Propensity score analysis of very long-term outcome after coronary thrombus aspiration in acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND

The long-term prognostic impact of thrombus aspiration (TA) in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is unclear.

AIM: To assess the long-term prognostic impact of TA in AMI.

METHODS

Data were obtained from three nationwide French surveys (FAST-MI 2005, 2010 and 2015) including consecutive patients with AMI. Long-term death rate (up to 10 years) was assessed according to use of TA in patients with AMI treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

RESULTS

TA was used in 1781/9654 patients (18%; 2005, 7%; 2010, 27%; 2015, 18%), including 1546 (86.8%) with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Patients who had TA were younger (61 vs. 65 years; P<0.001), mostly men (81 vs. 74%; P<0.001) and their culprit lesion was more often on the right coronary artery (40 vs. 31%; P<0.001). Crude very long-term mortality was lower with TA (25.0 vs. 32.5%; crude hazard ratio [HR] 0.74, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.68-0.82; P<0.001). Adjusting on a propensity score (PS) for getting TA, very long-term mortality did not differ (HR 1.03, 95% CI 0.89-1.20; P=0.67). In-hospital stroke was more frequent with TA (0.7 vs. 0.4%; P=0.04). After PS matching (two cohorts, 1430 patients in each), very long-term mortality was similar in the two PS-matched cohorts (HR 1.02, 95% CI 0.87-1.19; P=0.84). In patients with a high thrombus burden, the adjusted HR for very long-term mortality was 0.76 (95% CI 0.59-0.98; P=0.03) in favour of TA.

CONCLUSIONS

These routine-practice data show that TA use increased until 2010 and declined thereafter, in keeping with international guidelines. In the overall population of patients with AMI who underwent PCI, TA had no effect on long-term survival. In those with a high thrombus burden, TA was associated with improved long-term survival.