Abstract
BACKGROUND: In patients with acute myocardial infarction or unstable angina undergoing coronary angioplasty, abciximab reduces major adverse cardiac events (MACE). Most clinical trials have studied mainly intravenous administration. Intracoronary (IC) bolus application of abciximab causes very high local drug concentrations and may be more effective in reducing acute and sub-acute stent thrombosis (ST). We studied whether IC bolus administration of abciximab is associated with a reduced ST and target vessels revascularization (TVR); therefore, less MACE rate compared with the standard intravenous IV bolus and infusion application. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a single-center observational study conducted between June 2007 and 2009. We studied a total of 447 patients admitted with either acute coronary intervention (PCI) and stenting. Patients with bleeding disorder, recent major surgery and high blood pressure were excluded. Patients were divided into two groups: Group I (n = 199) patient received IC bolus of abciximab (reopro) 0.25 μg/kg during the PCI in cath lab. Group II (n = 248) received the standard dose of reopro-a bolus intravenous 0.25 μg/kg and maintenance dose of 0.125 μg/kg over 12 h. RESULTS: There were no differences between the groups with regard to diabetes mellitus, group I (56%) vs. group II (58%), P = 0.613; ACS, group I (38%) vs. group II (44%), P = 0.175; Dietthylstilbestrol Drug eluted stent (DES) in group I (66.5%) vs. (57.6%) group II, P = 0.056; Bare Metal Stent (BMS) in group I (33%) vs. (40.7%) group II, P=0.093; target vessel revascularization (TRV) was seen in 9 patients (4%) in group I vs. 16 patients (6%) in group II. ST elevation was seen in 4 patients (2%) in group I vs. 7 patients (2.8%) in group II, all presented with STEMI. CONCLUSION: In this study, there was a trend toward less ST and TVR in patients who received IC reopro vs. intravenous route both in ACS and stable CAD. The percentage of DM was high in both groups (56%), especially in Saudi patients. In-stent restenosis (ISR) was less in group I than in group II, this was mainly associated with BMS usage. The percentage of BMS was more than 30% in both groups, either due to STEMI cases or large vessel size. Randomized controlled trials are warranted to further assess IC application of abciximab in reducing ST.