A controlled trial with prolonged follow up: percutaneous intervention in acute myocardial infarction is equivalent to thrombolytic therapy
Tornvall, P.; Johansson, M.; Herzfeld, I.; Nilsson, T.
Lakartidningen 98(32-33): 3397-3399
2001
ISSN/ISBN: 0023-7205 PMID: 11526657 Document Number: 539409
Previous studies comparing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with thrombolysis for treatment of myocardial infarction with ST-elevation have in meta-analyses but not in randomized trials shown that PCI is more effective. Despite a large volume of primary PCI performed in Sweden no controlled trials have been carried out. The present study included 96 patients with myocardial infarction with ST-segment elevation treated with primary PCI 1995-1998. The main indications were shock (15 cases), contraindication to thrombolysis (24 cases), as an alternative to thrombolysis (57 cases), with a mortality in the respective groups of 67, 25 and 10 percent. Controls matched for age and infarct location and treated with thrombolysis could be identified for 55 of the patients treated with PCI. After four years 40 percent and 52 percent of the patients treated with PCI and thrombolysis respectively reached the combined endpoint of death/myocardial infarction/revascularization/angina pectoris (not significant). In conclusion, the study shows that primary PCI in patients with myocardial infarction with ST-segment elevation can be performed safely also in Sweden.