title: Appropriateness of coronary revascularization for patients without acute coronary syndromes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine appropriateness of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery performed in New York for patients without acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or previous CABG surgery.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF) and 6 other societies recently published joint appropriateness criteria for coronary revascularization.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from patients who underwent CABG surgery and PCI without acute coronary syndrome or previous CABG surgery in New York in 2009 and 2010 were used to assess appropriateness and to examine the variation across hospitals in inappropriateness ratings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 8,168 patients undergoing CABG surgery in New York without ACS/prior CABG who could be rated, 90.0% were appropriate for revascularization, 1.1% were inappropriate, and 8.6% were uncertain. Of the 33,970 PCI patients eligible for rating, 28% lacked sufficient information to be rated. Of the patients who could be rated, 36.1% were appropriate, 14.3% were inappropriate, and 49.6% were uncertain. A total of 91% of the patients undergoing PCI who were classified as inappropriate had 1- or 2-vessel disease without proximal left anterior descending artery disease and had no or minimal anti-ischemic medical therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For patients without ACS/prior CABG, only 1% of patients undergoing CABG surgery who could be rated were found to be inappropriate for the procedure according to the ACCF appropriateness criteria, but 14% of the PCI patients who could be rated were found to be inappropriate, and 28% lacked enough noninvasive test information to be rated.
authors.affiliation: University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12144, USA. elh03@health.state.ny.us
authors.forename: Edward L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Hannan
authors.forename: Kimberly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cozzens
authors.forename: Zaza
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Samadashvili
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Walford
authors.forename: Alice K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Holmes
authors.forename: Nicholas J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Stamato
authors.forename: Samin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Ferdinand J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Venditti
authors.forename: Icilma
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fergus
authors.forename: Spencer B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: King
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000592:standards*; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000592:standards*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000145:classification* / Q000601:surgery*; D004608:Eligibility Determination; D006801:Humans