Surgical and percutaneous revascularization outcomes based on SYNTAX I, II, and residual scores: a long-term follow-up study

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of SYNTAX scores I, II, and residual with cardiovascular outcomes of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and compare both procedures in a long-term follow-up. METHODS: This is a retrospective single-center study from the MASS registry at the Heart Institute of the University of São Paulo, Brazil in which 969 patients with stable coronary artery disease undergoing CABG (559) or PCI (410) were included. We assessed the SYNTAX scores I, II and residual in both interventions. Clinical endpoints were the first occurrence of a composite of overall death, myocardial infarction, stroke, or repeat revascularization (MACCE) and the total occurrence of each component of MACCE. RESULTS: In the CABG sample, SSI had a median of 23 (IQR 17–29.5), median SSII of 25.4 (IQR 19.2–32.8), and median rSS of 2 (IQR 0–6.5); in PCI SSI had a median of 14 (IQR 10–19.1), median SSII of 28.7 (IQR 23–34.2), and median rSS of 4.7 (IQR 0–9). Total of 174 events were documented and CABG patients had a lower rate of MACCE (15.6% vs. 21.2%; adjusted HR 1.98; 95% CI 1.13–3.47; P = 0.016) and repeat revascularization (3.8% vs. 11.5%; adjusted HR 4.35; CI 95% 1.74–10.85; P = 0.002) compared with PCI. No SYNTAX score tertile found a difference in death rate between procedures. In a multivariate analysis, the rSS was an independent predictor for MACCE (HR 1.04; 95% CI 1.01–1.06; P = 0.001). Regarding death, the only independent predictors were ejection fraction and renal function. CONCLUSION: Surgical revascularization resulted in a more complete revascularization and lower rates of major cardiac or cerebrovascular events in a long-term follow-up. Also, grading the incompleteness of revascularization through the residual SYNTAX score identified a higher event rate, suggesting that complete revascularization is associated with a better prognosis. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13019-021-01616-6.