title: Randomized early versus late abciximab in acute myocardial infarction treated with primary coronary intervention (RELAx-AMI Trial).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This prospective randomized trial evaluates the impact of early abciximab administration on angiographic and left ventricular function parameters.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors improve myocardial reperfusion in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), but optimal timing of administration remains unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two-hundred ten consecutive patients with first AMI undergoing primary PCI were randomized to abciximab administration either in the emergency room (early group: 105 patients) or in the catheterization laboratory, after coronary angiography (late group: 105 patients). Primary end points were initial Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) flow grade, corrected TIMI frame count (cTFC), and myocardial blush grade (MBG), as well as left ventricular function recovery as assessed by serial echocardiographic evaluations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Angiographic pre-PCI analysis showed a significantly better initial TIMI flow grade 3 (24% vs. 10%; p = 0.01), cTFC (78 +/- 30 frames vs. 92 +/- 21 frames; p = 0.001), and MBG 2 or 3 (15% vs. 6%; p = 0.02) favoring the early group. Consistently, post-PCI tissue perfusion parameters were significantly improved in the early group, as assessed by 60-min ST-segment reduction > or =70% (50% vs. 35%; p = 0.03) and MBG 2 or 3 (79% vs. 58%; p = 0.001). Left ventricular function recovery at 1 month was significantly greater in the early group (mean gain ejection fraction 8 +/- 7% vs. 6 +/- 7%, p = 0.02; mean gain wall motion score index 0.4 +/- 0.3 vs. 0.3 +/- 0.3, p = 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with AMI treated with primary PCI, early abciximab administration improves pre-PCI angiographic findings, post-PCI tissue perfusion, and 1-month left ventricular function recovery, possibly by starting early recanalization of the infarct-related artery.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Misericordia e Dolce Hospital, Prato, Italy. mauromaioli@tiscali.it
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maioli
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bellandi
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leoncini
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Toso
authors.forename: Roberto Piero
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Dabizzi
mesh_terms: D000077284:Abciximab; D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000187:drug effects; D004638:Emergency Treatment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex; D000077284:Abciximab