Abciximab Complications trial

Tcheng JE, Kandzari DE, Grines CL, Cox DA, Effron MB, Garcia E et al. Benefits and risks of abciximab use in primary angioplasty for acute myocardial infarction the Controlled Abciximab and Device Investigation to Lower Late Angioplasty Complications (CADILLAC) trial. Circulation 2003 108(ll) 1316-23. 

Duda et al. prospectively studied 70 patients in the PROMPT trial of UK and abciximab versus UK alone. The trial showed the combination therapy resulted in a decreased infusion time, improved amputation free survival, and improved open surgery free survival at 90 days (46). Interestingly, a post hoc economic analysis of the PROMPT trial found an economic benefit to combination therapy at 90 days based on endpoints of amputation free survival, survival without open surgery, lack of major amputation and lack of major complications. The extra cost of abciximab was more than offset by the decreased costs through improved patient outcomes (47). 

Blankenship JC, Hellkamp AS, Aguirre FV, Demko SL, Topol EJ, Califf RM. Vascular access site complications after percutaneous coronary intervention with abciximab in the Evaluation of c7E3 for the Prevention of Ischemic Complications (EPIC) trial. Am J Cardiol 1998 81(l) 36-40. 

The use of abciximab in a rescue manner (as opposed to the usual prophylactic use) when newly formed intracoronary thrombus occurs as a complication of coronary angioplasty has been examined in a small trial [173], Dissolution of thrombus and restoration of coronary blood flow were reported to be readily achieved using abciximab (0.25mg/kg i.v. bolus followed by 10 g/min infusion for 12h). 

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