ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) is one of the most severe types of heart attack in which one of the heart’s major arteries is blocked. Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is the primary line of treatment for STEMI; however, the benefits associated with femoral and redial access remain unclear. This study aims to compare the safety and efficacy of femoral access in patients with STEMI.
This randomized, open-label, multicenter clinical trial included a total of 2,292 patients with STEMI referred for primary PCI. The patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to radial access (n=1,136) or femoral access (n=1,156) for PCI. The primary outcome of the study was 30-day all-cause mortality, along with recurrent MI, stroke, or thrombolysis.
Of 2,292 patients, 1,082 (95.2%) in the radial access-group and 1,109 (95.9%) in the femoral access-group underwent primary PCI. 30-day all-cause mortality occurred in 17 patients (1.5%) in the radial access-group and 15 patients (1.3%) in the femoral access group. No significant differences in rates of reinfarction, stroke, and bleeding between the two groups were recorded.
The research concluded that there were no significant differences in survival or clinical outcomes after 30 days of radial access or femoral access in patients with STEMI.
Ref: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/article-abstract/2758278?resultClick=1
