Clinical and angiographic follow-up after primary stenting in acute myocardial infarction - The primary angioplasty in myocardial infarction (PAMI) stent pilot trial

Background-Restenosis has been reported in as many as 50% of patients within 6 months after PTCA in acute myocardial infarction (AMI), which necessitates repeat target-vessel revascularization (TVR) in approximate to 20% of patients during this time period. Routine (primary) stent implantation after PTCA has the potential to further improve late outcomes. Methods and Results-Primary stenting was performed as part of a prospective study in 236 consecutive patients without contraindications who presented with AMI of <12 hours' duration at 9 international centers. A mean of 1.4+/-0.7 stents were implanted per patient (97% Palmaz-Schatz) at 17.3+/-2.4 arm. During a clinical follow-up period of 7.4+/-2.6 months, death occurred in 4 patients (1.7%), reinfarction occurred in 5 patients (2.1%), and TVR was required in 26 patients (11.1%), By Cox regression analysis, small reference-vessel diameter and the number of stents implanted were the strongest determinants of TVR. Angiographic restenosis occurred in 27.5% of lesions. By multiple logistic regression analysis, the number of stents implanted and the absence of thrombus on the baseline angiogram were independent determinants of binary restenosis. Conclusions-A strategy of routine stent implantation during mechanical reperfusion of AMI is safe and is associated with favorable event-free survival and low rates of restenosis compared with primary PTCA alone.