Safety and effectiveness of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors in acute coronary syndromes: insights from the SPUM-ACS study

Abstract Aims Data on Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors (GPI) use in real world ACS patients following the introduction of potent P2Y12 inhibitors and newer generation stents are scant. Here, we aimed to assess the utilization, effectiveness, and safety of GPI in a large prospective cohort of contemporary ACS patients. Methods SPUM-ACS is a prospective, multicentre study in which ACS patients between 2009 and 2017 were recruited. The primary endpoint of the present study was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), a composite of all-cause death, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI) and non-fatal stroke at one year. Any bleeding events, BARC 3-5 bleeding, and net adverse cardiovascular events (NACE) comprised the secondary endpoints. Results A total of 4395 ACS patients were included in the analysis. GPI-treated patients had more total coronary artery occlusion (56% vs 35%, p<0.001) and thrombus (60% vs 35%, p<0.001) at angiography. Among the propensity score matched (PSM) population (1992 patients equally split into two groups), GPI-treated patients showed lower MACE risk (PSM adjusted HR 0.70, 95% CI 0.49-0.99) but a higher risk of any (PSM adj HR 1.46, 95% CI 1.06-1.99) and major bleedings (PSM adj HR 1.73, 95% CI 1.09-2.76), resulting in a neutral effect on NACE (PSM adj HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.65-1.17). These results remained consistent across all subgroups. When including only patients treated with potent P2Y12, the incidence of MACE was not different between the two groups, (log rank p=0.50 and PSM adjusted HR 0.94, 95% CI 0.60-1.48). In the PSM population, GPI use (HR 0.76, 95% CI 0.59-0.99, p=0.04), TIMI 3 at the end of the procedure (HR 0.16, 95% CI 0.08-0.30, p<0.001) and potent P2Y12 inhibitor use (HR 0.70, 95% CI 0.49-0.99, p=0.04) were protective independent predictors of MACE at follow-up, while oral anticoagulation at discharge (4.48, 95% CI 2.10-9.52, p<0.001), multivessel disease (HR 1.95, 95% CI 1.09-3.48, p=0.02) and KILLIP class ≥ 2 at admission (HR 1.98, 95% CI 0.99-3.95, p=0.05) were adverse independent predictors. Conclusion In ACS patients undergoing PCI and broadly treated with potent P2Y12 inhibitors, GPI use reduced the risk of MACE at 1 year, while increasing the risk of major bleedings, with a neutral effect on NACE. The routine use of these pharmacological agents should be discouraged, while in selected patients GPI use should be considered following personalized balancing between ischaemic and bleeding risk.Events in PSM populationEvents in PSM population