title: Does pre-treatment with aspirin and loading dose clopidogrel obviate the need for glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antagonists during elective coronary stenting? A focus on peri-procedural myonecrosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although full platelet inhibition with aspirin and thienopyridines before coronary stenting has significantly reduced the risk of acute stent thrombosis, peri-procedural myonecrosis still occurs frequently and is associated with increased death rate. Whether further inhibition of platelet aggregation by a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antagonist may provide an additional cardioprotection is unknown.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 200 patients pre-treated with aspirin and a loading dose of clopidogrel (450 mg) were randomized just before coronary intervention (percutaneous coronary intervention, PCI) to treatment with or without abciximab. Platelet aggregation was assessed in samples collected during the procedure and the degree of platelet aggregation inhibition was correlated with cardiac enzyme release post-PCI. Abciximab treatment achieved a more complete inhibition of aggregation than dual oral antiplatelet therapy alone (median value of 1 vs. 50%, normal 100%). Any pathological increase in creatinine kinase-MB (CK-MB) post-PCI was present in 21% of the abciximab group and in 22% of the no-abciximab group (P = 0.9). Also the occurrence of clinically relevant myonecrosis [myocardial infarction (MI) = CK-MB > 3x upper limit of normal] was not significantly influenced by treatment assignment: 9 vs. 10% (P = 0.9). In a multiple logistic regression model including clinical, angiographic, and procedural characteristics, post-PCI myonecrosis was not correlated with the degree of platelet aggregation inhibition but with procedural features (such as long inflation time) and with the presence of multi-vessel disease. There were no cases of acute or subacute stent thrombosis. At 6 months, major adverse cardiac events, including cardiac death, non-fatal MI, or target lesion revascularization occurred in 13% of abciximab patients and in 16% of the control patients (P = 0.6).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the studied patients scheduled for elective coronary stenting and pre-treated with aspirin and a loading dose of clopidogrel, further inhibition of platelet aggregation by abciximab does not afford additional cardioprotection. Our data suggest that distal athero-embolization rather than thrombo-embolization is involved in the phenomenon of myonecrosis post-elective stenting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Antwerp University Hospital, Wilrijkstraat 10, B-2650 Edegem, Belgium. marc.claeys@ua.ac.be
authors.forename: Marc J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Claeys
authors.forename: Marc G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Van der Planken
authors.forename: Johan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bosmans
authors.forename: Jan J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Michiels
authors.forename: Francine
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vertessen
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Van Der Goten
authors.forename: Floris L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Wuyts
authors.forename: Chris J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Vrints
mesh_terms: D000077284:Abciximab; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077144:Clopidogrel; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D052279:Creatine Kinase, MB Form; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000097:blood; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D011292:Premedication; D012008:Recurrence; D015607:Stents; D015996:Survival Rate; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D013988:Ticlopidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020107:Troponin T / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; D007527:Isoenzymes; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex; D020107:Troponin T; D000077144:Clopidogrel; D003402:Creatine Kinase; D052279:Creatine Kinase, MB Form; D013988:Ticlopidine; D001241:Aspirin; D000077284:Abciximab