Stent Thrombosis after Rescue Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Acute ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

MAIN PROBLEM: To determine the incidence of coronary stent thrombosis (ST) in patients with acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) after rescue percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS: An observational study looking at the incidence of ST in a middle-eastern population. A total of 510 consecutive patients presented with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) were enrolled and underwent thrombolytic therapy with a total follow-up period of 2 years. Study outcomes were ST, death, re-infarction or acute coronary syndrome requiring coronary angiography and PCI. RESULTS: A total of 510 patients enrolled, all diagnosed with STEMI and underwent thrombolytic therapy. Only 100 subjects underwent rescue PCI with intra-coronary stenting, including 54 patients with drug-eluting stent (DES) and 46 patients with bare metal stent (BMS). During the study period and follow-up, the overall rate of ST was 13.7%, definite ST occurred in 6 patients (5.5%), probable ST in 8 patients (7.3%), and possible ST in one patient (0.9%), including 0.9% acute ST, 0.9% sub-acute ST, 2.8% late ST and 8.3% very late ST. Patients with ST were likely to have prior PCI (p=0.001), prior coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) (p=0.002) and history of heart failure (p=0.04). CONCLUSION: ST is infrequent event with major consequences in patients presenting with STEMI in the first 2 years after stent implantation.