Comparison of physician-rated performance characteristics of hydrophilic-coated guide wires.
OBJECTIVE
The present study was undertaken to determine whether hydrophilic-coated guide wires differed significantly according to physician-rated performance.


METHODS
In this single-blinded, randomized prospective trial, three standard-shaft, 3-cm, angled-tip hydrophilic-coated guide wires were compared: the ZIPwire, HiWire, and Glidewire. Physicians rated performance characteristics on a five-point scale.


RESULTS
The Glidewire had significantly greater physician-rated tip radiopacity (3.3 +/- 0.5 vs. 3.0 +/- 0.6; P = .04), wire radiopacity (3.3 +/- 0.5 vs. 3.0 +/- 0.6; P = .04), and "lubricity" (3.3 +/- 0.6 vs. 2.6 +/- 1.0; P < .01) compared with the ZIPwire. The HiWire and Glidewire did not differ significantly in any of these characteristics. Compared with the ZIPwire (2.4 +/- 1.2), the HiWire (3.0 +/- 0.7; P = .02) and Glidewire (3.2 +/- 0.6; P < .01) had significantly higher-rated lubricity retention. There were no differences in torque response, ability to navigate tortuous vessels, or tip shape retention among the three devices. The Glidewire received a significantly higher rating for overall balance of properties (3.3 +/- 0.6) compared with the HiWire (3.0 +/- 0.7; P = .01) and ZIPwire (2.7 +/- 0.8; P < .01). Overall, operators stated that the Glidewire met their expectations in 95.0% of cases compared with 75.0% for the HiWire (P < .01) and 62.5% for the ZIPwire (P < .01).


CONCLUSIONS
In addition to the highest-rated overall balance of properties, the Glidewire had significantly higher-rated lubricity and radiopacity characteristics compared with the ZIPwire.
Shah
Anand
A
Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA.
Lau
Charles
C
Stavropoulos
S William
SW
Nemeth
Alexander
A
Soulen
Michael C
MC
Solomon
Jeffrey A
JA
Mondschein
Jeffrey I
JI
Patel
Aalpen A
AA
Shlansky-Goldberg
Richard D
RD
Itkin
Maxim
M
Chittams
Jesse L
JL
Trerotola
Scott O
SO
D006801:Humans; D010820:Physicians; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015642:Radiology, Interventional / Q000295:instrumentation*