Usefulness of Fractional Flow Reserve during Routine Clinical Procedures in All-Comer Coronary Artery Disease Patients

Background: Fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided interventions, though proved to be safe, continue to be a much-underutilized modality in determining treatment strategy, and data is lacking in Indian population. Objective: We aimed to determine the use of FFR-guided PCI and assess the overall impact on treatment decisions and clinical outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or chronic coronary syndromes (CCS). Methods: In this single-center retrospective and prospective observational study, FFR had been performed for the evaluation of treatment reclassification and clinical outcomes, as per physician’s clinical practice. Results: Data was obtained for 250 subjects (mean age 60.45 ± 9.6 years) with 324 lesions. The treatment plan based on angiography alone changed in 28% of lesions post-hyperemic FFR. The initial treatment plan based on angiography vs. the final treatment plan post-FFR (>0.80) was medical management 56.5% vs. 66.0%; CABG 11.1% vs. 7.7%; and PCI 32.4% vs. 26.2%. In subjects initially assigned to medical management, 14% had changed to PCI, and for subjects initially assigned to PCI, 44% had changed to medical therapy. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis revealed a good correlation between a resting FFR value of Conclusion: This study supports the use of FFR in determining treatment strategy in ACS or CCS patients with low MACE. Resting FFR value of be an alternative to intracoronary nitroglycerine/adenosine/Nikorandil-induced FFR in predicting positive FFR particularly in hemodynamically unstable patients, and who are intolerant to hyperemic drugs.