For ST segment–elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients presenting between 12 and 24 hours from symptom onset but with no signs of clinical instability, coronary revascularization “may be appropriate,” according to a new report. At the same time, for STEMI patients initially treated with fibrinolysis, revascularization was rated as “appropriate therapy” in the setting of suspected failed fibrinolytic therapy or in stable and asymptomatic patients from 3 to 24 hours after fibrinolysis.
Those are two conclusions contained in a revision of the appropriate use criteria (AUC) for coronary revascularization published on Dec. 21 (J Am Coll Cardiol. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2016.10.034).
“This update provides a reassessment of clinical scenarios that the writing group felt to be affected by significant changes in the medical literature or gaps from prior criteria,” Manesh R. Patel, MD, chief of the division of cardiology and codirector of the Duke Heart Center at Duke University, Durham, N.C., and chair of the seven-member writing committee for the document, said in a prepared statement. “The primary objective of the appropriate use criteria is to provide a framework for the assessment of practice patterns that will hopefully improve physician decision making and ultimately lead to better patient outcomes.”
Mitchel L. Zoler/Frontline Medical News
Dr. Manesh R. Patel
The 22-page document contains 17 clinical scenarios that were scored by a separate committee of 17 experts to indicate whether revascularization in patients with acute coronary syndromes is appropriate, may be appropriate, or is rarely appropriate for the clinical scenario presented. Step-by-step flow charts are included to help use the criteria. “Since publication of the 2012 AUC document (J Am Coll Cardiol. 2012;59:857-81), new guidelines for [STEMI] and non–ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI)/unstable angina have been published with additional focused updates of the [stable ischemic heart disease] guideline and a combined focused update of the percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and STEMI guideline,” the writing committee noted. “New clinical trials have been published extending the knowledge and evidence around coronary revascularization, including trials that challenge earlier recommendations about the timing of nonculprit vessel PCI in the setting of STEMI. Additional studies related to coronary artery bypass graft surgery, medical therapy, and diagnostic technologies such as fractional flow reserve (FFR) have emerged as well as analyses from the National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR) on the existing AUC that provide insights into practice patterns, clinical scenarios, and patient features not previously addressed.”
Conclusions in the document include those for nonculprit artery revascularization during the index hospitalization after primary PCI or fibrinolysis. This was rated as “appropriate and reasonable” for patients with one or more severe stenoses and spontaneous or easily provoked ischemia or for asymptomatic patients with ischemic findings on noninvasive testing. Meanwhile, in the presence of an intermediate-severity nonculprit artery stenosis, revascularization was rated as “appropriate therapy” in cases where the fractional flow reserve is at or below 0.80. For patients who are stable and asymptomatic after primary PCI, revascularization was rated as “may be appropriate” for one or more severe stenoses even in the absence of further testing.
The only “rarely appropriate” rating in patients with acute coronary syndromes occurred for asymptomatic patients with intermediate-severity nonculprit artery stenoses in the absence of any additional testing to demonstrate the functional significance of the stenosis.
“As in prior versions of the AUC, these revascularization ratings should be used to reinforce existing management strategies and identify patient populations that need more information to identify the most effective treatments,” the authors concluded. Dr. Patel reported having no financial disclosures.