Successful percutaneous coronary intervention improves symptoms in chronic total occlusion patients with low left ventricular ejection fraction

AIM To assess whether successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) could improve symptoms in chronic total occlusion (CTO) patients with low left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF, ≤35%).

METHODS CTO patients who underwent PCI from April 2018 to May 2021 were prospectively and consecutively enrolled and they were subdivided into 3 groups: LVEF ≥ 50%, 50%>LVEF>35%, and LVEF ≤ 35%. Detailed baseline characteristics and symptoms including dyspnea and angina were assessed respectively with the Rose dyspnea scale (RDS) and Seattle angina questionnaire (SAQ). Procedural details as well as 1 month and 1 year follow-up data were collected.

RESULTS Of the 1076CTO patients, LVEF ≤ 35% was present in 114 patients (10.6%), who had more previous myocardial infarction and higher proportion of NYHA functional class III/IV, multivessel disease and multi-CTO lesion (P<0.01). At 1 month and 1 year follow-up, dyspnea and angina were markedly relieved regardless of LVEF (P<0.01), notably at a similar degree between patients with LVEF ≤ 35% and the other two groups.

CONCLUSION Successful PCI can significantly relieve dyspnea and angina in CTO patients with low LVEF.