OBJECTIVE

To compare the efficacies of various post-percutaneous coronary intervenetion (PCI) bivalirudin doses on net adverse clinical events (NACEs) and mortality.

BACKGROUND

In primary PCI, lower risk of bleeding with bivalirudin (vs. unfractionated heparin [UFH]) is counterbalanced by an increased risk of acute stent thrombosis (ST). Several randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and a recent meta-analysis suggest that acute ST risk may be eliminated without compromising the bleeding benefit, but only if the full dose, not a low dose, of bivalirudin is continued post-PCI. However, it is not known whether this improved risk leads to lower rates of NACEs and mortality.

METHODS

Scientific databases and Web sites were searched for RCTs. Trials were included if study patients were undergoing primary PCI for acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and were randomly assigned to bivalirudin or UFH treatment. The bivalirudin arm was divided based on post-PCI bivalirudin dosage: The Biv-Full group received 1.75 mg/kg/h, the Biv-Low group, 0.25 mg/kg/h, and the Biv-No group, none.

RESULTS

Six RCTs involving 16,842 patients were found. In pairwise meta-analysis, bivalirudin improved 30-day all-cause mortality by 35% and cardiac mortality by 32%, but did not yield a NACE rate better than that achieved with UFH. Subgroup analysis showed the Biv-Full group had a 46% lower NACE rate and 47% lower all-cause mortality than UFH. These effects were not seen in the other two groups. Network meta-analysis yielded similar results. At treatment ranking, the Biv-Full group yielded the best treatment efficacy.

CONCLUSIONS

In primary PCI, full-dose bivalirudin infusion for 3-4 hr after PCI appeared to improve NACE rates compared to UFH. It also seemed to be the most effective strategy for improving cardiac mortality and all-cause mortality. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.