title: Long-term follow-up after deferral of coronary intervention based on myocardial fractional flow reserve measurement.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess long-term results after deferring coronary intervention (percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)) of an intermediate lesion with a value of myocardial fractional flow reserve (FFR) > or = 0.75 in a 'real life' patient population with no respect to results of stress tests (if performed) or coronary disease extent.
  
  
  METHODS
  PCI of an intermediate lesion was deferred in a group of 85 consecutive patients (54 men, 61+/-10 years) on the basis of the result of FFR > or = 0.75 (mean FFR, 0.89+/-0.06%). FFR was measured in 111 stenoses (mean diameter stenosis, 54+/-8%, left anterior descending coronary artery, 65 (58%), left circumflex coronary artery, 24 (22%), right coronary artery, 22 (20%). Multi-vessel disease (defined as visually assessed diameter reduction of more than 50% in at least two arteries of more than 1.5 mm diameter, supplying at least two of the three major coronary artery perfusion territories) was present in 67% of patients (one-vessel disease, 28 patients (33%), two-vessel disease, 39 patients (46%), three-vessel disease, 18 patients (21%). Recorded events during follow-up were as follows: all-cause death, cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, ischemia-driven target lesion transcatheter revascularization (TLR) and coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). Angina class (Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) classification) and the need for anti-anginal drugs were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Follow-up was completed in 85 patients (100%). Mean duration of follow-up was 22.6+/-6.6 months (range 4-33 months). Events occurred in 11 patients (13%). Seven patients died; this included two cardiac deaths. A non-fatal myocardial infarction occurred in one patient, one patient needed TLR and three patients underwent CABG. Estimated 33 month cardiac-event-free survival (Kaplan-Meier) was 91+/-4%. Angina class decreased [1.6+/-1.2 compared with 0.8+/-0.8 (P < 0.0001)] without difference with respect to the use of anti-anginal drugs (1.7+/-0.8 compared with 1.7+/-0.9, P = NS).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Deferring coronary interventions of intermediate stenosis based on FFR measurement is safe with respect to long-term follow-up, irrespective of the extent of coronary artery disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University Hospital Motol, Prague, Czech Republic. mates@bon.cz
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mates
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hrabos
authors.forename: Petr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hajek
authors.forename: Ondrej
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Rataj
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vojacek
mesh_terms: D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D003326:Coronary Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome