title: Early glycoprotein IIb-IIIa inhibitors in primary angioplasty (EGYPT) cooperation: an individual patient data meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Even though time-to-treatment has been shown to be a determinant of mortality in primary angioplasty, the potential benefits from early pharmacological reperfusion by glycoprotein (Gp) IIb-IIIa inhibitors are still unclear. The aim of this meta-analysis was to combine individual data from all randomised trials conducted on facilitated primary angioplasty by the use of early Gp IIb-IIIa inhibitors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The literature was scanned by formal searches of electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE) from January 1990 to October 2007. All randomised trials on facilitation by the early administration of Gp IIb-IIIa inhibitors in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) were examined. No language restrictions were enforced. Individual patient data were obtained from 11 out of 13 trials, including 1662 patients (840 patients (50.5%) randomly assigned to early and 822 patients (49.5%) to late Gp IIb-IIIa inhibitor administration). Preprocedural Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction Study (TIMI) grade 3 flow was more frequent with early Gp IIb-IIIa inhibitors. Postprocedural TIMI 3 flow and myocardial blush grade 3 were higher with early Gp IIb-IIIa inhibitors but did not reach statistical significance except for abciximab, whereas the rate of complete ST-segment resolution was significantly higher with early Gp IIb-IIIa inhibitors. Mortality was not significantly different between groups, although early abciximab demonstrated improved survival compared with late administration, even after adjustment for clinical and angiographic confounding factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This meta-analysis shows that pharmacological facilitation with the early administration of Gp IIb-IIIa inhibitors in patients undergoing primary angioplasty for STEMI is associated with significant benefits in terms of preprocedural epicardial recanalisation and ST-segment resolution, which translated into non-significant mortality benefits except for abciximab.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Maggiore della Carità Hospital, Eastern Piedmont University, Novara, Italy. giuseppe.deluca@maggioreosp.novara.it
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Luca
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bellandi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maioli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Noc
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Zeymer
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dudek
authors.forename: H-R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Arntz
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zorman
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Gabriel
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Emre
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cutlip
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Biondi-Zoccai
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rakowski
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gyongyosi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marino
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Huber
authors.forename: A W J
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: van't Hof
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000379:methods*; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003326:Coronary Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000378:metabolism; D004617:Embolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D004638:Emergency Treatment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000201:enzymology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D009204:Myocardial Revascularization / Q000379:methods; D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
chemical_list: D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex; D003402:Creatine Kinase