The role of chronic total occlusions in non-infarct-related arteries in acute coronary syndrome patients: a systematic review

Aim: This systematic review evaluated the impact of a chronic total occlusion (CTO) in a non-infarct-related artery (non-IRA) on clinical outcomes in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients and assessed the benefits of staged revascularization.Methods: We performed a comprehensive systematic review to provide further insight into the impact of a CTO in a non-IRA on clinical outcomes after ACS. Moreover, we review the currently available evidence on the clinical significance of staged revascularization for a CTO in a non-IRA patients with ACS and propose whether prophylactic CTO percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) could improve outcomes in patients who subsequently develop an ACS.Results: Our search identified 999 studies, from which 30 were selected and ten were included in the analysis. The results showed a trend of higher all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiac event rates in the culprit-only-PCI group compared with the multivessel (MV)-PC I group in ST elevation myocardial infarction patients, with varying statistical significance across different outcomes.Conclusion: This review highlights the significant impact of non-IRA CTOs in ACS. Successful CTO revascularization may provide benefits, particularly in ST elevation myocardial infarction, but the optimal management approach remains uncertain. The presence of a non-IRA CTO, especially in cardiogenic shock, predicts worse outcomes. Further research is warranted to determine the effective strategies to improve survival.