Short‐term Effect of Upstream Administration in Comparison to Deferred Injection of Tirofiban on Patients with Acute ST‐Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Background

High bolus dose tirofiban has been demonstrated to provide greater inhibition of platelet aggregation, but the most appropriate timing of its administration remains unknown.

Objectives

To evaluate the efficacy of upstream vs. deferred administration of tirofiban in patients with acute ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on clinical outcomes.

Methods

The 660 patients with acute ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention were divided into upstream (n = 330, administration of tirofiban to all patients in emergency room) and deferred groups (n = 330, treatment of patients with large thrombus burden or no‐reflow phenomenon in cardiac catheterization laboratory during PCI). The primary end‐points were death, nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI), stent thrombosis (ST), revascularization of targeted vessels (TVR) or major adverse cardiac events (MACE) at 1 month and 6 months following PCI, with safety end‐point at 7 days.

Results

Compared with that of the deferred group, there was a significant increase of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in the upstream group within 7 days (55.5 ± 6.6% vs. 54.6 ± 7.9%, P = 0.011). The rates of 7‐day and 1‐month MACE in the upstream group were lower than those in the deferred group (1.5% vs. 4.2%, 3.3% vs. 7.0%, P = 0.037 and 0.034, respectively). However, there were higher tendencies for major and minor bleedings in the upstream group (1.8% vs. 0.9%, 2.7% vs. 1.5%, P = 0.315 and 0.280, respectively).

Conclusion

To the Chinese patients with acute myocardial infarction undergoing primary PCI, upstream administration of tirofiban was slightly superior to deferred injection for short‐term clinical outcomes.