Comparison of very early treatment with either fibrinolysis or percutaneous coronary intervention facilitated with abciximab with respect to ST recovery and infarct-related artery epicardial flow in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: the Swedish Early Decision (SWEDES) reperfusion trial

• BACKGROUND: Results from a number of studies indicate that primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is superior to fibrinolysis for treatment of acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction. Modern adjunctive antithrombotic treatment with systematic use of low-molecular-weight heparins, fibrin-specific thrombolysis, and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor inhibitors may improve the outcome compared with what was achieved in previous studies. METHODS: Patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction were randomized to receive enoxaparin followed by reteplase (group A; n = 104) or enoxaparin followed by abciximab and transfer to invasive center for optional PCI (group B; n = 101). Primary end points were ST-segment resolution 120 minutes and TIMI flow at coronary angiography 5 to 7 days after randomization. RESULTS: Forty-two percent of the patients started therapy in the prehospital phase. Time from symptom to treatment was 114 minutes in group A and 202 minutes in group B. Baseline characteristics were similar in the 2 groups. Sixty-four percent in group A and 68% in group B had ST resolution of > 50% at 120 minutes (not significant). At control angiography, 54% in the fibrinolytic group and 71% in the invasive group had TIMI 3 flow (P = .04). At 30 days, the composite of death, stroke, or reinfarction occurred in 8% in the fibrinolytic group compared with 3% in the invasive group (not significant). CONCLUSIONS: Despite much shorter time delay to start of fibrinolysis than PCI, this did not result in signs of superior myocardial reperfusion. Epicardial flow in the infarct-related artery was better after invasive therapy, and there was a trend toward better clinical outcome after this treatment compared with after fibrinolysis.

Keyword

Adult

Aged

*Angioplasty

Transluminal

Percutaneous Coronary

Antibodies

Monoclonal/*therapeutic use

Antifibrinolytic Agents/*therapeutic use

Coronary Angiography

Enoxaparin/*therapeutic use

Female

Humans

Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments/*therapeutic use

Male

Middle Aged

Myocardial Infarction/*drug therapy/radiography

Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex/*antagonists & inhibitors

Regional Blood Flow

*Thrombolytic Therapy

Time Factors

Treatment Outcome

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)