Intravascular Imaging Improves Clinical Outcomes of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Chronic Total Occlusions: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Clinical data comparing intravascular imaging (IVI)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with angiography-guided PCI for chronic total occlusions (CTOs) are limited. This study aimed to compare clinical outcomes of IVI-guided versus angiography-guided PCI in patients with CTOs. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing IVI-guided with angiography-guided PCI in CTO populations. The primary endpoint was the incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE), a composite of death/cardiac death, myocardial infarction (MI), and target-vessel revascularization (TVR). Secondary outcomes included the individual components of MACE. A prespecified subgroup analysis was performed for intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Five RCTs, including 1,296 patients, were analyzed, with 713 (55%) undergoing IVI-guided PCI. Over 1 to 3 years, MACE was significantly lower in the IVI-guided PCI group (7.2% vs 13%; relative risk [RR] 0.55; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.35 to 0.88; p = 0.012; I2 = 31%). In the secondary analysis, TVR incidence was lower in the IVI group (3.1% vs 6.7%; RR 0.52; 95% CI 0.29 to 0.97; p = 0.038). No statistical differences were observed for MI or death/cardiac death. In the IVUS subgroup, MACE was also lower in the IVI-guided PCI group (8.4% vs 14.3%; RR 0.59; 95% CI 0.37 to 0.91; p = 0.019). A trial sequential analysis suggested a low likelihood of type I error. In conclusion, IVI-guided PCI is associated with improved clinical outcomes compared with angiography-guided PCI for the treatment of CTOs. (c) 2025 Elsevier Inc. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.