Abstract
Aim This study tried to determine the effi cacy and safety of low-dose intracoronary unfractionated heparin (UFH) in elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).Methods Two-hundred patients who underwent elective PCI of an uncomplicated lesion were included into the study. The patients were assigned to either a control group (70-100 IU/kg intravenous UFH) or a low-dose intracoronary UFH (1,000 IU intracoronary UFH) group.Results At 30 days, the primary end point (composite of death, myocardial infarction, or urgent target vessel revascularization) was similar in both groups [intracoronary UFH group, 1.0%; control group, 2.0%; odds ratio; 0.49 (95% CI: 0.04 - 5.54), P= 0.56]. Post-procedural myocardial injury (according to CK-MB, P= 0.91; according to Tn I, P= 0.81) and bleeding events (based on TIMI criteria, P= 0.33; based on STEEPLE criteria, P= 0.20) were similar in the control and intracoronary groups. The primary end point at 6 months was also similar between the two groups (P = 0.33). Moreover, the health care cost at 30 days of follow-up was lower in the intracoronary group than in the control group (1,016 ± 54 $/patient vs 1,110 ± 102 $/patient, P< 0.001).Conclusion This pilot study suggests that elective PCI could be safely performed with low-dose intracoronary UFH in the treatment of uncomplicated lesions and at a lower cost as compared to standard systemic anticoagulation. These results shou ld be confi rmed by further studies.Clinical trial registration number unique identifi er: NCT01031095
Published Version
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