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Original Article
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Volume 358:2205-2217 May 22, 2008 Number 21
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Facilitated PCI in Patients with ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction
Stephen G. Ellis, M.D., Michal Tendera, M.D., Mark A. de Belder, M.D., Ad J. van Boven, M.D., Petr Widimsky, M.D., Luc Janssens, M.D., H.R. Andersen, M.D., Amadeo Betriu, M.D., Stefano Savonitto, M.D., Jerzy Adamus, M.D., Jan Z. Peruga, M.D., Maciej Kosmider, M.D., Olivier Katz, M.D., Thomas Neunteufl, M.D., Julia Jorgova, M.D., Maria Dorobantu, M.D., Liliana Grinfeld, M.D., Paul Armstrong, M.D., Bruce R. Brodie, M.D., Howard C. Herrmann, M.D., Gilles Montalescot, M.D., Franz-Josef Neumann, M.D., Mark B. Effron, M.D., Elliot S. Barnathan, M.D., Eric J. Topol, M.D., for the FINESSE Investigators

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ABSTRACT

Background We hypothesized that percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) preceded by early treatment with abciximab plus half-dose reteplase (combination-facilitated PCI) or with abciximab alone (abciximab-facilitated PCI) would improve outcomes in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, as compared with abciximab administered immediately before the procedure (primary PCI).

Methods In this international, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, we randomly assigned patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction who presented 6 hours or less after the onset of symptoms to receive combination-facilitated PCI, abciximab-facilitated PCI, or primary PCI. All patients received unfractionated heparin or enoxaparin before PCI and a 12-hour infusion of abciximab after PCI. The primary end point was the composite of death from all causes, ventricular fibrillation occurring more than 48 hours after randomization, cardiogenic shock, and congestive heart failure during the first 90 days after randomization.

Results A total of 2452 patients were randomly assigned to a treatment group. Significantly more patients had early ST-segment resolution with combination-facilitated PCI (43.9%) than with abciximab-facilitated PCI (33.1%) or primary PCI (31.0%; P=0.01 and P=0.003, respectively). The primary end point occurred in 9.8%, 10.5%, and 10.7% of the patients in the combination-facilitated PCI group, abciximab-facilitated PCI group, and primary-PCI group, respectively (P=0.55); 90-day mortality rates were 5.2%, 5.5%, and 4.5%, respectively (P=0.49).

Conclusions Neither facilitation of PCI with reteplase plus abciximab nor facilitation with abciximab alone significantly improved the clinical outcomes, as compared with abciximab given at the time of PCI, in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00046228 [ClinicalTrials.gov] .)


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The affiliations of the authors are listed in the Appendix.

Address reprint requests to Dr. Ellis at the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, the Cleveland Clinic, F25, 9500 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44195, or at elliss{at}ccf.org.

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