Intravascular ultrasound-guided unprotected left main coronary artery stenting in the elderly

Objectives: To investigate whether intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) could improve clinical outcomes compared with angiography-guided PCI in the treatment of unprotected left main coronary artery stenosis (ULMCA) in the elderly. Methods: This controlled study was carried out between October 2009 and September 2012, in Qinhuangdao First Hospital, Hebei Province, China. One hundred and twenty-three consecutive patients with ULMCA, aged 70 or older, were randomized to an IVUS-guided group and a control group. The occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE): death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, or target lesion revascularizations) were recorded after 2 years of follow-up. Results: The IVUS-guided group had a lower rate of 2-year MACE than the control group (13.1% versus 29.3%, p=0.031). The incidence of target lesion revascularization was lower in the IVUS-guided group than in the control group (9.1% versus 24%, p=0.045). However, there were no differences in death and myocardial infarction in the 2 groups. On Cox proportional hazard analysis, distal lesion was the independent predictor of MACE (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.99, confidence interval [CI]: 1.129-2.367; p=0.043); IVUS guidance was independent factor of survival free of MACE (HR: 0.414, CI: 0.129-0.867; p=0.033). Conclusion: The use of IVUS could reduce MACE in elderly patients undergoing ULMCA intervention.