Clinical Outcomes of Multiple Chronic Total Occlusions in Coronary Arteries According to Three Therapeutic Strategies: Bypass Surgery, Percutaneous Intervention and Medication

Background: Limited data exist regarding clinical outcomes of multiple chronic total occlusions (CTOs) according to therapeutic strategies, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and medical treatment (MT).

Methods: From March 2003 to February 2012, a total of 2024 patients with at least one CTO were enrolled in retrospective, single-center registry. 393 patients with at least two CTOs were categorized based on the intention-to-treat principle. Propensity-score matching was performed. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiac and cerebral events (MACCE).

Results: Of 393 patients with multiple CTOs, 169 patients (43%) were referred for CABG, 130 (33%) for PCI, and 94 (24%) for MT. Median overall follow-up duration was 46.5 (interquartile range 22.7 to 74.6) months. After propensity-score matching analysis, CABG had lower rates of MACCE when compared with PCI (HR=0.43, 0.21-0.85, P=0.01) and MT (HR=0.10, 0.04-0.27, P<0.01). Rates of repeat revascularization was significantly lower in CABG, compared with PCI (HR=0.05, 0.01-0.40, P<0.01) and MT (HR=0.01, 0.00-0.54, P=0.02). CABG had similar rates of cardiac death compared with PCI group (HR=0.97, 0.37-2.53, P=0.95), but had significantly lower rates of cardiac death compared with MT (HR=0.24, 0.08-0.75, P=0.01).

Conclusions: For management of multiple CTOs, MT alone was associated with higher incidence of cardiac death and MACCE compared with CABG. PCI was associated with higher incidence of MACCE, as driven by higher repeat revascularization rate. These findings suggest that CABG might be associated with better clinical outcome and considered as the preferred treatment strategy in patients with multiple CTOs.