title: European registry on patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction transferred for mechanical reperfusion with a special focus on early administration of abciximab -- EUROTRANSFER Registry.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Abciximab is established as adjunct to primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Based on some smaller studies, ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) networks in various European countries have adopted the start of abciximab before transfer to the catheterization laboratory (cathlab) hospital as part of their routine treatment options. Although a recently published study did not reveal improved clinical outcome when starting abciximab before the cathlab, a potential benefit from such early administration, in particular in the setting of transfer networks, remains unclear and has been the subject of debate.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data of consecutive patients with STEMI transferred for primary PCI in hospital/ambulance-feeded STEMI networks treated between November 2005 and January 2007 at 15 PCI centers from 7 European countries were collected in the web-based EUROTRANSFER Registry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data from a total of 1,650 patients were collected. Abciximab was administered to 1086 patients (66%), of whom 727 received early abciximab (EA group: abciximab started before admission to cathlab, at least 30 minutes before balloon). Another 359 patients received late abciximab (LA group: periprocedural administration of abciximab in the cathlab). Preprocedural TIMI 3 flow was observed in 17.7% of patients with EA and in 8.9% in the LA group (P < .0001). Thirty-day mortality was 3.9% in the EA group versus 7.5% with LA (OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.29-0.85, P = .011), and composite 30-day outcome including death, repeated myocardial infarction, and urgent revascularization was present in 5.5% and 10.3%, respectively (OR 0.51, 95% CI 0.32-0.81, P = .004). These differences remain statistically significant in favor of early abciximab after accounting and adjustment for differences between the groups by means of a multivariate regression model and propensity score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients in STEMI networks transferred for primary PCI who have received abciximab before transfer rather than in the cathlab had more patent arteries before PCI and showed lower rates for death and the composite clinical outcome at 30-day follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional Cardiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland. mcdudek@cyf-kr.edu.pl
authors.forename: Dariusz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dudek
authors.forename: Zbigniew
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Siudak
authors.forename: Magnus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Janzon
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Birkemeyer
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aldama-Lopez
authors.forename: Corrado
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lettieri
authors.forename: Bogdan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Janus
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wisniewski
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Berti
authors.forename: Zoran
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Olivari
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rakowski
authors.forename: Lukasz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Partyka
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Goedicke
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zmudka
mesh_terms: D000077284:Abciximab; D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D015897:Comorbidity; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D011292:Premedication; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012042:Registries; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013996:Time and Motion Studies
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D000077284:Abciximab