Is traditionally defined complete revascularization needed for patients with multivessel disease treated by elective coronary angioplasty? Multivessel Angioplasty Prognosis Study (MAPS) Group.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of incomplete revascularization by percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty in patients with multivessel disease on adverse long-term cardiac events (death, coronary artery bypass surgery or myocardial infarction) and to develop an optimal definition of adequate revascularization based on clinical outcome. BACKGROUND: The effect of incomplete coronary revascularization by coronary angioplasty on long-term adverse clinical events remains controversial. METHODS: Three hundred seventy well characterized patients were followed-up for 27 +/- 16 months after angioplasty. Mean patient age was 58 +/- 11 years; 72% were male; 70% had two-vessel disease (> or = 50% diameter stenosis by caliper measurement); and the mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 58 +/- 11% (range 20% to 85%). Angioplasty was successfully accomplished in 339 patients (91.6%), but complete revascularization by the standard definition (no residual > or = 50% stenosis in a coronary artery > or = 1.5 mm in diameter) was achieved in only 91 patients (25%). RESULTS: Three-year event-free survival (i.e., freedom from death, myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass surgery) in the entire cohort was 76.5%. By the standard definition, complete revascularization was strongly and negatively associated (p = 0.003) with long-term cardiac events, even after correction for the effects of other independent correlates of events, using Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. Seventeen other definitions, evaluating the severity and extent of residual stenoses and whether they were associated with contractile myocardium, were tested to find that which best stratified late event-free survival and had an outcome with complete revascularization no worse than that associated with the standard definition. The best definition for the entire cohort, having more predictive value than the standard definition, allowed < 10% of estimated left ventricular mass to be served by vessels with mild stenoses (< 60%) without being considered "incomplete." CONCLUSIONS: Mild stenoses in coronary arteries > or = 1.5 mm in diameter serving modest amounts of myocardium do not appear to need to be revascularized to achieve good long-term outcome with coronary angioplasty. Hence, angioplasty in such lesions may not be justified except when they are documented to cause life-style-limiting angina, and the standard definition of complete revascularization by angioplasty appears to be suboptimal. The importance of optimally defined adequate revascularization should be considered in the interpretation of the results of randomized trials assessing the clinical efficacy of coronary angioplasty compared with that of other modalities of therapy.

The influence of balloon inflation duration on the acute angiographic result of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.

This study was performed to evaluate the importance of the duration of balloon inflation during PTCA, by comparing two common inflation durations. Patients were randomized to a 30-second inflation protocol (group I, 83 procedures, 109 lesions), or a 60-second protocol (group II, 83 procedures, 115 lesions). There were no differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups, and no subsequent differences in mean inflation number (3.4 +/- 1.6 vs 3.1 +/- 1.6), residual stenosis (34% +/- 17% vs 33% +/- 16%), presence of dissection (29% vs 34%), or clinical success (89% vs 84%), group I versus group II, respectively. The 30-second inflations caused significantly less chest pain score (147 +/- 239 vs 399 +/- 516, P less than 0.001), and ST segment alteration (75 +/- 94 seconds vs 136 +/- 163, P less than 0.05). These results indicate that 60-second inflations do not produce a superior result to 30-second inflations. Furthermore, shorter inflations are much better tolerated.

Severe aortic regurgitation complicating percutaneous aortic valve valvuloplasty.

An 88-year-old patient undergoing percutaneous aortic balloon valvuloplasty of a tricuspid aortic valve is described. The patient had mild aortic regurgitation prior to the procedure but developed severe aortic regurgitation after balloon dilatation of the valve. At the time of surgery there was no anatomic disruption of the valve or supporting structures. Development of severe aortic incompetence following balloon valvuloplasty has not been previously reported.

Coronary morphologic and clinical determinants of procedural outcome with angioplasty for multivessel coronary disease. Implications for patient selection. Multivessel Angioplasty Prognosis Study Group.

To assess the likelihood of procedural success in patients with multivessel coronary disease undergoing percutaneous coronary angioplasty, 350 consecutive patients (1,100 stenoses) from four clinical sites were evaluated. Eighteen variables characterizing the severity and morphology of each stenosis and 18 patient-related variables were assessed at a core angiographic laboratory and at the clinical sites. Most patients had Canadian Cardiovascular Society class III or IV angina (72%) and two-vessel coronary disease (78%). Left ventricular function was generally well preserved (mean ejection fraction, 58 +/- 12%; range, 18-85%) and 1.9 +/- 1.0 stenoses per patient had attempted percutaneous coronary angioplasty. Procedural success (less than or equal to 50% final diameter stenosis in one or more stenoses and no major ischemic complications) was achieved in 290 patients (82.8%), and an additional nine patients (2.6%) had a reduction in diameter stenosis by 20% or more with a final diameter stenosis 51-60% and were without major complications. Major ischemic complications (death, myocardial infarction, or emergency bypass surgery) occurred in 30 patients (8.6%). In-hospital mortality was 1.1%. Stepwise regression analysis determined that a modified American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force (ACC/AHA) classification of the primary target stenosis (with type B prospectively divided into type B1 [one type B characteristic] and type B2 [greater than or equal to two type B characteristics]) and the presence of diabetes mellitus were the only variables independently predictive of procedural outcome (target stenosis modified ACC/AHA score; p less than 0.001 for both success and complications; diabetes mellitus: p = 0.003 for success and p = 0.016 for complications). Analysis of success and complications on a per stenosis dilated basis showed, for type A stenoses, a 92% success and a 2% complication rate; for type B1 stenoses, an 84% success and a 4% complication rate; for type B2 stenoses, a 76% success and a 10% complication rate; and for type C stenoses, a 61% success and a 21% complication rate. The subdivision into types B1 and B2 provided significantly more information in this clinically important intermediate risk group than did the standard ACC/AHA scheme. The stenosis characteristics of chronic total occlusion, high grade (80-99% diameter) stenosis, stenosis bend of more than 60 degrees, and excessive tortuosity were particularly predictive of adverse procedural outcome. This improved scheme may improve clinical decision making and provide a framework on which to base meaningful subgroup analysis in randomized trials assessing the efficacy of percutaneous coronary angioplasty.

Determinants of 2-year outcome after coronary angioplasty in patients with multivessel disease on the basis of comprehensive preprocedural evaluation. Implications for patient selection. The Multivessel Angioplasty Prognosis Study Group.

BACKGROUND: To assess the likelihood of intermediate-term event-free survival (freedom from death, coronary artery bypass surgery, and myocardial infarction) in patients with multivessel coronary disease undergoing coronary angioplasty, 350 consecutive patients from four clinical sites were carefully evaluated and followed for 22 +/- 10 months. METHODS AND RESULTS: Eight clinical variables were evaluated at the clinical sites, and 23 angiographic variables describing the number, morphology, and topography of coronary stenoses were evaluated at a core angiographic laboratory. Most patients had Canadian Cardiovascular Society class III or IV angina (72%), two-vessel coronary disease (68%), and well-preserved left ventricular function (mean ejection fraction, 58 +/- 12%; range, 18-85%). Follow-up was complete in 99% of patients. At 2 years, event-free survival was 72%, overall survival was 96%, freedom from bypass surgery was 82%, and freedom from nonfatal myocardial infarction without surgery was 96%. Sequential Cox proportional hazards regression analyses allowing stepwise entry of variables prospectively coded as simple, as of intermediate complexity, or as complex found event-free survival to be independently predicted by low Canadian Cardiovascular Society angina class, no diabetes, no proximal left anterior descending stenoses, and the sum of stenosis simplified risk-territory scores of 15 or less. In the absence of class IV angina and these risk factors, 2-year event-free survival was 87% and overall survival was 100%. In the presence of two or more of these risk factors, event-free survival was less than 50%. CONCLUSIONS: Recognition of risk factors for poor long-term outcome in this setting may improve clinical decision making and provide a framework on which to base meaningful subgroup analyses in randomized trials assessing the efficacy of coronary angioplasty.