Abstract
Background
Cardiovascular guidelines recommend adjunct glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors (GPI) only in selected patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).
Purpose
This study aimed to evaluate routine GPI use in STEMI treated with primary PCI.
Methods
Online databases were systematically searched for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of routine GPI vs. control therapy in STEMI. Data from retrieved studies were abstracted and evaluated in a comprehensive meta-analysis using Mantel-Haenszel estimates of risk ratios (RR) as summary statistics.
Results
After systematic review, twenty-one RCTs with 8,585 patients were included: ten trials randomized tirofiban (T), nine abciximab (A), one eptifibatide (E), one trial used A+T; only one trial used DAPT with prasugrel/ ticagrelor. Routine GPI were associated with a significant reduction in all-cause mortality at 30 days (2.4% (GPI) vs. 3.2%; risk ratio (RR) 0.72; p=0.01) and 6 months (3.7% vs. 4.8%; RR 0.76; p=0.02), and a reduction in recurrent MI (1.1% vs. 2.1%; RR 0.55; p=0.0006), repeat revascularization (2.5% vs. 4.1%; RR 0.63; p=0.0001), TIMI flow <3 after PCI (5.4% vs. 8.2%; RR 0.61; p<0.0001) and ischemic stroke (RR 0.42; p=0.04). Major (4.7% vs. 3.4%; RR 1.35; p=0.005) and minor bleedings (7.2% vs. 5.1%; RR 1.39; p=0.006) but not intracranial bleedings (0.1% vs. 0%; RR 2.7; p=0.37) were significantly increased under routine GPI.
Conclusions
Routine GPI administration during primary PCI in STEMI resulted in mortality reduction, driven by reductions in recurrent ischemic events – however predominantly in trials pre-prasugrel/ticagrelor. Trials in contemporary STEMI management are needed to confirm these findings.