title: Revascularization strategy in patients with multivessel disease and a major vessel chronically occluded; data from the CABRI trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In patients with multivessel coronary artery disease and total occlusion of major epicardial vessel, completeness of revascularization has not been investigated in specific trials comparing the surgical and the percutaneous revascularization strategy. Analyzing the database of the CABRI study, which randomized a substantial number of these patients, we investigated the long-term effects of a successful or unsuccessful revascularization of the occluded vessel and completeness of the revascularization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The CABRI study randomized 1054 patients with multivessel coronary disease to coronary bypass or to coronary angioplasty. From the database of this trial, we selected patients with a major vessel chronically occluded (103 in the bypass group and 120 in the angioplasty group). At a median follow-up of 30 months, the incidence of death or Q-wave myocardial infarction (combined end point) was significantly lower in the bypass group than in the angioplasty group (6.8% vs 17.5%, respectively; hazard ratio [HR], 0.42 [95% CI 0.17-0.98]; p=0.047). On univariate analysis, age, proximal occlusion, complete revascularization, revascularization of the occluded vessel and revascularization procedure were identified as significant predictors of combined end points. On multivariate analysis, independent predictors of combined end points resulted in completeness of revascularization (HR 0.26; 95% CI 0.09-0.76; p=0.01) and age (HR 1.07; 95% CI 1.02-1.12; p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with multivessel coronary disease and chronic occlusion of a major epicardial vessel, achieving of a complete revascularization by reopening or bypassing the occluded vessel is associated with a significantly better long-term prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy. e.martuscelli@libero.it
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martuscelli
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Clementi
authors.forename: Mark M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Gallagher
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Eliseo
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chiricolo
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nigri
authors.forename: Benedetto
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Marino
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Romeo
mesh_terms: D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000379:methods*; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000379:methods*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000628:therapy*; D009204:Myocardial Revascularization / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome