Transfer with GP IIb/IIIa inhibitor tirofiban for primary percutaneous coronary intervention vs. on-site thrombolysis in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI): a randomized open-label study for patients admitted to community hospitals

Our study aimed to compare two reperfusion strategies in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) admitted initially to a community hospital without catheterization facilities. Four hundred and one patients with STEMI admitted to community hospital (13 hospitals, radius 20–150 km from cath-lab) were randomized to on-site thrombolysis or to transport with tirofiban (10 µg/kg bolus i.v. + i.v. infusion 0.1 µg/kg/min) for primary PCI in single invasive centre. Primary endpoints were total mortality, recurrent MI (re-AMI), and stroke during 1 year follow-up. Delay to reperfusion defined as interval between admission and start of fibrinolysis or primary PCI was 35 and 145 min (P < 0.0001). Mean time of tirofiban administration to PCI in transfer group was: 122.3 ± 35.7 min. Mortality was not different during hospitalization and at 30th-day, with trend towards lower mortality at 1 year in transport group (12.5 vs. 7.0%, P = 0.061). There were no differences in the rate of re-AMI and stroke, with trend towards lower incidence of re-AMI in transfer group at 1 year (7.5 vs. 3.5%, P = 0.073). Composite of death/re-AMI/stroke was higher in on-site group during follow-up (15.5 vs. 8.0%, P = 0.019; 21.5 vs. 11.4%, P = 0.006, respectively, at 30th-day and 1 year). Outcomes at 1 year follow-up suggest that transportation with adjunctive therapy with GP IIb/IIIa inhibitor tirofiban for primary PCI is superior to on-site thrombolysis for patient with STEMI presenting to hospital without catheterization facilities.