ACUITY: The Acute Catheterization and Urgent Intervention Triage StrategY Trial: The PCI Subanalysis


Summary of Results

  • ACUITY is the largest clinical trial to evaluate Angiomax® (bivalirudin) in patients with moderate- and high-risk Unstable angina/non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (UA/NSTEMI) undergoing an early invasive strategy (N=13,819) 1
  • At baseline 76% of the percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) patient population had elevated cardiac biomarkers or ST-segment deviation2
  • 27% of the PCI population had a history of diabetes
  • Results in PCI patients were consistent with Randomized Evaluation of PCI Linking ANGIOMAX to Reduced Clinical Events (REPLACE-2) and overall ACUITY trial results2*
    • ANGIOMAX alone (n=2,619) demonstrated similar ischemic efficacy versus heparin(s) + glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa (n= 2,561) (8.8% vs. 8.2%, respectively; P = .45)
    • Net clinical outcome with ANGIOMAX vs heparin(s) + GP IIb/IIIa was 11.6% vs. 13.3%, respectively (P = .057)
    • Major bleeding with ANGIOMAX vs heparin(s) + GP IIb/IIIa was 3.5% vs 6.8%, respectively (P < .001)2
  • Results in the ANGIOMAX + GP IIb/IIIa inhibitor arm (n=2,609) vs heparin(s) + GP IIb/IIIa inhibitor were similar for net clinical outcome, composite ischemia, and major bleed2
  • At 1 year, mortality rates in the 2 treatment groups in the ACUITY PCI subset were comparable (3.1% for ANGIOMAX alone; 3.2% for heparin(s) + GP IIb/IIIa inhibitor; P = .76), which demonstrated consistent long-term efficacy of ANGIOMAX treatment.2,3

* The safety and effectiveness of ANGIOMAX have not been established in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) who are not undergoing PCI.4
Major bleed:1 Defined in ACUITY as non-CABG intracranial, retroperitoneal, or intraocular bleeding; access-site hemorrhage requiring intervention; ≥5 cm diameter hematoma; reduction in hemoglobin concentration of ≥4 g/dL without an overt source of bleeding; reduction in hemoglobin concentration of ≥3 g/dL with an overt source of bleeding; reoperation for bleeding; use of any blood product transfusion.
Please see important safety information and bleeding definitions.

Trial Design

Results in UA/NSTEMI patients undergoing PCI in ACUITY are consistent with REPLACE-2 findings

  • Demonstrated in ACUITY, the largest clinical trial to evaluate ANGIOMAX in patients with moderate- and high-risk ACS undergoing an early invasive strategy (N=13,819)1
  • 76% of the PCI patient population had elevated cardiac biomarkers or ST-segment deviation2
  • Results in PCI patients were consistent with overall trial results2*

CABG=coronary artery bypass grafting.
* The safety and effectiveness of ANGIOMAX have not been established in patients with ACS who are not undergoing PCI.4
Stratified by preangiography thienopyridines use or administration.
unfractionated heparin (UFH) or enoxaparin.
§ ANGIOMAX monotherapy (with GP IIb/IIIa inhibition reserved for severe breakthrough ischemia and procedural complications during PCI).

Inclusion Criteria1,5

  • Age ≥18 years
  • Chest pain ≥10 min within 24 h
  • At least one of:
    • New ST-segment depression or transient elevation ≥1 mm
    • troponin I, T, or CKMB
    • Documented coronary artery disease
    • Presence of all 4 UA risk criteria
      • Age ≥65 years
      • Aspirin within the last 7 days
      • ≥2 angina episodes within 24 h
      • ≥3 cardiac risk factors: hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, family history of coronary artery disease, diabetes, smoking
  • Written informed consent

Major Exclusion Criteria1,5

  • No angiography within 72 h
  • Acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) or shock
  • Bleeding diathesis or major bleed within 2 weeks
  • Platelet count <100,000/mm3
  • INR >1.5 times control
  • CrCl <30 mL/min
  • Abciximab or ≥2 prior LMWH doses
    • Prior UFH, LMWH (1 dose), eptifibatide and tirofiban were allowed
  • Allergy to study drugs, contrast dye

CKMB = creatine kinase-MB; CrCl = creatinine clearance; INR = international normalized ratio; LMWH = low-molecular-weight heparin; STEMI = ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction; UFH = unfractionated heparin.

Clinical End Points

  • Net clinical outcome
    • Death, myocardial infarction (MI), unplanned revascularization for ischemia or non-CABG major bleeding
  • Composite ischemia
    • Death, MI, or unplanned revascularization for ischemia
  • Non-coronary artery bypass grafting (Non-CABG) major bleeding
    • Intracranial, intraocular, or retroperitoneal bleeding
    • Access site bleed requiring intervention/surgery
    • Hematoma ≥5 cm
    • Hemoglobin (Hgb) ≥4 g/dL without an overt source
    • Hgb ≥3 g/dL with an overt source
    • Reoperation for bleeding
    • Any blood transfusions

Baseline Characteristics in PCI Subpopulation2

Heparin(s) +
GP IIb/IIIa
(n = 2,561)
ANGIOMAX
alone
(n = 2,619)
Age (median [range], y)
72.6%
73.3%
Male
63 [25-91]
63 [30-92]
Weight (median [IQR], kg)
84 [73-96]
84 [75-95]
Diabetes
27.5%
27.5%
- Insulin requiring
8%
9%
Hypertension
66%
66%
Hyperlipidemia
56%
56%
Current smoker
31%
31%
Prior MI
29.7%
30.5%
Prior PCI
38.2%
40%
Prior CABG
17.3%
17.9%
Renal insufficiency (CRCI <60 mL/min)
19.0%
17.8%

P= Not significant for all values.

Baseline High-Risk Features2

Heparin(s) +
GP IIb/IIIa
(n = 2,561)
ANGIOMAX
alone
(n = 2,619)
Cardiac biomaker (MB or troponin)
65.1%
66.4%
- Troponin
64.8%
66.2%
ST-segment ≥1 mm
35.4%
35.3%
Cardiac biomaker or ST-segment
76.8%
77.0%

Clinical Outcomes

30-day results for ACUITY PCI subset1,2,6

Heparin(s) = UFH or enoxaparin
Important Bleeding Definitions
IN THE ACUITY ANGIOMAX-ALONE GROUP: 91% of PCI patients received ANGIOMAX monotherapy.1

  • Results in the ANGIOMAX + GP llb/llla arm (n = 2,609) vs heparin(s) + GP IIb/IIIa2

    —Net clinical outcome was 14.9% vs 13.3% (P = .10)
    —Composite ischemia was 9.3% vs 8.2% (P = .16)
    —Major bleed was 7.5% vs 6.8% (P = .32)

ACUITY PCI subset mortality results at 1 year confirm long-term efficacy3

In the ACUITY ANGIOMAX-ALONE GROUP: 91% of PCI patients received ANGIOMAX monotherapy.2
§ Mortality rates based on 1-year Kaplan-Meier estimates.3

Safety Considerations
ANGIOMAX with provisional use of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor is indicated for use as an anticoagulant in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and in patients with or at risk for heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and thrombosis syndrome (HIT/HITTS) undergoing PCI. ANGIOMAX is intended for use with aspirin and has been studied only in patients receiving concomitant aspirin. ANGIOMAX is contraindicated in patients with active major bleeding or hypersensitivity to ANGIOMAX or its components. The most common (≥10%) adverse events for ANGIOMAX were back pain, pain, nausea, headache, and hypotension. An unexplained fall in blood pressure or hematocrit, or any unexplained symptom, should lead to serious consideration of a hemorrhagic event and cessation of ANGIOMAX administration. Please see complete prescribing information.

1Stone GW, White HD, Ohman EM, et al; for the ACUITY Investigators. Bivalirudin for patients with acute coronary syndromes. N Engl J Med . 2006;355:2203-2216.

2Stone GW, White HD, Ohman EM, et al; for the Acute Catheterization and Urgent Intervention Triage strategy (ACUITY) trial investigators. Bivalirudin in patients with acute coronary syndromes undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: a subgroup analysis from the Acute Catheterization and Urgent Intervention Triage strategy (ACUITY) trial. Lancet. 2007;369:907-919.

3White HD, Chew DP, Hoekstra JW, et al. Safety and efficacy of switching from either unfractionated heparin or enoxaparin to bivalirudin in patients with non–ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes managed with an invasive strategy: results from the ACUITY trial. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2008;51:1734-1741.

4ANGIOMAX Prescribing Information. The Medicines Company; Parsippany, NJ, December 6, 2005.

5Stone GW, Bertrand M, Colombo A, et al. Acute Catheterization and Urgent Intervention Triage strategY (ACUITY) trial: study design and rationale. Am Heart J. 2004;148:764-775.

6Supplement to: Stone GW, McLaurin BT, Cox DA, et al; for the ACUITY Investigators. Bivalirudin for patients with acute coronary syndromes. N Engl J Med. 2006;355:2203-2216. Available at: http://content.nejm.org. Accessed December 6, 2006.