American Society of Hirudotherapy

Prognostic value of the SYNTAX score in patients with acute coronary syndromes undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: analysis from the ACUITY (Acute Catheterization and Urgent Intervention Triage StrategY) trial

Randomized controlled trial published in Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2011)

Last Updated: June 18, 2026Reviewed by: ASH Editorial Board
Research article — evidence reviewArticle reference
Evidence: Randomized controlled trialClinical TrialsDrug DevelopmentSalivary PharmacologyPalmerini T et al. · Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2011

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: We sought to investigate the predictive value of the SYNTAX (Synergy Between PCI With Taxus and Cardiac Surgery) score (SS) for risk assessment of 1-year clinical outcomes in patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). BACKGROUND: In the SYNTAX trial, the SS was effective in risk-stratifying patients with left main and triple-vessel coronary disease, the majority of whom had stable ischemic heart disease. METHODS: The SS was determined in 2,627 patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes undergoing PCI in the angiographic substudy of the ACUITY (Acute Catheterization and Urgent Intervention Triage StrategY) trial. Patients were stratified according to tertiles of the SS: <7 (n = 854), ≥ 7 and <13 (n = 825), and ≥ 13 (n = 948). RESULTS: Among patients in the first, second, and third SS tertiles, the 1-year rates of mortality were 1.5%, 1.6%, and 4.0%, respectively (p = 0.0005); the cardiac mortality rates were 0.2%, 0.9%, and 2.7%, respectively (p < 0.0001); the myocardial infarction (MI) rates were 6.3%, 8.3%, and 12.9%, respectively (p < 0.0001); and the target vessel revascularization (TVR) rates were 7.4%, 7.0%, and 9.8%, respectively (p = 0.02). By multivariable analysis, the SS was an independent predictor of 1-year death (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.04, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01 to 1.07; p = 0.005), cardiac death (HR: 1.06, 95% CI: 1.03 to 1.09; p = 0.0002), MI (HR: 1.03, 95% CI: 1.02 to 1.05; p < 0.0001), and TVR (HR: 1.03, 95% CI: 1.02 to 1.05; p < 0.0001). The SS affected death, cardiac death, and MI both within the first 30 days after PCI and between 30 days and 1 year, whereas it affected TVR primarily within the first 30 days. The predictive value of an increased SS was consistent among multiple pre-specified subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes undergoing PCI, the SS is an independent predictor of the 1-year rates of death, cardiac death, MI, and TVR. (Comparison of Angiomax Versus Heparin in Acute Coronary Syndromes [ACS]; NCT00093158).

Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.

Publication typeComparative StudyJournal ArticleMulticenter StudyRandomized Controlled TrialResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Indexed MeSH termsAcute Coronary SyndromeAgedAngioplasty, Balloon, CoronaryCardiac CatheterizationCoronary AngiographyCoronary Artery BypassElectrocardiographyEmergency TreatmentFemaleHeparin, Low-Molecular-WeightHirudinsHospital Mortality

Summary

We sought to investigate the predictive value of the SYNTAX (Synergy Between PCI With Taxus and Cardiac Surgery) score (SS) for risk assessment of 1-year clinical outcomes in patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Why This Matters for Hirudotherapy

This clinical trial analysis evaluated the prognostic value of the SYNTAX score for predicting 1-year clinical outcomes in patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. The study found that the SYNTAX score is an independent predictor of death, cardiac death, myocardial infarction, and target vessel revascularization. The research is entirely centered on cardiovascular risk stratification and interventional cardiology. As such, it holds no direct relevance to the American Society of Hirudotherapy, leech therapy, or the leech secretome. Although the broader trial involves anticoagulant use, this specific abstract provides no data on hirudin, leeches, or any related therapeutic applications.

Citation

Prognostic value of the SYNTAX score in patients with acute coronary syndromes undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: analysis from the ACUITY (Acute Catheterization and Urgent Intervention Triage StrategY) trial

Palmerini T et al. · Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2011

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