Impact of infarct related artery patency after early abciximab administration on one-year mortality in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (data from the EUROTRANSFER Registry).

Background: Spontaneous early infarct related artery (IRA) recanalisation before primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) has a favourable impact on outcome. However, the role played by pharmacotherapy driven patency prior to pPCI is still a matter of debate.
Aim: To assess the role of early IRA patency (TIMI flow 2 or 3) after early abciximab administration in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) transferred for pPCI.
Methods: Data was gathered for 1,650 consecutive STEMI patients transferred for pPCI from hospital networks in seven countries in Europe between November 2005 and January 2007. We identified 691 patients who were pretreated with abciximab before transportation to a cathlab hospital and underwent PCI.
Results: Angiography showed early IRA patency (TIMI flow 2 or 3) in 233 (33.7%) patients, and occluded IRA (TIMI flow 0 or 1) in 458 (66.3%) patients. In patients with patent IRA, in baseline angiography the rate of TIMI 3 flow and ECG ST-segment resolution 〉 50% after PCI was higher compared to patients with occluded IRA. One year mortality was significantly lower in patients with patent IRA, 1.3% vs 7% (OR 0.17; CI 0.05-0.6; p = 0.001). In multivariable Cox regression analysis, IRA patency at baseline was identified as an independent predictor of one-year mortality.
Conclusions: Infarct related artery recanalisation after early pharmacological pretreatment in STEMI patients undergoing transportation for pPCI is associated with better post-procedural myocardial perfusion and lower one-year mortality.