title: Invasive therapy along with glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors and intracoronary stents improves survival in non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes: a meta-analysis and review of the literature.
abstract: Current evidence suggests that routine invasive therapy in the setting of unstable angina/non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (UA/NSTEMI) reduces the incidence of composite end points (i.e., death, myocardial infarction, or angina.). The 2002 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines recommend invasive therapy in high-risk patients, although it is unknown if such an approach improves survival. We conducted a meta-analysis on 5 studies in 6,766 UA/NSTEMI patients who were randomized to either routine invasive versus conservative therapy in the era of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors and intracoronary stents. Compared with conservative therapy, an invasive approach suggested a reduction in mortality at 6 to 12 months (risk ratio [RR] 0.80, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.63 to 1.03) and at 24 months (RR 0.77, 95% CI 0.60 to 0.99). The composite end point of death or myocardial infarction was reduced throughout all periods of follow-up: at 30 days (RR 0.61, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.84), at 6 months (RR 0.75, 95% CI 0.63 to 0.89), and at 12 months (RR 0.78, 95% CI 0.65 to 0.92). For the same composite end point at 6 to 12 months, men benefited from invasive therapy (RR 0.68, 95% CI 0.57 to 0.81), as did troponin-positive patients (RR 0.74, 95% CI 0.59 to 0.94). The results for women (RR 1.07, 95% CI 0.82 to 1.41) and troponin-negative patients (RR 0.82, 95% CI 0.59 to 1.14) were equivocal. Routine invasive therapy in UA/NSTEMI patients along with adjunctive use of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors and intracoronary stents improves survival. Enhanced risk stratification is needed in women and troponin-negative patients so that invasive therapy may be more effectively recommended in these groups.
authors.affiliation: Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. bavrya@ccf.org
authors.forename: Anthony A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Bavry
authors.forename: Dharam J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Kumbhani
authors.forename: Rene
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Quiroz
authors.forename: Suneil R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Ramchandani
authors.forename: Satish
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kenchaiah
authors.forename: Elliott M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Antman
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012737:Sex Factors; D015607:Stents; D015996:Survival Rate; D013577:Syndrome; D014336:Troponin / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex; D014336:Troponin