We investigated whether additional platelet inhibition with a
glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor would be beneficial in reducing the risk of periprocedural
myocardial infarction (PMI) in diabetic patients with high residual platelet reactivity (HPR). Patients with
diabetes mellitus were administered
aspirin and
clopidogrel at a 300-mg loading dose 1 day before the procedure, and the VerifyNow P2Y(12) assay was performed just before
percutaneous coronary intervention. Patients with HPR, defined as a P2Y(12) reaction unit of ≥270 were randomly assigned to group A or control group C1. Patients without HPR were assigned to control group C2. Conventional anticoagulation with
heparin was given to groups C1 and C2, and group A received additional
abciximab treatment. Clinically relevant PMI was defined as any elevation in the
biomarkers creatine kinase-MB isoenzyme and cardiac
troponin I >3 times the upper normal limit measured 8, 16, or 24 hours after
percutaneous coronary intervention. Of the patients, 47 and 51 were assigned to group A and C1; the clinical and procedural characteristics in the 2 groups were balanced. Of the 47 patients in group A and 51 patients in group C1, 9 (19%) and 9 (18%), respectively, experienced a PMI event according to the
creatine kinase-MB cutoff (p = 1.00), and 27 in group A (57%) and 29 in group C1 (57%) experienced a PMI event according to the
troponin I cutoff (p = 1.00). Five minor
bleeding events, including small and localized
hematomas, were observed immediately after the procedure (4 in group A and 1 in group C1). Only 1 major
bleeding event, retroperitoneal
hemorrhage, was observed in group A. The patients in group C2 had a PMI event rate (50% of 32 patients, p = 1.00) similar to that of group C1. In conclusion, additional platelet inhibition using a tailored approach and a point-of-care assay did not improve the periprocedural outcome in diabetic patients with HPR.