Different revascularization strategies for patients with coronary artery disease complicating reduced ejection fraction

Abstract

Objectives: To explore the short and long term outcomes of coronary artery disease(CAD) patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) after two different revascularization strategies. Methods: The CAD patients with HFrEF who had undegone successful revascularization from January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2014 in Anzhen Hospital were analyzed based on registries. The baseline characteristics, changes of left heart function and the MACCE after a mean follow-up of 3.1 years were compared. Results: A total of 1 813 CAD patients with HFrEF who had undergone successful PCI (n=687) or CABG (n=1 126) satisfied the inclusion criteria were included. The age of all patients included was (59.6±10.0) years and male patients accounted for 83.1%. For the coronary angiographic features, the CABG group showed higher SYNTAX score (27.3±10.2 vs 31.1±10.4, P<0.01) and greater left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVEDD) [(59.8±7.2) vs (57.9±7.7)mm, P<0.001]. The LVEF before revascularization was similar in PCI and CABG group [(35.8±5.1)% vs (35.9±4.6)%, P>0.05]. At three-month, one-year or three-year follow-up after revascularization, the improvement of LVEF was similar in the two groups (P>0.05). After multivariable adjustment, three-year outcomes revealed that the risks of all-cause mortality and cardiac death were not statistically significant between CABG and PCI group (16.3% vs 14.3%, HR=1.5, 95%CI: 1.2-2.1, P=0.07; 8.5% vs 8.2%, HR=1.3, 95%CI: 1.1-1.4, P=0.20). With regards to other endpoints, CABG group had a higher rate of stroke (6.2% vs 2.9%, HR=2.9, 95%CI:2.3-3.6, P<0.01) but a lower rate of repeat revascularization (6.5% vs 15.1%, HR=0.5, 95%CI:0.3-0.7, P<0.01) compared to PCI group. And for patients with SYNTAX score≥33, PCI group showed a comparable risk of all-cause mortality or cardiac death (HR=0.8, 95%CI: 0.4-1.3, P=0.06; HR=0.7, 95%CI:0.4-1.0, P=0.90). Conclusions: In CAD patients with HFrEF who had undergone successful revascularization, PCI is not inferior to CABG for long-term survival. PCI should be taken into consideration to become an alternative strategy in patients with left ventricular dysfunction.