Effect of completeness of revascularization on clinical outcome in patients with multivessel disease presenting with unstable angina who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention.

We evaluated the current short- and medium-term outcomes of complete revascularization, compared to culprit lesion percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), in patients with multivessel coronary disease presenting with unstable angina. One hundred fifty-one patients with multivessel coronary disease presented to a tertiary cardiothoracic center with unstable angina/non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (UA/NSTEMI) between January 2000 and September 2001. In group A (n=71), the intended strategy was complete revascularization by multivessel PCI. In group B (n=80), culprit lesion PCI was intended despite the presence of other lesions amenable to PCI (B1) or due to confounding anatomical factors (B2). Clinical variables and endpoints were collected from patient notes, a dedicated database and telephone follow-up, and included recurrent stable and unstable angina, need for repeat PCI or elective coronary artery bypass graft, incidence of non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI) and death. Baseline characteristics were similar in each group. Procedural success was achieved in over 95% of cases in both groups with high stent implantation rates (>96%). There was no observed difference in mortality or incidence of MI between the groups. Compared to group A, more patients in group B1 had residual angina [22.8% (13/57) versus 9.9% (7/71); p=0.041] and required further PCI [17.5% (10/57) versus 7.0% (5/71); p=0.045]. There was a non-significant trend toward fewer readmissions for UA and less long-term antianginal medication in group A [38.0% (27/71) versus 52.6% (30/57); p=0.043]. Complete and culprit lesion revascularization by PCI are safe methods of treating patients with multivessel coronary disease presenting with UA/NSTEMI. Reductions in residual angina, repeat PCI and need for antianginal therapies suggest that complete revascularization should be the strategy of choice when possible.