Peak Procedural ACT Is Associated With All-Cause Mortality After Femoral Access PCI.

Background: A minimum threshold activated clotting time (ACT) to guide heparin dosing during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is associated with lower ischemic complications. However, data are variable regarding the risk of high ACT levels. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of peak procedural ACT on complications and mortality for transfemoral and transradial access PCI.

Methods: The UC San Diego Health National Cardiovascular Data Registry CathPCI Registry was used to obtain data on patients who underwent native vessel PCI from January 2007 to September 2022. Coronary artery bypass graft patients and those who received bivalirudin were excluded. Complications and all-cause mortality at 30 days and 1-year post-PCI were assessed by ACT tertile.

Results: A total of 2473 patients (age 65 ± 12 years; 74% male) undergoing PCI with 53% femoral and 47% radial access were included. The majority (82%) had 1-vessel coronary artery disease with heterogeneous clinical presentations (21.8% ST-elevation myocardial infarction, 25.4% non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction, 4.9% unstable angina, 33.8% stable angina, 3.4% atypical chest pain, 10.7% other indication for PCI). With femoral access, patients in the third tertile (ACT ≥ 275) had significantly higher all-cause mortality at 30 days (5.3% vs 2.7% vs 0.9%; P < .001), 6 months (6.3% vs 4.0% vs 2.0%; P = .007), and 1 year (9.0% vs 6.0% vs 2.7%; P < .001) compared to the second (ACT 228-275) and first tertile (ACT ≤ 228), respectively. A 30-day landmark analysis revealed that there was no difference in all-cause mortality beyond 30 days (3.9% vs 3.4% vs 1.8%; P = .176). There were increased bleeding complications in the highest tertile (12.8% vs 9.8% vs 7.5%; P = .034) and a higher need for blood products (10.4% vs 6.7% vs 5.4%; P = .014). There was no difference in ischemic major adverse cardiovascular events specifically periprocedural myocardial infarction or stroke between tertiles. There was no difference in clinical outcomes by peak ACT for patients who had radial access.

Conclusions: Higher ACT with transfemoral access PCI was associated with increased 30-day mortality, bleeding complications, and need for blood products post-PCI.