Myocardial infarction in multivessel disease: Does presence of chronic total occlusion make a difference?

Background And Aims: Myocardial infarction (MI) in multivessel disease (MVD) and chronic total occlusion (CTO) is associated with high mortality. However, all-cause mortality of matched cohort without a CTO is unclear. Our aim was to analyse clinical characteristics, presenting symptoms, and survival of patients with MI in MVD and the possible impact of CTO on 1-year mortality.

Methods: All MI patients with MVD (two or three vessel disease) hospitalized in our center from January 2020 to September 2022 (1309 patients) were selected. We conducted a propensity score matching (PSM) analysis based on age, gender, type of MI, and compared patients with CTO (CTO group, n = 90) and without CTO (Control group, n = 90).

Results: We observed no difference in presenting clinical symptoms and initial heart rhythm between the groups. 1-year follow-up shows all-cause mortality rate of 23.3 % (n = 21) in the CTO group (Mean survival [MS] = 292.1 days, 95 % CI = 263.8 to 320.4) and 18.9 % (n = 17) in the Control group (MS = 310.2 days, 95 % CI = 285.3 to 335.2), p = 0.44. PCI alone was performed in 64.4 % (n = 58) in both groups, CABG in 18.8 % (n = 17) and 24.4 % (n = 22) (CTO vs. Control group respectively). Combination of PCI and CABG occurred in 8.8 % (n = 8) in both groups. Conservative treatment was chosen for 7 CTO and 2 Control group patients.

Conclusion: We observed no 1-year mortality difference in patients with MI, MVD and a CTO compared to a matched cohort of patients with MI, MVD without CTO. Excellent 1-year survival was observed in patients treated by CABG, irrespective of CTO presence.