Coronary Stent Placement in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction: Comparison of Clinical and Angiographic Outcome After Randomization to Antiplatelet or Anticoagulant Therapy

AbstractObjectives. The Intracoronary Stenting and Antithrombotic Regimen (ISAR) trial is a randomized comparison of combined antiplatelet with anticoagulant therapy after coronary Palmaz-Schatz stent placement. The objective of this study was to compare early and late clinical and angiographic outcome in a subgroup of patients with stent placement for acute myocardial infarction.Background. Stenting has become a treatment option for acute myocardial infarction, but it is not known which antithrombotic regimen is more adequate after stent implantation.Methods. One hundred twenty-three patients with successful stenting after acute myocardial infarction were randomized to receive aspirin plus ticlopidine (n = 61) or intense anticoagulant therapy (n = 62). Six-month repeat angiography was performed in 101 (86.3%) eligible patients.Results. During the first 30 days after stenting, patients with antiplatelet therapy had a significantly lower clinical event rate (3.3% vs. 21.0%, p = 0.005) and stent vessel occlusion rate (0% vs. 9.7%, p = 0.03) and a trend to fewer cardiac events (1.6% vs. 9.7%, p = 0.12). After 6 months, the survival rate free of recurrent myocardial infarction was higher in patients with antiplatelet therapy (100% vs. 90.3%, p = 0.03), and the rate of stent vessel occlusion was lower (1.6% vs. 14.5%, p = 0.02). Both groups had comparable restenosis rates (26.5% vs. 26.9%, p = 0.87).Conclusions. This study demonstrates that combined antiplatelet therapy after stent placement in patients with acute myocardial infarction is associated with an overall better clinical and angiographic outcome than anticoagulant therapy.(J Am Coll Cardiol 1997;29:28–34)