Results of routine assessment of patients with and without coronary artery restenosis after primary percutaneous coronary intervention

Abstract Background The increasing number of primary percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) and limited availability of healthcare resources necessitate the identification of patients with restenosis through routine assessment. Purpose To evaluate the key clinical characteristics of patients with and without restenosis after primary PCI. Methods A retrospective registry included 967 patients who were urgently or electively hospitalized for coronary angiography in three PCI centers. The key inclusion criterion was a history of previous primary PCI. The primary variables of interest included clinical characteristics at admission and in-hospital prescribed therapy. The comparison of two groups based on a quantitative variable was performed using the Mann-Whitney U test. The comparison of percentage proportions was conducted using Pearson's chi-square test. Differences were considered statistically significant at p0.05. Results The median age of the included patients was 63 (57; 70) years, with 74.4% being male. The analysis of key variables of interest is presented in Figure 1. No statistically significant differences were found between patients with and without restenosis regarding key parameters assessed by healthcare professionals upon admission. A significantly higher total cholesterol level was observed in the restenosis group, but no statistically significant difference was found in non-HDL cholesterol levels (Figure 1). Analysis of in-hospital prescribed therapy revealed statistically significant differences, with a higher frequency of antiplatelet agents, nitrates, and statins being prescribed in the restenosis group (Figure 1). Conclusion Our findings highlight the challenges in identifying patients with coronary artery restenosis through routine assessment. Despite clear indications for laboratory testing, including lipid profiling, a complete lipid panel was not determined in all patients. A trend toward higher non-HDL cholesterol levels was observed in the restenosis group (Figure 1), suggesting the potential need for routine remnant cholesterol assessment. A statistically significant difference was found in antianginal therapy, with a higher prescription rate of nitrates in the restenosis group compared to calcium channel blockers, as well as increased use of statins and antiplatelet agents. The latter is likely associated with coronary angiography findings. These findings will contribute to the development of an educational program and modification of routine patient assessments.Figure 1