Aims: REvascularization in Ischaemic HEart Failure Trial (REHEAT) is a registry prospectively evaluating the outcomes of percutaneous myocardial revascularization in postinfarction patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy and various categories of surgical risk.
Methods and results: One hundred seventy consecutive postinfarction patients with LVEF <40% and angiographically documented coronary stenoses eligible for PCI were enrolled to the study. The study end-points included: angiographic success of PCI, major adverse events at 30 days and 1 year after procedure, long-term survival, functional status (CCS and NYHA class) and LVEF 12 months after the intervention. Angiographic success rate was 98,8% and complete revascularization was achieved in 38.8% cases. No periprocedural deaths were registered. Thirtieth-days survival was 97% and was better in comparison to calculated survival for CABG patients; 1-year survival was 94.4% and was not inferior to predicted survival after CABG. In the general study population a significant improvement of LVEF (27,8+/-7,0 to 35,9+/-9,4%) was shown (absolute change mean 6.45+/-10%). In low/intermediate risk group the LVEF increase was lower (6.5+/-10,9) in comparison to high risk group (10,3+/-9,6%)(p=0,042). In both groups a significant and comparable reduction of angina and heart failure severity was shown in 1-year follow-up.
Conclusion: PCI in postinfarction patients with markedly reduced LVEF is associated with a significant increase of LVEF and favorable clinical outcome (CCS and NYHA class). PCI is safe, feasible and can be an alternative approach to CABG both in low/intermediate and high surgical risk patients.