title: Improvement in survival following successful percutaneous coronary intervention of coronary chronic total occlusions: variability by target vessel.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study compared the survival benefit of opening a chronic total occlusion (CTO) of the left anterior descending (LAD), left circumflex (LCX), or right coronary artery (RCA).
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Previous analyses demonstrate improved survival following successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for CTO.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eligible patients underwent attempted CTO PCI in a single vessel. Procedural success rates were calculated for each vessel. The primary end point was survival at 5 years, compared across target vessel groups stratified by procedural success.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 2,608 patients included. The LAD was the target vessel in 936 (36%), the LCX in 682 (26%), and the RCA in 990 (38%) patients. Angiographic success rates for LAD were 77%, LCX 76%, and RCA 72%. Baseline demographics and comorbidities were well matched, though there were significantly more males in the LCX compared with LAD or RCA groups (80% vs. 75% and 73%, respectively, p = 0.005). Procedural success compared with failure was associated with improved 5-year survival in the LAD (88.9% vs. 80.2%, p < 0.001) group, but not in the LCX (86.1% vs. 82.1%, p = 0.21) and RCA groups (87.7% vs. 84.9%, p = 0.23). In multivariable analysis, CTO PCI success in the LAD group remained associated with decreased mortality risk (HR: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.42 to 0.89).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data suggest that PCI for CTO of the LAD, but not LCX or RCA, is associated with improved long-term survival. This information may assist in selecting patients for attempted CTO PCI.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology and Biostatistics, Saint Luke's Health System, Mid America Heart Institute, Kansas City, Missouri 64111, USA. dsafley@cc-pc.com
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Safley
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: House
authors.forename: Steven P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Marso
authors.forename: J Aaron
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Grantham
authors.forename: Barry D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Rutherford
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D054059:Coronary Occlusion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors