients with AMI are currently considered ineligible for thrombolysis, and reperfusion treatment is frequently not recommended for them. It is not known whether these patients benefit from PCI.


METHODS
The Stent or PTCA for Occluded Coronary Arteries in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction Ineligible for Thrombolysis (STOPAMI-3) trial, a randomized, open-label study, included 611 patients with AMI who were ineligible for thrombolysis (lack of ST-segment elevation on the electrocardiogram, late presentation >12 h after symptom onset, and contraindications to thrombolysis). Patients were randomly assigned to receive either coronary artery stenting (n = 305) or PTCA (n = 306). Scintigraphic myocardial salvage index (proportion of the initial myocardial perfusion defect that was salvaged by reperfusion) was the primary end point of the study.


RESULTS
A considerable myocardial salvage was achieved with both stenting and PTCA. In patients assigned to receive stenting, the median size of the salvage index was 0.54 (25th and 75th percentiles, 0.29 and 0.87), as compared with a median of 0.50 (25th and 75th percentiles, 0.26 and 0.82) in the group assigned to receive PTCA (p = 0.20). Mortality at six months was 8.2% in the group of patients assigned to receive stenting and 9.2% in the group of patients assigned to receive PTCA (p = 0.69).


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with AMI who are currently considered ineligible for thrombolysis by conventional guidelines may greatly benefit from primary PCI. The benefit seems to be comparable when a strategy of stenting is compared with a strategy of PTCA in these patients.
Kastrati
Adnan
A
Deutsches Herzzentrum, Munich, Germany. kastrati@dhm.mhn.de
Mehilli
Julinda
J
Nekolla
Stefan
S
Bollwein
Hildegard
H
Martinoff
Stefan
S
Pache
Jürgen
J
Schühlen
Helmut
H
Seyfarth
Melchior
M
Gawaz
Meinrad
M
Neumann
Franz-Josef
FJ
Dirschinger
Josef
J
Schwaiger
Markus
M
Schömig
Albert
A
D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000628:therapy*; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D015607:Stents