The benefit of abciximab in percutaneous coronary revascularization is not device-specific

Abciximab has been shown to decrease adverse outcomes after percutaneous coronary interventions, but it is unclear whether this beneficial effect is more or less pronounced with specific devices. This study sought to determine the relative magnitude of the benefit of abciximab among different interventional devices. Data from the 5 placebo-controlled trials of abciximab during coronary intervention were pooled. Patients were divided into groups based on whether they received balloon angioplasty alone, elective stenting, bailout stenting, or directional coronary atherectomy, In the patients undergoing balloon angioplasty, the 30-day hazard ratio for death or myocardial infarction (MI) in the group randomized to abciximab versus the placebo-treated group was 0.52 (p <0.001), for elective stenting the hazard ratio was 0.51 (p <0.001), for bailout stenting the hazard ratio was 0.38 (p <0.001), and for directional coronary atherectomy the hazard ratio was 0.38 (p = 0.007) A Cox proportional-hazards model revealed that overall, the use of abciximab decreased the composite end point of 30-day death or MI rates (hazard ratio 0.55, 95% confidence interval 0.43 to 0.69, p <0.001). However, bailout stenting and directional coronary atherectomy were associated with increased rates of death or MI compared with balloon angioplasty as was elective stenting in women compared with men. There was no significant increase in major bleeding episodes associated with abciximab in any of the device categories. These findings from all the controlled coronary revascularization trials using abciximab demonstrate that a decrease in death and MI is achieved with abciximab regardless of the type of device used, without an increase in significant bleeding complications. (C) 2000 by Excerpta Medica, Inc.