Use of Intravascular Imaging in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Acute Myocardial Infarction

Background: The use and impact of intravascular imaging in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients has received limited study. Methods: We queried the National Inpatient Sample database (NIS) between January 2016 and December 2017 to identify hospitalizations of STEMI patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We used a 1:2 propensity-score (PS) matched analysis to compare in-hospital outcomes in patients with vs. without use of intravascular imaging. We conducted a multivariable regression analysis to identify variables independently associated with in-hospital mortality. Results: We identified 252,970 weighted discharges of PCI in STEMI patients, 5.5% of which included intravascular imaging. Patients in whom intravascular imaging was used were more likely to have acute stent thrombosis (4.7% vs. 1.4%, p < 0.001) and present with anterior STEMI (48.1% vs. 39.1%, p < 0.001). After PS matching (intravascular imaging n = 14,015, no intravascular imaging n = 28,025), the use of intravascular imaging was associated with lower in-hospital mortality (3.6% vs. 4.8%, p = 0.010). The risk of in-hospital complications and discharge to a facility (nursing facility or short-term acute hospital) was similar between both groups before and after PS matching. The use of intravascular imaging was associated with a higher index hospitalization cost [$25,218 vs. $20,515, p < 0.001]. On multivariable analysis, intravascular imaging was independently associated with lower in-hospital mortality [OR 0.735 (95% CI 0.662–0.816), p < 0.001]. Conclusion: Intravascular imaging was used in 5.5% of PCIs in STEMI patients and was independently associated with lower in-hospital mortality and higher index hospitalization cost.